Constructing Dynamic Triangles Together: The Development of Mathematical Group Cognition (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive and Computational Perspectives)

Rational thinking as exemplified in mathematical cognition is immensely important in the modern world. This book documents how a group of three eighth-grade girls developed specific group practices typical of such thinking in an online educational experience. A longitudinal case study tracks the team through eight hour-long sessions, following the students' meaning-making processes through their mutual chat responses preserved in computer logs coordinated with their geometric actions. The examination of data focuses on key areas of the team's development: its effective team collaboration, its productive mathematical discourse, its enacted use of dynamic-geometry tools, and its ability to identify and construct dynamic-geometry dependencies. This detailed study of group cognition serves as a paradigmatic example of computer-supported collaborative learning, incorporating a unique model of human-computer interaction analysis applied to the use of innovative educational technology. A valuable resource for researchers, instructors, and students alike, it offers concrete suggestions for improving educational practice.

Gerry Stahl is Professor Emeritus at Drexel University's College of Computing and Informatics. He is the founding editor of the International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, and his publications include Group Cognition: Computer Support for Building Collaborative Knowledge, Translating Euclid: Designing a Human-Centered Mathematics, and Studying Virtual Math Teams.