Information sharing is incongruous with collaborative convergence: the case for interaction

Various authors have placed information sharing at the core of successful collaborative problem solving and learning. In this paper we report analyses of an experimental study that bring the sufficiency of an information sharing account of collaboration into question. One treatment group achieved greater convergence and integration of information in their handling of a complex problem, yet this same group shared less information in a hidden profile design. An additional analysis was conducted to assess whether interaction beyond information sharing accounts for the convergence and integration. Results are not conclusive, but suggest that further study is merited. The study illustrates how interaction may be quantified as a dependent variable in the quantitative experimental paradigm, and also illustrates a limitation of this paradigm. Interaction analysis will be needed to account for participants’ accomplishments: a dialogue between methodological paradigms is in order.