A Psychological Perspective on Data Processing in Cognitive Group Awareness Tools

Abstract

Cognitive Group Awareness Tools are a means to support collaboration processes by providing learners with knowledge-related information about learning partners or the group. Targeting cognitive rather than behavioral variables allows these tools to go beyond observable processes. Thus, tool designers have to make a number of relevant decisions on how to select, collect, transform and present the group awareness information. Because these decisions are so manifold, existing tools differ vastly and it is near to impossible to compare overall tool effects. Thus, in this paper, we conducted a literature search returning 25 papers describing 18 cognitive Group Awareness Tools. We then analyzed these tools with regard to data processing from a psychological perspective to identify key decisions that may affect the learners’ collaborative learning processes. This allows us to systematically disentangle the effects of specific data processing decisions on tool functions to ultimately deduce guidelines for tool design.