A replication study showing how elementary Taiwanese students discuss with computer mediated partners synchronously
Abstract: The present research was to investigate how elementary Taiwanese students (sixth graders) discuss with computer mediated partners synchronously. Different datasets were collected from different student samples, learning subjects, and activity durations. Within each sample, the students were grouped into three-member groups. Each group was required to use a collaborative system to discuss and accomplish a group assignment (generate a shared concept map). The textual discussions in each group during collaboration were collected, coded, categorized, and quantified to profile their communication characteristics. Cluster analysis on the resulting communication characteristics resulted in four types of students, including less contributing, coordination emphasizing, communicative, and task-oriented. Similar patterns could be found across different student samples, subject matters, or activity durations.