Collaboration design patterns: conceptual tools for planning for the wireless classroom

Abstract

Wireless and mobile devices are beginning to offer stunning new technical capabilities for collaborative learning. Yet, researchers in this field must recognize the importance of complementing these technical advances with improved understanding of the patterns of classroom activity that most need support. Our approach is to create conceptual tools that help us think and talk about technology-supported collaborative learning. A particularly powerful tool, we have found, is collaborative design patterns, which capture common learning situations and tradeoffs in written form.