Understanding Collaborative Learning: Small Group Work on Contextual Problems Using a Multi-Representational Software Tool.

The interactions of three high school juniors (two females and one male) working together on a series of contextual mathematics problems using a multirepresentational software tool were studied. Focus was on determining how a constructivist model of learning, based on an individual problematic-action-reflection model, can be extended to offer explanatory power for small-group collaborative learning. This extension is constructed by adopting several concepts from the socio-historic or Vygotskian school, including the zone of proximal development, cultural tools, proleptic talk, and appropriation. The subjects worked together during a 10-week secondary mathematJAls course that focused on problem solving with Function Probe. Although constructivist and socio-historic approaches to cognition have, at times, been interpreted as offering opposing viewpointa, it is suggested that there is a potential complementarity, particularly in the area of collaborative peer learning, since researchers in neither area have as yet offered a strong explanatcry model for how students jointly construct mathematical knowledge. Four figures and a 24-item list of references are included. (SLD) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original Cocument. *********************************************************************** Understanding Collaborative Learning: Small Group Work on Contextual Problems Using a Multi-Representational Software Tool U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) I/his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it r Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or Opinions stated in this document do not necessarily tepresent official OERI positron or policy Erick Smith and Jere Confrey