Functional versus Spontaneous Roles during Computer-supported Collaborative Learning

This paper reports the effect of functional roles on computer-supported collaborative learning. Thirtythree students in ten groups, equally distributed over two research conditions (role versus nonrole), returned an evaluation questionnaire assessing their computer-supported collaborative learning experience. Principal axis factoring revealed a latent variable interpreted as: perceived group efficiency (PGE). Multilevel modelling (MLM) yielded a positive marginal effect. Groups in the role condition appear to be more aware of their efficiency, when compared to groups in the nonrole condition, regardless of performance. Content analysis of e-mail communication of all groups in both conditions revealed that students in role groups contribute more ‘coordination’ focussed statements. A second content analysis was performed to assess the extent to which the functional roles were executed or spontaneous roles emerged in nonrole groups. Results reveal that the functional roles were indeed performed by the role groups, whereas a cross case matrix of task division descriptions by nonrole groups revealed a typical pattern of splitting the collaborative task in individual components.