Identifying Efficacious Interaction in Collaborative Learning Situations

• In Event: Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Classroom Observation

Abstract

This paper discusses a case study that investigated the nature of students’ social interaction while working in small groups in science. The focus was to define efficacious interaction from video observation data by identifying what characterizes and triggers efficacious interaction and by exploring whether the episodes of efficacious interaction can be identified in groups’ collaborative learning situations. The ten hours of video observation data captured fourth-grade elementary school students (N=6) studying “The vital conditions of life” in gStudy learning environment. Three trigger categories were found to increase efficacious interaction. Episodes of efficacious interaction were characterized by equal participation in social interaction and joint reasoning. Efficacious interaction was supported by reciprocal attempts to create joint meaning while working collaboratively on task.

Authors

• Elina Maatta, University of Oulu

• Hanna Jarvenoja, University of Oulu

• Sanna Järvelä