Supporting peer help in collaborative learning environments: A discussion based on two case studies

Abstract

In this paper, we present a discussion about peer help systems based on two case studies that promote their use in a collaborative learning environment. Peer help systems aim to promote and encourage the use of help systems. Through them, users interact in pairs in order to complement the assistance provided by online help systems. We highlight the importance of this alternative type of help system and the advantages of its use by promoting not only help by users interactions, but also useful information for systems designers to improve their systems and to understand the interaction problems found by users during the process of using a system.