A quartet in E - Investigating collaborative learning and tutoring as knowledge creation processes

This paper is a short report of a continuing international study that is investigating networked collaborative learning among an advanced community of learners engaged in a master's programme in e-learning. The study is undertaking empirical work using content analysis (CA), critical event recall (CER) and social network analysis (SNA). The first two methods are employed in the work reported in this paper. We are particularly interested in knowledge creation among the participants as they engage in action research for their master's work. At the same time, another underlying aim of the main study is to develop methodology, enrich theory and explore the ways in which praxis (theory-informed tutoring and learning on the programme) and theory interact as we try to understand the complex processes of tutoring and learning. The paper reports some of the current findings of this work and discusses future prospects.