Collaborative Support Model for Group Learners among Distance Teaching Assistant

摘要

The final aim of this study is to develop collaborative support protocols among pedagogical agents to support collaborative group learning. As the first step of this research, we have designed a learning support model that includes a teacher who gives a lesson in a school and distance teaching assistants (Distance TAs) who asynchronously support group learners, who are engaged in problem-solving activities in a learning support environment. In this environment, there are three tools: a Web work tool to record and save group or individual work, a dialog pattern-based Web bulletin board tool to support remote group learning, and a meeting bulletin board tool to allow the Distance TAs to discuss support strategies and tactics. In this support environment, we performed a practice lesson, in which high school students designed a sightseeing plan in a group. Thirty-nine high school students as learners and 27 university students as Distance TAs participated in this practice. From its results, we extracted some cases of collaborative support involving Distance TAs in the learning and support process. Moreover, we propose a collaborative support model among distance teaching assistants in supporting collaborative group learning.