Teacher interventions in a synchronous, co-located CSCL setting: Analyzing focus, means, and temporality

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments facilitate collaboration between students. There is a growing interest in studying the role of the teacher during CSCL. This study aims to contribute to the conceptualization of teacher interventions during CSCL. A teacher and his class worked in a CSCL environment for 8 lessons. Focus and means of teacher interventions were analyzed across these 8 time points. The results show that the teacher’s behavior varied greatly between lessons and also between groups, which contradicts research that has aggregated teacher behavior to types or teaching styles. Findings consistent across time points include the predominance of the teacher’s focus on students’ cognitive rather than social activities, and a higher number of interventions in groups where student activity was higher. Suggestions are made for future research, which include studying the effectiveness of supporting tools for teachers.

► Teacher interventions during computer-supported collaborative learning were analyzed.
► Coding was done for focus and means across lessons.
► Focus and means varied between lessons and groups and interventions were group-sensitive.
► A remarkably low percentage of interventions focused at students’ social activities.
► Suggestions are made for supporting tools aimed at teachers.