Evaluating computer-supported collaboration for a problem-solving task

Computer Science researchers are investigating systems that exploit the benefits of collaborative computing technology in learning. There is, however little empirical evidence of the benefits and costs associated with different modes of computer support for collaborative learning. We describe an experiment that compares how well 51 children (aged ten and eleven) learnt to solve a small puzzle in three different collaborative learning conditions. Results showed no significant difference in learning outcomes among the three conditions, but revealed that girls solved the puzzle more slowly when collaborating.