Abstract
Electronic collaboration (e-collaboration) is defined as collaboration among individuals engaged in a common task using electronic technologies (Kock & Nosek, 2005). Examples of technologies used in e-collaboration are email, groupware and chat tools, which support communication, information sharing and coordination among team members synchronously or asynchronously. Collaborative learning is regarded as an important information processing activity in e-collaboration. E-collaboration technologies enable affective learning related to interactive communication and teamwork to be achieved. Members learn from one another by actively engaging in exchanging knowledge and information based on their understanding as well as individual experiences (Harasim, Hiltz, Teles, & Turoff, 1995). New information is in this way integrated with existing cognitive structures (Leidner & Jarvenpaa, 1995). Growing interest in supporting the needs of active learning, along with concurrent improvements in e-collaboration technologies, has prompted research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Distributed Team: Team supported by electronic technologies to enable the collaboration of members across different locations and time zones.
Collaborative Learning: Activity in which a group of people learn from one another by actively engaging in exchanging knowledge and information based on their understanding and experience.
Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL): Collaborative learning activities that are supported by electronic technologies.
Status Characteristic: Characteristic of a group member that is associated with distinct performance expectation.
Electronic Collaboration (E-Collaboration): Collaboration among individuals engaged in a common task using electronic technologies.
Group Norms: Expected behaviors that group members have agreed to follow to the best of their ability.
Anonymity: Function to enable group members to contribute comments without being identified.