Synkrone svømmefærdigheder i CSCL: Om mediering af det sociale rum i Computer Supported Collaborative Learning

摘要

This thesis is about the construction of social space in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. The basic assumption of the thesis is that the digital mediation of a learning environment creates communicative barriers, because neither the participants nor the designers or teachers are fully aware of the demands set by the digital media. It takes knowledge and familiarity with the new media to implement a successful communication in CSCL.We suggest that the difficulties can be met by trying to include a sense of presence, awareness and community and thereby strengthening the informal aspects of communication with the introduction of instant messaging. The basic question is whether chat can alleviate the problems of time/space distanciation, be a tool in the deconstruction of the communicative barriers created by the digital mediation and possibly even bring new qualities to the learning environment.CSCL is a multi-disciplinary field of research, and the circumstances of the learning environment suggest considerations of the technological, pedagogical and communicative aspects. We argue that a larger sociological perspective is useful in order to look at virtual learning forms as a survival strategy in late modernity, when increased complexity demands that the individual continuously acquires new competencies in collaboration with others. We argue that the social processes in learning can be seen as a special kind of a community of practice (Wenger 2004), and that learning for the individual has cognitive, social and dynamic aspects. By strengthening the informal communication in the community of practice, the learning environment may be enhanced by the increased possibilities of negotiation of experience and interaction.As a means of understanding the consequences of the digital mediation of the learning process, we include the media theoretical approach of John B. Thompson (Slevin 2000, Thompson 2001) and discuss the influence of the three aspects of cultural transmission: the technical medium, the institutional apparatus and time/space distanciation.Our analysis of the consequences of mediation for the community of practice and the social space is based on an actual online learning process, arranged and implemented by us. The course was structured after Gilly Salmon’s model for active online learning (Salmon 2004), supplemented by a IRL kick off meeting and three moderated synchronous chats.Our conclusion on the process is that the participants understand and are motivated by the overall didactic design of the course, but some have initial difficulties with the group chat format. Over the three chats the communicative competence increases. The moderator on our orders strengthens his control, but is actually less and less needed, while the participants take charge of the virtual space.In spite of the difficulties with the chat format the majority of the group stays active and engaged and participate in the chats. While not expressing much enthusiasm about the chat format in the actual chats, they say in later interviews that the chats have had an importance in creating a social feeling, a sense of community and a common tone.Thus, our conclusion is, that chat is a possible tool is CSCL and can to a certain point create a feeling of togetherness through time and space.