Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is an innovative educational tool that brings the learners together and can offer creative activities of intellectual exploration and social interaction through taking advantage of exciting potential of Internet resources for significant transformation of learning.
CSCL is also about understanding the actions and activities mediated by Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Educational applications range from generic collaboration environments to tools for developing domain-specific knowledge. This is apparently designed to have shared knowledge and meanings in a given context over a period of time with technical advances in computer science.
The relationship between computer-support (CS) and collaborative learning (CL) gives a new design that requires tools to foster social interaction and ease the transition from social interaction to learning and development.
The digital tools for learning like e-mails, social networking sites, and blog sites introduce technological support for creating grounds for social and collaborative learning conditions of the students. From this standpoint, learners may exchange ideas in particular topics for discussions.
CSCL is also concerned with face-to-face (F2F) collaboration. Computer support of learning does not always take the form of an online communication medium; the computer support may involve, for instance, a computer simulation of a scientific model or a shared interactive representation. In this case, the collaboration focuses on the construction and exploration of the simulation or representation. Alternatively, a group of students might use a computer to browse through information on the Internet and to discuss debate, gather and present what they found collaboratively.
Another advantage of CSCL is exploratory talk in which the teacher and the students agree on set of ground of rules in communication. Exploratory talk is characterized by the mutual development of problems and ideas over time as a result of elaboration and reflection. They designed learning environments and new types of tasks to support these activities to promote more productive interactions in classrooms. This is found effective through using social networking linkages for comments and reactions on particular activity for interactive learning inside the classroom.
CSCL designs new learning environments that enhance both productive learning and cognitive performance. This makes learning unique, generative and effective in the use of technology in construction of shared knowledge through group tutorials and collaborative settings.
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