Peer interaction and learning with computers in small groups

摘要

While anecdotal reports of computer use in classrooms suggest that students often work together, few studies have focused on the interaction between students or on its consequences for achievement. This paper reviews the research on peer interaction with computers to determine its effects on learning. The purposes of this review are to determine (a) the advantages or disadvantages of group work for learning, (b) the kinds of verbal interaction that occur when students work together at the computer, and (c) the kinds of interaction that are beneficial or detrimental for learning. This paper considers the possible cognitive and socioemotional processes that mediate the effects of peer interaction on learning, and discusses the implications of the research findings for the design of computer software.