Research on Motivation in Collaborative Learning: Moving Beyond the Cognitive–Situative Divide and Combining Individual and Social Processes

TLDR

Recent research recognizes the importance of social aspects in collaborative learning motivation, yet it is largely viewed as a unidirectional influence on individuals. The article proposes advancing motivation research by transcending the cognitive–situative divide and integrating individual and social processes, and examines motivation’s significance in collaborative learning. The authors characterize social influence and social construction in motivation, arguing for a combined individual–social framework to move beyond the cognitive–situative divide. Illustrations from recent studies demonstrate attempts to bridge the cognitive–situative divide across theoretical perspectives and methods in collaborative learning motivation.

Abstract

In this article we propose that in order to advance our understanding of motivation in collaborative learning we should move beyond the cognitive–situative epistemological divide and combine individual and social processes. Our claim is that although recent research has recognized the importance of social aspects in emerging and sustained motivation in collaborative learning activities, the social is mainly conceived as a unidirectional source of influence on individual motivation. In the article we examine the significance of motivation in research on collaborative learning. We discuss two characterizations of the role of the social in conceptualizations of motivation, namely, social influence and social construction, and outline our case for moving beyond the cognitive–situative divide and combining individual and social processes in research on motivation. Finally, we present illustrations from recent research on motivation in collaborative learning that has attempted to bridge the cognitive–situative divide across theoretical perspectives or using different methods.