This paper reviews the research conducted in the last 20 years on the application of technology in support of collaborative learning in higher education. The review focuses primarily on studies that use Internet-based technologies and social interaction analysis. The review provides six sets of observations/recommendations regarding methodology,…

Interaction research in distance education has focused mostly on learner-teacher interaction in a learning environment based on a behaviorist curriculum. This study examines interaction patterns at both interpersonal and system levels in a learner-centered distance collaborative learning environment. The proposed model, which resulted from…

Highlights two recent studies in the field of distance education. C.N. Gunawardena and F.J. Zittle found a high degree of variation between learner satisfaction and social presence in a computer-mediated communication environment. J. McDonald and C. Campbell-Gibson study demonstrated that groups meeting in a synchronous computer-mediated course…