Exploring Student Interactions in Collaborative World Wide Web Learning Environments

Abstract

: This paper describes a study in which a WWW learning environment was created using socio-constructivist instructional design principles. A qualitative research method was used to investigate the learning behaviours of classroom-based students in this instructional setting. In particular the study sought to investigate collaborative learner behaviours in settings where the instructional materials involved open-ended investigations and learner support by means of a printed guide. Observations of student behaviours provided little to confirm our contentions that such environments will create an instructional setting which encourages cooperation, reflection and articulation among students. Introduction There is growing interest in higher education about the use of the World Wide Web (WWW) as a learning tool. The WWW enables the development of powerful information sources to support learning and facilitates studentcentred instruction [Becker & Dwyer 1994]. It supports and encoura...