Change of collaboration over time: A case study of college students in discussion sections of a mathematics course

Abstract

Previous research on collaborative learning has found that the quality of collaboration varied across groups with students’ interactive patterns, learning goals, etc. Less evaluate the change in the quality of collaboration across time. A case study of a group of four college students who engaged in a discussion section of a mathematics course was performed. Students’ collaboration in Week 4, Week 5, and Week 7 was evaluated along four dimensions: convergence, explanation, regulation, and ignoring. Results were mixed regarding if the quality of collaboration improved across time. There was an increase in evidence for knowledge convergence from Week 4 to Week 7. However, results showed a decrease in total explanatory moves and no improvement in regulatory and ignoring behaviors. Possible explanations for these results were discussed. Additionally, this paper suggests implications of these results for researchers who focus on collaborative learning in college discussion sections.