Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyse secondary school students’ (N = 16) computer-supported collaborative mathematical problem solving. The problem addressed in the study was: What kinds of metacognitive processes appear during computer-supported collaborative learning in mathematics? Another aim of the study was to consider the applicability of networked learning in mathematics. The network-based learning environment Knowledge Forum (KF) was used to support students’ collaborative problem solving. The data consist of 188 posted computer notes, portfolio material such as notebooks, and observations. The computer notes were analysed through three stages of qualitative content analysis. The three stages were content analysis of computer notesin mathematical problem solving, content analysis of mathematical problem solving activity and content analysis of the students’ metacognitive activity. The results of the content analysis illustrate how networked discussions mediated mathematical knowledge and students’ questions, while the mathematical problem solving activity shows that the students co-regulate their thinking. The results of the content analysis of the students’ metacognitive activity revealed that the students use metacognitive knowledge and make metacognitive judgments and perform monitoring during networked discussions. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that working with the networked technology contributes to the students’ use of their mathematical knowledge and stimulates them into making their thinking visible. The findings also show some metacognitive activity in the students’ computer-supported collaborative problem solving in mathematics.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
J. Anderson J. Greeno L. Reder H. Simon (2000) ArticleTitlePerspectives on learning, thinking and activity Educational Researcher 29 IssueID4 11–13
J. Bransford A. Brown R. Cocking (2000) How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School National Academy Press Washington
A.L. Brown (1987) Metacognition, executive control, self-regulation and other mysterious mechanisms Weinert F. Kluwe R. (Eds) Metacognition, Motivation and Understanding. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Hillsdale NJ 65–115
Brown, A.L., Bransford, J., Ferrara, R. and Campione, J. (1983). Learning, remembering and understanding. In P. Mussen (Ed), Handbook of Child Psychology3 (pp. 77–166). J. Flavell and E. Markman (Vol. Eds.) New York: Wiley.
M.T.H. Chi (1997) ArticleTitleQuantifying qualitative analysis of verbal data: A practical guide Journal of the Learning Sciences 6 271–315 Occurrence Handle10.1207/s15327809jls0603_1
Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1994). From visual word problems to learning communities: Changing conceptions of cognitive research. In K. Gilly (Ed), Classroom Lessons: Integrating Cognitive Theory and Classroom Practice (pp. 157–200). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press/Bradford Books.
Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1996). Multimedia environments for enchaning learning in mathematics. In S. Vosniadau, E. De Corte R. Glaser and H. Mandl (Eds), International Perspectives on the Design of Technology-Supported Learning Environments (pp. 285–306) Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
J.E. Davidson R.J. Sternberg (1998) Smart problem solving: How metacognition helps D. Hacker J. Dunlosky A. Graesser (Eds) Metacognition in Educational Theory and Practise. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers Mahwah, NJ 47–68
E. De Corte (1996) Changing views of computer-supported learning environments for the acquisition of knowledge and thinking skills S. Vosniadau E. De Corte R. Glaser H. Mandl (Eds) International Perspectives on the Design of Technology-Supported Learning Environments. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers Mahwah, NJ 129–148
E. De Corte (2000) ArticleTitleMarrying theory building and the improvement of school practise: A␣permanent challenge for instructional psychology Learning and Instruction 10 249–266 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0959-4752(99)00029-8
E. De Corte Greer B. Verschaffel L. (1996) Mathematics teaching and learning D. Berliner R. Calfee (Eds) Handbook of Educational Psychology. Macmillan New York 491–549
F. Fischer H. Mandl (2001) Fostering Shared Knowledge with Graphical Representation Tools in Different Collaboration Scenarios. Research Report Nr. 135. München: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers Mahwah, NJ
J. Flavell (1979) ArticleTitleMetacognition and cognitive monitoring A new area of cognitive-developmental inquiry. American Psychologist 34 IssueID10 906–911
J. Flavell (1987) Speculations about the nature and development of metacognition F. In:Weinert R. Kluwe (Eds) Metacognition, Motivation and Understanding. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Hillsdale, NJ 21–29
J. Garofalo F.K. Lester SuffixJr. (1985) ArticleTitleMetacognition, cognitive monitoring, and mathematical performance Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 16 IssueID3 163–176
M. Goos P. Galbraith P. Renshaw (2002) ArticleTitleSocially mediated metacognition: creating collaborative zones of proximal development in small group problem solving Educational Studies in Mathematics 2 IssueID2 193–223 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1016209010120
J. Greeno (1989) ArticleTitleA perspective on thinking American Psychologist 44 IssueID2 134–141 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0003-066X.44.2.134
J. Kaput (1992) Technology and mathematics education D. In:Grouws (Eds) Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Macmillan New York 515–556
J. Kaput P. Thompson (1994) ArticleTitleTechnology in mathematics education research: The first 25 years in the JRME Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 25 IssueID6 676–684
T. Koschmann (1996) Paradigm shifts and instructional technology: An introduction T. Koschmann (Eds) CSCL: Theory and Practice of an Emerging Paradigm. Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers Mahwah, NJ 1–24
T. Koschmann R. Hall N. Miyake (2002) CSCL 2. Carrying Forward the Conversation Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers Mahwah, NJ
M. Lampert D. Loewenberg Ball (1998) Teaching, Multimedia, and Mathematics: Investigations of Real Practice Teachers College Press New York
E. Lehtinen (2003) Computer-supported collaborative learning: An approach to powerful learning environments E. De Corte L. Verschaffel N. Entwistle J. Van Merriëboer (Eds) Powerful Learning Environments: Unravelling Basic Components and Dimensions. Pergamon Amsterdam 35–54
S. Papert (1980) Mindstorm: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas Basic Books New York
Pintrich P., Wolters C. and Baxter G. (2000) Assessing metacognition and self-regulated learning. In: Schraw G., Impara J. (eds), Issues in the Measurements of Metacognition. Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. University of Nebraska-Lincoln pp. 43–98
G. Polya (1973) How to solve it Princeton New Jersey
L.B. Resnick (1991) Shared cognition: Thinking as social practice L.B. Resnick J. Levine S. Teasley (Eds) Perspectives on Socially Shared Cognition. American Psychological Association Washington 1–22
L.B. Resnick J. Levine S. Teasley (1991) Perspectives on Socially Shared Cognition American Psychological Association Washington
J. Roschelle S.D. Teasley (1995) Construction of shared knowledge in collaborative problem solving C. O’Malley (Eds) Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning. Springer-Verlag New York 69–100
M. Scardamalia C. Bereiter (1996) Adaptation and understanding. A case for new cultures of schooling. S. Vosniadau E. De Corte R. Glaser H. Mandl (Eds) International Perspectives on the Design of Technology-Supported Learning Environments. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers Mahwah, NJ 149–164
M. Scardamalia C. Bereiter M. Lamon (1994) The CSILE project: Trying to bring the classroom into world 3 K. McGilly (Eds) Classroom Lessons: Integrating Cognitive Theory and Classroom Practice. MIT Press/Bradford Books Cambridge, MA 201–229
A.H. Schoenfeld (1985) Mathematical Problem Solving Academic Press, Inc. Orlando
A.H. Schoenfeld (1987) What’s all the fuss about metacognition? A. Schoenfeld (Eds) Cognitive Science and Mathematics Education. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Hillsdale, NJ 189–215
A.H. Schoenfeld (1992) Learning to think mathematically: Problem solving, metacognition, and sense-making in mathematics D. Grouws (Eds) Handbook for Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Macmillan New York 334–370
G. Schraw (1998) ArticleTitlePromoting general metacognitive awareness Instructional Science 26 113–125 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1003044231033
A. Sfard (2000) ArticleTitleOn reform movement and the limits of mathematical discourse Mathematical Thinking and Learning 2 IssueID3 157–189 Occurrence Handle10.1207/S15327833MTL0203_1
A. Sfard P. Nesher L. Streefl P. Cobb J. Mason (1998) ArticleTitleLearning mathematics through conversation: Is it as good as they say? For the Learning of Mathematics 18 IssueID1 41–51
E. Silver (1996) Moving beyond learning alone and in silence: Observations from the quasar project concerning communication in mathematics classroom L. Schauble R. Glaser (Eds) Innovations in Learning, New Environments for Education. Lawrence Erlbaum Mahwah 127–159
H. Steinbring (1998) Mathematical understanding in classroom interaction: The interrelation of social and epistemological constrains F. Seeger J. Voigt U. Waschescio (Eds) The Culture of the Mathematics Classroom. Cambridge University Press Cambridge 344–372
B. Van Oers (2001) ArticleTitleEducational forms of iniation in mathematical culture Educational Studies in Mathematics. 46 IssueID1–3 59–85 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1014031507535
F.E. Weinert (1987) Introduction and overview: Metacognition and motivation as determinants of effective learning and understanding F. Weinert R. Kluwe (Eds) Metacognition Motivation and Understanding Lawrence Erlbaum. Hillsdale NJ 1–16
M. Yerushalmy D. Chazan (1990) ArticleTitleOvercoming visual obstacles with the aid of the supposer Educational Studies in Mathematics 21 IssueID3 199–220 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00305090
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hurme, Tr., Järvelä, S. Students’ Activity in Computer-Supported Collaborative Problem Solving in Mathematics. Int J Comput Math Learning 10, 49–73 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-005-4579-3
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-005-4579-3