Providing Knowledge-Related Partner Information in Collaborative Multimedia Learning: Isolating the Core of Cognitive Group Awareness Tools

Abstract

Cognitive group awareness tools support learners in dealing with specific challenges of computer-supported collaborative learning scenarios. This paper suggests three supporting functions underlying cognitive group awareness tools and proposes to disentangle them in three consecutive experimental studies with regard to multimedia learning. It focuses on one of those studies that systematically investigates whether providing knowledge-related partner information can improve collaborative learning with multiple external representations and with dynamic and interactive visualizations. Learning dyads (N = 120) were compared in four groups that differed with regard to the presentation of knowledge-related partner information during two subsequent collaboration phases: (1) learning with multiple static representations and (2) learning with dynamic and interactive visualizations. Results indicate that providing partner information during collaboration can facilitate meaningful learning discourses and improve learning outcomes.