What is Informal Peer Help Network

This chapter presents the adaptive group formation and/or peer help technique implemented by various systems so far, and particularly, by web-based adaptive educational hypermedia systems (AEHSs). At first, some concepts about group formation and peer help are described, and a general description of the MATHEMA is made. Subsequently, the overview of the adaptive group formation considers extensively how several systems have implemented this technique so far. A comparative study of the presented systems with the MATHEMA is performed and conclusions are drawn. The systems that implement the adaptive group formation and/or peer help technique are the (M)CSCL, AELS, and AEHSs. In presentation of the adaptive grouping algorithm of the MATHEMA, the following are described: (1) how the priority list is created; (2) how the learners are supported in selecting their most suitable partner; (3) how the negotiation protocol works; and (4) how the peer groups are automatically linked up for a collaboration agreement using a peer-to-peer communication tool.