Algebra Jam: Supporting teamwork and managing roles in a collaborative learning environment

Abstract

We are building a collaborative learning environment that supports teams of students as they collaborate synchronously and remotely to solve situated, multi-step problems involving algebraic modeling. Our system, named Algebra Jam, provides a set of tools to help students overcome two of the most serious impediments to successful collaboration: establishing common ground and maintaining group focus. These tools include tethered and untethered modes of operation including discrepancy notification, a goal-oriented team blackboard, object-oriented chat with collabicons, reification of problem solving roles, and the optional inclusion of a tutor agent as a virtual team participant. The tutor agent not only offers help and feedback on problem solving actions but also accumulates evidence about individual and group problem solving performance in a Bayesian inference network. The system is envisioned as a testbed for developing theories of teaming.