Resources, tools, and techniques for problem based learning in computing
ITiCSE-WGR '98 Working Group reports of the 3rd annual SIGCSE/SIGCUE ITiCSE conference on Integrating technology into computer science education
eTutorials with voice groupware: real-time conferencing to support computing students at a distance
Proceedings of the 7th annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education
Human-Computer Interaction
CITC4 '03 Proceedings of the 4th conference on Information technology curriculum
Hi-index | 0.00 |
In the 21st century it is becoming increasingly common to work and learn in teams that are globally distributed. Such teams rely heavily on ICT to facilitate communication. There are many communication tools and technologies to choose from. This study investigates the effectiveness of a rich set of tools and considers if synergy exists between them. This paper reports and analyses the use of communication tools by students in a distributed Problem-based Learning (dPBL) environment. The PBL teams consisted of four students from Singapore and four from the UK. Teams had a rich set of synchronous and asynchronous communication tools available to them, including ISDN videoconference, WebCam video/audio, Microsoft NetMeeting® Chat, Asynchronous drop box and threaded discussion Forum. This ethnographic study showed that semantic discussion threads included the use of all tools and enabled students to effectively co-construct meaning (and understanding). Students were able to deploy the use of different tools effectively to achieve the learning outcomes intended for various stages in the PBL cycle, with both asynchronous and synchronous media being considered of high importance.