Collaborative Learning in Primary School Mathematics: Enabling learning together through a mediating, digital interface

Abstract

In this thesis, it is explored how collaboration can be applied in primary school mathematics. Eeduaction Albert AB, the company which this thesis is written in cooperation with, are interested in collaborative learning as it has shown to deepen knowledge and improve the social environment. A literature study was conducted on the topics; educational science, mathematics, collaborative learning, digital tools in the classroom environment, design for children and activity theory. This was done to prepare the authors for the user study and to compare how education is conducted with theory on how education should be conducted. Collaboration was reflected in the outcome and throughout the process by involving pupils in four phases of the design process. The pupils contributed through observations and interviews, by creating content, and evaluating early hypotheses, as well as initial concepts. Furthermore, teachers and experts were interviewed to gain their point of view on important factors in learning and collaboration. Guidelines on how to design a digital interface that mediates collaborative learning in the classroom were created based on the results of the literature study and the user studies. Twelve educational guidelines and nine esthetical guidelines were created. Out of these, the ones that contribute most to collaboration are the guidelines regarding communicating and explaining, promoting inclusion, and encouraging reflection. Based on the guidelines, an illustrative concept was designed. This concept is designed to be colourful and interesting to pupils while focusing on creating educational benefits, for example by including both open- and close-ended questions with visual support for discussion. The illustrative concept is designed to be part of a fully digital mathematics book.