An investigation of students' sequential learning behavioral patterns in mobile CSCL learning systems

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore students' collaborative learning behavior patterns in different simulation systems. Two mobile CSCL learning environments (Augmented Reality simulation and Traditional simulation) for helping university students to acquire physics knowledge were designed. A total of 40 students, grouped into twenty pairs, were randomly assigned to the two learning environments for conducting an inquiry task. Their collaborative learning behaviors were recorded and analyzed by quantitative content analysis and lag sequential analysis. The results indicated that the students' collaborative inquiry learning was supported in both environments. Particularly, the students using the AR-simulation showed a more cohesive collaborative inquiry learning behavior pattern. This study provides a new perspective for educators or system designers to deeply observe students' learning behaviors in a CSCL environment by using sequential analysis. Moreover, the AR-simulation system might be a suitable learning environment for enhancing students' collaborative inquiry learning. In addition, suggestions for designing a simulated learning environment are proposed. © 2012 IEEE.