Abstract
This study investigated the effects of group member familiarity during computer-supported collaborative
learning. Familiarity may have an impact on online collaboration, because it may help group members to
progress more quickly through the stages of group development, and may lead to higher group cohesion.
It was therefore hypothesized that increased familiarity would lead to (a) more critical and exploratory
group norms, (b) more positive perceptions of online communication and collaboration, (c) more efficient
and positive collaboration, and (d) better group performance. To investigate these hypotheses, 105 secondary
education students collaborated in groups of three. The results of this study indicate that higher
familiarity led to more critical and exploratory group norm perceptions, and more positive perceptions of
online communication and collaboration. Furthermore, in familiar groups students needed to devote less
time to regulating their task-related activities. The expectation that familiarity would lead to better group
performance was not confirmed. These findings imply that online educators pay attention to the effects
group member familiarity has on online collaborative learning.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 161-170 |
Journal | Computers in Human Behavior |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 20 Sep 2008 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2009 |
Keywords
- Computer mediated communication
- Groupware
- Information technology
- Collaborative learning
- Teams
- Familiarity