Scripts in Collaborative Learning

I found an article about scripts in computer supported collaborative learning. Scripts are used to structure the collaborative learning process, because collaboration does not automatical lead to learning. In scripts, this process is prescribed by more or less detailed instructions about the who and what of the collaboration. With scripts, collaboration can be more effective. But there can also be an over-scripting. In that case, there are too many rules about how the learners have to act. Real interactive collaboration will not take place in that case, because the interactions are not real anymore. In this article, a couple of methods for scripts in collaborative learning are described. They conclude with the advantages and disadvantages of scripts in computer supported collaborative learning. 

 

This is interesting because you can see a couple of methods of scripts in collaborative learning. I think computer supported collaborative learning (cscl) can be very helpful for learning. When people are interacting with each other, they build up their knowledge because they can see different views of something. With support of the computer, this collaboration can take place in many ways. I believe the technology can help people to collaborate because it is easier to work together when their is an environment build for it. In this way, learning can be very flexible. But not always where people are together, learning will take place. Scripts can help then, because the roles of the people are more clear. But the risk of scripts is that the flexibility of collaborative learning decreases. That’s why I think this article is very interesting for this course. It combines the first topic of flexibility with a pedagogy of collaborative learning. It’s an example of finding the balance between flexibility and fixed scripts, which I mentioned in the first blog. 

You can find the article on the following link:

http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/19/02/30/PDF/Dillenbourg-Pierre-2002.pdf