Model for Analyzing Collaborative Knowledge Construction in a Quasi-Synchronous Chat Environment

1. Model for Analyzing Collaborative Knowledge Construction in a Quasi-Synchronous Chat Environment Juan Dee WEE & Chee-Kit LOOI

2. What might be new? • A graphical representation of chat flow • Example(s) where triangulation (through participants’ reflections) agreed and disagreed with model drawn by researchers

3. Data collection in Singapore • Junior college students from Singapore (age 17) • Groups of 3 worked together to solve math problems on VMT-Chat • Several chat transcripts in 2006 & 2007 • Advantage: we have access to the students • Some new data since this paper’s online discussion in early June

4. Singapore Context:Briefing before VMT Session

5. VMT Orientation Session in the Computer Laboratory

6. Opened Ended Mathematics Question placed on the shared whiteboard

7. VMT Chat Interface

8. Build on • Grounded Theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) • Interactional Analysis (Jordan & Henderson, 1995) • Meaning-making in a small group (Stahl, 2006) • Uptake analysis (Suthers, 2005; Suthers et al, 2007)

9. Collaboration Interaction Model • We develop a method of analysis called Collaboration Interaction Model to study meaning-making paths • Adapted from the methodology of Grounded Theory

10. Collaboration Interaction Model • Seeks to trace the development of knowledge construction. • A analytical and representational tool.

11. Constructing the CIM • Chat posting and whiteboard representations coded. • VMTplayer • Individual Uptake Descriptor Table Individual Uptake Descriptor Table

12. VMT Chat Transcript

14. C106 C86 C90 C112 C92 C94 C109 C96 C98 C103 C101 C97 C93 C91 C100 C87 C113 C108 C110 C115 C104 C105 C95 C107 C99 C111 C88 C114 Question Stage 3: Agreeing on the injective function Question Pivotal Contribution Pivotal Contribution Stage1: Making sense of part (e) Pivotal Contribution C102 CIM before Triangulation with Uptake Descriptor Table Stage 2: Finding the range or domain Student reading off from the question This session was conducted during the June holidays. Students were accessing the VMT from home (geographically apart). The above CIM shows a 10 mins 11 seconds chat between 3 JC 1 students. The mathematics topic is function. weekheng song sue queklinser

15. Individual Uptake Descriptor Table

16. Linser’s Uptake Descriptor Table

17. C106 C86 C90 C112 C92 C94 C109 C96 C98 C103 C101 C97 C93 C91 C100 C87 C113 C108 C110 C115 C104 C105 C95 C107 C99 C111 C88 C114 Question Stage 3: Agreeing on the injective function Question Pivotal Contribution Pivotal Contribution Stage1: Making sense of part (e) Pivotal Contribution C102 CIM after Triangulation with Uptake Descriptor Table Stage 2: Finding the range or domain Student reading off from the question This session was conducted during the June holidays. Students were accessing the VMT from home (geographically apart). The above CIM shows a 10 mins 11 seconds chat between 3 JC 1 students. The mathematics topic is function. weekheng song sue queklinser

18. Another VMT Math’s Problem

19. VMT Chat Transcript

20. C17 C10 C15 C8 C20 C13 C24 C6 C3 C22 C11 C19 C2 C9 C7 C5 C21 C16 C18 C23 C1 C12 C25 C14 C4 kentnee Ma_China_Tor chenchen Pivotal Contribution Stage 1: How to f(x) is a 1-1 function Pivotal Contribution Stage 2: Using the knowledge of Composite Functions to find range/domain. CIM constructed based on Researcher’s interpretation of the chat transcript

21. Kentee’s Uptake Descriptor Table

23. Ma_China_Tor’s Uptake Descriptor Table

25. Chenchen’s Uptake Descriptor Table

27. C20a C13 C15 C10 C8 C22 C24 C6 C20b C3 C17 C19b C19a C11 C9 C7 C2 C5 C16 C1 C4 C12 C21 C18 C23 C25 C14 kentnee Ma_China_Tor chenchen Pivotal Contribution Stage 1: How to f(x) is a 1-1 function Pivotal Contribution Stage 2: Using the knowledge of Composite Functions to find range/domain. CIM constructed based on researcher’s interpretation of the chat transcript and the participant’s individual descriptor table

28. Uptakes of Contribution • Situations where participants are manipulating previous contributions (Suthers 2005,2006) by the group. • Adaptation of the notation of Uptakes: • Two types of uptakes: Intersubjective and Intrasubjective. • Interpretation of Contribution motivates the manipulation

29. Our Constructs • Contributions consist of chat postings (Chat), artifact construction and manipulation (Shared Whiteboard). • Stages consist of several contributions which are anchored by pivotal contributions.

30. Our Constructs • Pivotal Contributions serve as a boundary of any stage, commencing the shaping or changing of direction of the discourse. • Uptakes Arrows represent individual’s interpretations on prior contribution constructed group members including self.

31. Stages in the CIM • Events in temporal and spatial orientation can be segmented in some way (Kendon, 1985; Jordan & Henderson, 1995) • Negotiation across segment boundaries. • This is known as stages in the CIM • ABRUPT verses SEAMLESS stage transition

32. Pivotal Contribution • Contribution pivoting the discourse a particular direction. • Motivated by observation of contributions that are fundamentally critical. End of Chat Start of Chat Pivotal Contributions Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 3 CIM Vector Diagram

33. Pivotal Contribution • Selection Criteria (1) Researcher’s perspective to map out boundaries in the CIM. (2) Identify one Contributions that sit on the boundaries. (Chat line or Shared whiteboard) (3) Interrater reliability – Cohen’s Kappa>0.8.

34. Discussion • Generality of the CIM • Data Session • Unit of Analysis

35. Discussion • Stages in the CIM • Problem Design • Level of Analysis

36. Conclusion • A structural view of interaction across the chat transcript (shared whiteboard and chat line).

37. Conclusion • CIM is constructed based on the triangulation three data sources 1. VMTplayer 2. Individual Uptake Descriptor Table 3. Focus Group

38. Future Work • Theoretical grounding of the concepts and methodology • Operationalizing these concepts • Apply CIM to many transcripts to test out the generality of the model. • Using the CIM to aid educators in understanding the students’ problem-solving and collaboration.