Collaborative problem-solving in virtual environments: Effect of social interaction, social presence, and sociability on critical thinking

Abstract

New and increasingly complex online technologies are attractive to course developers, but do they add value for students and teachers in terms of deeper social connection and increased collaborative learning? This exploratory study examines students' perceptions of social presence, sociability, and social interaction related to critical thinking in groups in three different virtual environments (e.g., text chat, online audio conference, and avatar-based interaction). The findings suggest that perceptions of user difficulty and the nature of the collaborative activity influence learner perceptions in critical thinking group tasks in virtual environments, while the type of virtual environment has less effect. Limitations and critiques are discussed.