There is much positive research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments in asynchronous distributed learning groups (DLGs). There is also research that shows that contemporary CSCL environments do not completely fulfil expectations on supporting interactive group learning, shared understanding, social construction of knowledge, and acquisition of competencies. There appear to be two major pitfalls impeding achievement of the desired social interaction in CSCL environments: taking social interaction in groups for granted and the lack of attention paid to the social psychological dimension of social interaction outside of the task context. Current solutions offered to avoid the pitfalls placed responsibility on instructors and teachers to encourage collaborative learning and social interaction. To both free educators from this burden and be more cost effective, we propose an intelligent CSCL environment. The environment is based upon a theoretical framework that suggests embedding certain properties in the environment to act as social contextual facilitators- social affordances- to initiate and sustain learner’s social interactions. Finally, a group awareness widget (GAW)- a software tool providing the learner group awareness about the others in the task and in the non-task context- is introduced as an embodiment of this theoretical framework.

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Transactions) et dresse un portrait des tensions émergentes entre l’environnement de changement des enseignants et les espaces et territoires d’apprentissage. L’analyse préliminaire des données de nos recherches permet d’exposer les principaux défis auxquels font face les programmes de la formation des maîtres. Mots clés: Paradigme de l’Apprentissage enLigne, les Espaces et Territoires d’Apprentissage, Apprentissage Informel, Apprentissage Formel, Programmes de Formation des Maîtres. Summary: In this paper, we present the conceptual model for Informal and Formal eLearning Transactions (IFeLTs) and portray the emerging tensions between teaching change environment and the learning space/territories. Preliminary data analysis of our current research allows us to expose the main challenges facing teacher education program.

needed. Please do not return it to the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

This research focused on what it is like to be a blind online learner. There is a paucity of literature at the intersection of blindness and online learning, and none, at the time of this writing, researched and written from the perspective of the learners. As such, interactive interviews were conducted with blind adults who have had and reflected on

Abstract: Online learning in the university sector is a given. Constructivist views of learning (often team based) and the notion of knowledge-building, mediated through the use of ICTs seemingly address many of the imperatives to equip individuals for emergent knowledge-age work practice. While teamwork has many perceived advantages, teams also