Hung, David

In this study, we investigated group problem solving behaviour of twelve graduate students using Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL). The problems were ill-structured design problems about the critique on the design of multimedia educational software. The students were asked to participate in an asynchronous online discussion which involved the following tasks: identifying design problems, discussing the design problems, developing solutions, and discussing the suggested solutions. The software program Knowledge Community, a CSCL that allows scaffolded online discussions, was used. Results indicated that the graduate students participated significantly more in identifying design problems than in discussing the design problem. They also participated more in identifying solutions more than discussing the suggested solutions. Implications about scaffolding ill-structured design problems can be drawn from the results of this study.

In this paper, we suggest that case-based resources, which are used for assisting cognition during problem solving, can be structured around the work of narratives in social cultural psychology. Theories and other research methods have proposed structures within narratives and stories which may be useful to the design of case-based resources. Moreover, embedded within cases are stories which are contextually rich, supporting the epistemological groundings of situated cognition. Therefore the purposes of this paper are to discuss possible frameworks of case-stories; derive design principles as to “what” constitutes a good case story or narrative; and suggest how technology can support story-based learning. We adopt video-based Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) technology to support problem solving with case-stories learning scenarios. Our hypothesis in this paper is that well-designed case-based resources are able to aid in the cognitive processes undergirding problem solving and meaning making. We also suggest the use of an emerging video-based collaborative learning technology to support such an instructional strategy.