Application of a novel collaboration engineering method for learning design: A case study

Collaborative case studies and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) play an important role in the modern education environment. A number of researchers have given significant attention to learning design in order to improve the satisfaction of collaborative learning. Although collaboration engineering (CE) is a mature method widely used for collaboration design, there is limited research as to whether CE is useful for learning design, in particular, case studies. Therefore, in this paper, we designed a contrastive case study in two small classes of a Chinese university. In the first part, we encouraged a teacher to use CE tools to design a learning process. Since Chinese students had limited access to CE platforms, we used our special tool—the Discussion Platform as the main CE tool. A total of 40 students and a teacher collaborated in our first experiment and were asked to complete a survey upon completion of the interviews. In our comparison study, the teacher gave the same task to another 31 students, yet omitted the use of CE tools to design the learning process. In this paper, we compare the results obtained and determine the advantage that CE methods have on learning effectiveness and student satisfaction. Introduction Case-based teaching and group learning techniques have been popular in education for a long time (Heim, 2012; Rippin, Booth, Bowie & Jordan, 2002; Wilson, Goodman & Cronin, 2007). Students often engage in discussion and collaboration during case studies (Anderson & Rourke, 2002; Dirk et al, 2013). Therefore, successful methods to design effective courses to learn through case studies are of particular interest to educators. In any interactive learning environment, design is a critical process (Mor & Winters, 2007). Since computer technologies are continuing to develop in education, educators use a wide variety of tools to assist teaching design (Bell & Federman, 2013). Following many years of research, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has become a key trend in e-learning, and highlights the importance of social interactions as an essential element of the learning process (Chang, 2013; Koschmann, 1994). CSCL is a useful method to stimulate students to discuss information and solve problems from different perspectives (Hernández-Leo et al, 2006; Lehtinen, 2003). Although improvements in technology have eliminated the communicative limitation of group learning, CSCL is hindered by some problems, such as inefficiency and dissatisfaction with group teaching (Minnaert, Boekaerts, de Brabander & Opdenakker, 2011). The word “inefficiency” here means not making efficient use of British Journal of Educational Technology (2015) doi:10.1111/bjet.12382 © 2015 British Educational Research Association resources such as time. In our experiment, the efficiency refers to how a student can quickly learn the knowledge including the usage of thinkLet tools and how a student can quickly reach consensus and finish the task. The word “dissatisfaction” means that students or teachers are dissatisfied with processes or results of the group teaching. Common problems such as easily distracted, difficult to control and having low participation will lead to inefficiency or even failure. In addition to efficiency, satisfaction is another key indicator of success, especially in the IS/IT background (Briggs, Qureshi & Reinig, 2004; Briggs, Reinig & de Vreede, 2008; Susarla, Barua & Whinston, 2003). Over the past decade, to facilitate collaborative working, researchers have been developing, applying and evaluating ways to design productive, task-specific work practices (de Vreede, Briggs & Massey, 2009). They focus on details of a work practice, the configuration and packaging of required technology and documentation of the guidance to assist group collaboration. This stream of research and method is called collaboration engineering (CE), which is now considered to be an effective design method to design collaborative processes (Briggs, Kolfschoten, de Vreede & Douglas, 2006; Kolfschoten, Briggs, De Vreede, Jacobs & Appelman, 2006). According to the theoretical and practical studies, the CE method can produce high-quality outcomes for collaborative efforts in many industrial and educational fields (Cheng & Macaulay, 2014; Cheng, Nolan & Macaulay, 2013; Kolfschoten, de Vreede, Briggs & Sol, 2010). A thinkLet is “a named, packaged facilitation technique that creates a predictable, repeatable pattern of collaboration among people working towards a goal” (Briggs, de Vreede, Nunamaker & Tobey, 2001). Each thinkLet provides a concrete group dynamics intervention and instructions for some group process (Kolfschoten et al, 2006). A series of thinkLets are tools that could be arranged orderly, and they can help instructors to guide students to the target. To reach that goal, the designed process may contain brainstorming ideas, connecting ideas, clarifying ideas and also reaching consensus. Generally speaking, a thinkLet will have a name, detailed scripts, rules, parameters and choice guidance, etc. For example, LeafHopper thinkLet is used for team members who need to jump from Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic • Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is perceived as a useful method to stimulate students to discuss information and problems from different perspectives. However, it also suffers some problems, such as inefficiency. • Collaboration engineering (CE) is a useful approach to improve effectiveness and efficiency by designing repeatable collaboration processes. • CE has been applied successfully in a variety of different fields, yet there is limited research indicating whether CE is useful for learning design. What this paper adds • It demonstrates the application of CE methods used by educators for learning design. • It provides practical cases for CSCL and quantifies important relationships among effect factors. • It contributes to CE research for collaborative student case studies. Implications for practice and/or policy • Teachers are able to improve a student’s learning satisfaction and effectiveness through improved learning design. • Educators can use CE methods to design learning processes. • New CE tools, for example, Discussion Platform, should be encouraged in case studies. 2 British Journal of Educational Technology © 2015 British Educational Research Association topic to topic, contributing as they are inspired, then moving on to new topics. Its scripts contain “Do this,” “Say this,” “Rules for roles,” “Input parameters,” “Output parameters,” “Choose this thinkLet,” “Do not Choose this thinkLet” and “What will happen.” More specific guidance and successful stories can be found in Kolfschoten et al (2006). While only 70 thinkLets have been formally documented to date, it appears that the number of possible thinkLets may be infinite. ThinkLets have been used successfully for CE (Briggs, de Vreede & Nunamaker, 2003; de Vreede & Briggs, 2005), especially in training (Kolfschoten & Veen, 2005) and in collaboration research (Santanen, 2005). Although there is a large quantity of research related to learning design, there is limited material on the use of CE methods in the field of learning design, let alone learning design for case studies. Therefore, in this study, we will: (1) apply CE methods in learning design; (2) compare the results of two types of CSCL—one using CE methods and tools and the other using other online tools; and (3) determine whether CE methods can improve the effectiveness and satisfaction of the case studies. In the remainder of this paper, we will begin with a review of the existing literature to present a more detailed description of the theoretical background, followed by our research questions. We then proceed with a discussion of the case study and analyze the results from a quantitative and qualitative approach. We conclude by addressing the implications and limitations of our study, and present ideas for further research.