Collaborative analytics-supported reflective assessment for scaffolding pre-service teachers′ collaborative inquiry and knowledge building

Abstract

Helping pre-service teachers (PSTs) develop competencies in collaborative inquiry and knowledge building is crucial, but this subject remains largely unexplored in CSCL. This study examines the design and process of collaborative analytics-supported reflective assessment and its effects on promoting PSTs to develop their competencies in collaborative inquiry and knowledge building. We used a quasi-experimental design that lasted 18 weeks. The experimental group was a class of 40 PSTs who took a liberal studies course with a knowledge building design enhanced by collaborative analytics-supported reflective assessment. The comparison group was a class of 28 PSTs taught by the same instructor who studied the same inquiry topics but experienced a regular knowledge building environment using portfolios. The analysis of the PSTs’ Knowledge Forum discourse showed that collaborative analytics-supported reflective assessment helps PSTs develop collaborative inquiry competencies for community knowledge advancement. The analysis of the PSTs’ reflection using collaborative analytics and prompt questions showed that the design using KBDeX visualization and knowledge building rubrics helped them engage in productive collaborative knowledge building inquiry by involving them in continuous monitoring, analysis, negotiation, synthesis of inquiry, identification of promising routes for inquiry, and actions to guide further collective inquiry. Implications for designing CSCL collaborative-analytics enriched with reflective assessment and student agency, and broadening CSCL and knowledge building approaches to pre-service teacher education are discussed.