Computer supported collaborative learning. A peer-to-peer experience at the PhD level

Abstract

Learning, as a social phenomenon, is enhanced when it is achieved in a collaborative manner, such as through Computer supported collaborative learning, which involves interaction, communication, and collaboration among a group of people – mediated by technology – to achieve a common learning goal or to resolve a situation which requires a creative response. This paper includes a compilation of doctoral-level students’ learning experiences and is written autonomously by two participants enrolled in an online course on comparative education. The objective of this paper is to describe the experiences and difficulties of implementing computer-based collaboration as a didactic strategy at the postgraduate level, intending to test its pedagogical use. The research found that when information and communication technologies (ICT) are applied to educational processes, they induce transformations which affect both how individuals learn and the digital and informational competences they acquire.