The challenges for computer supported collaborative learning in elementary and secondary level: Finnish perspectives

Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki Abstract: Computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) offers promising innovations and tools for restructuring teaching-learning processes to prepare students for the emerging knowledge society. However, sufficient and reliable data have not been available concerning how the practices of CSCL fit in different school cultures, and how teachers with varying pedagogical and domain expertise and students with varying skills, attitudes and learning experiences are able to function with different network learning environments. This paper discusses the challenges of CSCL on the basis of intensive case studies conducted in Finnish elementary and secondary schools. The results of these studies indicate that in order to promote educational change and facilitate practices of collaboration at school with the new information and communication technology and CSCL, serious challenges have to be overcome. The analysis revealed challenges that can be categorized according to three dimensions: pedagogical, technical, and organizational. Focus of the article is on pedagogical challenges.