An Integrated Model of Collaborative Knowledge Building

Abstract

This paper describes a model for studying collaborative knowledge building (CKB) as a group activity. We integrate the model described by Stahl (2000a) with an analysis based on the principles of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), using the analysis of a self reflective case study to guide the description. The concept of the CKB activity system is developed, and the role of contradictions in CHAT is described. The case is then analyzed to show how the model explains collaboration in practice. The final model includes two additional cycles representing the role of reflective practice in CKB. The new model of CKB processes combined with the concept of the activity as the unit of analysis and the tools of CHAT provides an efficacious way of investigating collaborative knowledge building.

A Model of Collaborative Knowledge-Building Based on Web2.0

“…Singh, Hawkins and Whymark's model [6] adapted from Stahl's model. It is different from Stahl's model in two aspects.…”

“…The model includes a cycle of personal understanding that is focusing at the individual level and a cycle of social knowledge building that is focusing at the group level. We adopt knowledge map which is different from StaliFs [4] and Singh's [6] model. When faced with a problematic situation (or learning new knowledge), an individual focus on the problem and make meaning explicit by knowledge map which can provide a common form of shared understanding and collaboratively build knowledge.…”

“…The concept of CKB was introduced by Scardamalia and Bereiter [1], in which authors proposed that schools should function as knowledge building communities. Some researches [2] focused on analyzing learning outcomes, some focused on understanding the processes involved in CKB [3], some focused on the development of shared understanding [4,5] of knowledge building, etc.. Singh, Hawkins, and Whymark [6] gave a general review of research work which is related to CKB, they proposed that current studies in collaborative knowledge building (CKB) concentrate on the processes involved in group of participant's coming together to learn and create knowledge.…”

“…Stahl presented a model of CBK [4], which incorporated multiple distinguishable phases that constitute cycles of personal and social knowledge building. Singh, Hawkins and Whymark [6] integrated the model described by Stahl [4] with an analysis based on the principles of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), using the analysis of a self reflective case study to guide the description. In this paper, using the two models mentioned above [4,6] as a start point, we present a model based on Web2.0, and try to describe forms of computer support for phases of knowledge building according to the web 2.0 technologies.…”

“…We first give some preliminaries in section 2, in which we will describe the models proposed by Stahl [4] and Singh, Hawkins & Wliymark [6]. In section 3, we discuss the opportunities provided by Web 2.0.…”