CHILDREN AS COMPUTER USERS - THE CASE OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

A modern enthusiasm for pupils to learn collaboratively within early e ducation is identified. It is shown that educational practice is in ha rmony with theories of learning promoted by developmental psychologist s and also with studies of classroom interventions evaluating cooperat ive learning regimes. However, observations of children's spontaneous interactions during routine small group work imply that the quality of collaboration is typically rather poor. This paper considers whether the cultivation of true collaborative learning is a realistic ambition with very young children. An analysis of the social dynamic at the he art of this form of learning suggests that it is well within the reach of children as a form of social exchange. However, it may be hard for them to exercise that dynamic under the particular formats demanded o f schooled problem solving. It is argued that new technology offers a special potential for supporting the development of collaborative lear ning in early education. However, the scope of the resourcing required extends beyond meeting the traditional formats of circumscribed group work: designers for this style of learning need to address collaborat ion managed as a broader communal concern within the very fabric of ed ucational settings. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .