Fostering shared knowledge with active graphical representation in different collaboration scenarios

This study investigated how two types of graphical representation
tools influence the way in which learners use shared and unshared
knowledge resources in two different collaboration scenarios, and
how learners represent and transfer shared knowledge under these
different conditions. Moreover, the relation between the use of
knowledge resources, representation, and the transfer of shared
knowledge was analyzed. The type of graphical representation
(content-specific vs. content-unspecific) and the collaboration
scenario (video conferencing vs. face-to-face) were varied. 64
university students participated. Results show that the learning
partners converged in their profiles of resource use. With the
content-specific graphical representation, learners used more
appropriate knowledge resources. Learners in the computer-mediated
scenarios showed a greater bandwidth in their profiles of resource
use. A relation between discourse and outcomes could be shown for
the transfer but not for the knowledge representation aspect