Title: Computer-supported collaborative learning: An analysis of the relationship between

interaction, emotional support and online collaborative tools

1. Research Problem:
 Analysis of the key elements in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning.
 Intra-group emotional support is the element with the greatest impact in
Collaborative learning.
 Student interaction in work groups plays a key role as a mediating factor.
 Online collaborative tools have a positive influence in intragroup interaction as well
as on emotional support.
 Teacher-student interaction influences student interaction in work groups.

2. Research objectives: The purpose of this study is to establish a global model, with the aim to
understand the key factors affecting online collaborative learning and to analyze their
interrelation, examining the influence of interaction, intra group emotional support and
online collaborative tools in learning in CSCL.

3. Research Design: Qualitative Research

4. Research Instrument: Survey, questionnaire

5. Data Analysis: To evaluate the proposed model, as well as test the study hypothesis, a
multivariate analysis was carried out applying a structural equation model (SEM) with partial
least squares (PLS), using the statistical program SmartPLS version 3.2.7.

6. Research Finding: Finally, online collaborative tools have been found to be fundamental for
facilitating interaction between students as well as to promote intra-group emotional
support. Both these aspects are directly related to effective collaborative learning. These
communication tools facilitate teachers’ interaction with students, which is essential for
providing pedagogical guidance, assistance and technical support (Lee et al., 2001), and they
also promote social presence. Online tools and their use are perceived as fundamental by
students; they facilitate communication in work groups and are necessary for group
organization and directly related to cognitive tasks (Authors, 2014b).

7. Summarize: Research has already outlined the enormous potential of Computer Supported
Collaborative Learning (CSCL) to facilitate effective learning processes in higher education.
There is still need, though, to build up a validated model able to portray the relationships
between the key elements to design and carry out online collaboration methodologies. The
purpose of this study is to establish a global model, with the aim to understand the key
factors affecting online collaborative learning and to analyze their interrelation, examining
the influence of interaction, intra group emotional support and online collaborative tools in
learning in CSCL. The study was conducted with 106 students in the context of 5 university
degree subjects that implied working on CSCL projects. At the end of the projects, the
 students filled out a questionnaire and the resulting data was analyzed using the partial least
squares (PLS) technique. The research model proved to have a good predictive level, fulfilling
the 6 hypotheses proposed. Results reveal the relevance of interaction, considering teacher-
student interaction as well as student-student interaction in groups during the collaboration
process. Emotional support linked to intragroup work reveals itself as a fundamental pillar in
collaborative learning. On the other hand, online collaborative tools have proved to
contribute to interaction between group members and to sustain emotional support.
Consequently, in order to model cognitive presence, social presence and teaching presence
during CSCL it is necessary to promote a fluent and satisfactory interaction, rooted on the
learning process and on emotional support as well as on effective management of the online
tools facilitating collaboration. Results also suggest the convenience of further research on
other types of interaction in the context of CSCL.

8. References:

Hernández-Sellés , Nuria, Pablo-César Muñoz-Carril, Mercedes González-Sanmamed.2019.

Computer-supported collaborative learning: An analysis of the relationship between
interaction, emotional support and online collaborative tools. Computers & Education.
S0360-1315(19)30100-9