Using collaboration strategies to support the monitoring of online collaborative learning activity

Abstract

This paper first discusses the importance of online education and highlights its main benefits and challenges. In this context, on the one hand, we argue the significance of monitoring students' and groups' activity in an online learning environment. On the other hand, we analyze the informational needs that should be covered by any monitoring information system. Finally, the paper goes a step further by proposing the use of collaboration strategies as a manner to improve monitoring and learning processes in computer-supported collaborative learning. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.