Dynamic Group Formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment

Sofiane Amara, Joaquim Macedo, Fatima Bendella, Alexandre Santos

2015

Abstract

Forming suitable learning groups is one of the factors that determine the efficiency of collaborative learning activities. However, only a few studies were carried out to address this problem in the mobile learning environments. In this paper, we propose a new approach for an automatic, customized, and dynamic group formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (MCSCL) contexts. The proposed solution is based on the combination of three types of grouping criteria: learner’s personal characteristics, learner’s behaviours, and context information. The instructors can freely select the type, the number, and the weight of grouping criteria, together with other settings such as the number, the size, and the type of learning groups (homogeneous or heterogeneous). Apart from a grouping mechanism, the proposed approach represents a flexible tool to control each learner, and to manage the learning processes from the beginning to the end of collaborative learning activities. In order to evaluate the quality of the implemented group formation algorithm, we compare its Average Intra-cluster Distance (AID) with the one of a random group formation method. The results show a higher effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in forming homogenous and heterogeneous groups compared to the random method.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Amara S., Macedo J., Bendella F. and Santos A. (2015). Dynamic Group Formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment . In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU, ISBN 978-989-758-108-3, pages 530-539. DOI: 10.5220/0005438205300539

in Bibtex Style

@conference{csedu15,
author={Sofiane Amara and Joaquim Macedo and Fatima Bendella and Alexandre Santos},
title={Dynamic Group Formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,},
year={2015},
pages={530-539},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0005438205300539},
isbn={978-989-758-108-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,
TI - Dynamic Group Formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment
SN - 978-989-758-108-3
AU - Amara S.
AU - Macedo J.
AU - Bendella F.
AU - Santos A.
PY - 2015
SP - 530
EP - 539
DO - 10.5220/0005438205300539