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The effects of room design on computer-supported collaborative learning in a multi-touch classroom

Mercier, Emma M.; Higgins, Steven E.; Joyce-Gibbons, A.

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Authors

Emma M. Mercier

A. Joyce-Gibbons



Abstract

While research indicates that technology can be useful for supporting learning and collaboration, there is still relatively little uptake or widespread implementation of these technologies in classrooms. In this paper, we explore one aspect of the development of a multi-touch classroom, looking at two different designs of the classroom environment to explore how classroom layout may influence group interaction and learning. Three classes of students working in groups of four were taught in the traditional forward-facing room condition, while three classes worked in a centered room condition. Our results indicate that while the outcomes on tasks were similar across conditions, groups engaged in more talk (but not more off-task talk) in a centered room layout, than in a traditional forward-facing room. These results suggest that the use of technology in the classroom may be influenced by the location of the technology, both in terms of the learning outcomes and the interaction behaviors of students. The findings highlight the importance of considering the learning environment when designing technology to support learning, and ensuring that integration of technology into formal learning environments is done with attention to how the technology may disrupt, or contribute to, the classroom interaction practices.

Citation

Mercier, E. M., Higgins, S. E., & Joyce-Gibbons, A. (2016). The effects of room design on computer-supported collaborative learning in a multi-touch classroom. Interactive Learning Environments, 24(3), 504-522. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.881392

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 17, 2013
Online Publication Date Jan 30, 2014
Publication Date Apr 1, 2016
Deposit Date Feb 10, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Interactive Learning Environments
Print ISSN 1049-4820
Electronic ISSN 1744-5191
Publisher Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 24
Issue 3
Pages 504-522
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.881392
Keywords CSCL, Collaborative learning, Multi-touch technology, Classroom design, Primary education, Eathematics.

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Published Journal Article (Advance online version) (449 Kb)
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Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Copyright Statement
Advance online version © 2014 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The moral rights of the named author(s) have been asserted.






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