A new method to assess the quality of collaborative process in CSCL

In CSCL research, the collaborative process - the way people collaborate while working on tasks and learning -- is of central importance. Instructional measures are being developed to improve the quality of the collaboration which itself determines to a great extent the results of working and learning in groups. However, assessing collaborative process is not easy. We have developed a new assessment method by quantitatively rating nine qualitatively defined characteristic dimensions of collaboration. In this paper, we first describe how these dimensions were extracted from video-recordings of dyads collaborating to solve interdisciplinary tasks. Then we explain how the resulting rating system was applied to and tested on another sample. Based on positive findings from this application, we argue that the new method can be recommended for different areas of CSCL research.