EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF LEARNING IN COMPUTER-SUPPORTED COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Can learning quality be maintained in the face of increasing class siz e by the use of Computer Supported Cooperative Learning (CSCL) technol ogies? In particular, can Computer-Mediated Communication promote crit ical thinking in addition to surface information transfer? We compared face-to-face seminars with asynchronous computer conferencing in the same Information Management class. From Garrison's theory of critical thinking and Henri's critical reasoning skills, we developed two ways of evaluating critical thinking: A student questionnaire and a content -analysis technique, We found evidence for critical thinking in both s ituations, with some subtle differences in learning style, This articl e provides an overview of this work.