This document discusses the role of affective states in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments. It begins by providing background on CSCL and benefits of collaborative learning. While collaborative learning has potential benefits, proper design and facilitation is needed. The document then discusses challenges in providing intelligent support for CSCL. It reviews literature on affective states (emotions, moods, personality traits) used in CSCL environments. Several studies empirically evaluated the effects of considering affective states, finding benefits like reducing frustration and improving interactions. However, more research is still needed to fully understand the effects of affective states and create frameworks to apply this knowledge in building better intelligent CSCL environments.

1. Advancements in Intelligent
Support for CSCL
The Role of Affective States in CSCL
Environments
Prof. Seiji Isotani
Co-Director, Applied Computing in Education Lab
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
sisotani@icmc.usp.br

2. UNIVERSITY
OF SAO PAULO
About the University

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16. Advancements in Intelligent
Support for CSCL
The Role of Affective States in CSCL
Environments
Prof. Seiji Isotani
Co-Director, Applied Computing in Education Lab
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
sisotani@icmc.usp.br

17. The field of Computer-Supported
Collaborative Learning - CSCL dedicates to
study about how technology can be used to
support collaborative learning and its
processes (Stahl et al., 2006)
17
Context

18. Context
18
CSCL Benefits
(Kobbe et al., 2007; Harrer et al., 2004; Laurillard, 2009; Roschelle, & Dimitriadis, 2013)
Deeper
understanding
Cognitive and
metacognitive skills
Sharing of Ideas
Knowledge
Construction

19. The field of Computer-Supported
Collaborative Learning - CSCL dedicates to
study about how technology can be used to
support collaborative learning and its
processes (Stahl et al., 2006)
Despite of the potential benefits of
Collaborative Learning, this approach is
only beneficial when there is an
adequate design and orchestration of
its scenarios (Hernández-Leo et al., 2006, 2011;
Dillenbourg, 2013)
19
Context

20. Sequence of activities
Group
Formation
CL
Design
Interaction
Analysis
...
Learners
Groups
Computational
support
Meaningful
Results
20
Context
The Problem
• These activities are too complex and time consuming
• They also require specific knowledge and skills

21. How to provide intelligent
support for collaborative
learning ?

22. Studying the
components and
mechanics that
may affect
collaboration

23. Mechanics and
Components
232323
Isotani, S., Inaba, A., Ikeda, M., Mizoguchi, R. (2009). “An Ontology Engineering Approach to the
Realization of Theory-Driven Group Formation”. International Journal of Computer-Supported
Collaborative Learning, Springer, 4(4), p. 445-478.
Allocation
of Resources
Tasks
Distribution
Interaction
Patterns
Group
Goals
Teaching
Strategies
Group
Formation
Allocation of
Roles
Affective
States

24. Components
242424
Isotani, S., Inaba, A., Ikeda, M., Mizoguchi, R. (2009). “An Ontology Engineering Approach to the
Realization of Theory-Driven Group Formation”. International Journal of Computer-Supported
Collaborative Learning, Springer, 4(4), p. 445-478.
Allocation
of Resources
Tasks
Distribution
Interaction
Patterns
Group
Goals
Teaching
Strategies
Group
Formation
Allocation of
Roles
Affective
States

25. 6/39
Affective States
Scherer, K. R. (2000). “Psychological models of emotion”. In Joan C. Borod (Ed.), The neuropsychology of
emotion, 137: 137–162. Oxford University Press.
Emotion Mood
Personality
Trait
Intensity
Duration
Reason

26. 7/39
Research Questions
RQ 1
Why affective states are important to build better
and more intelligent CSCL environments?

27. 15
Recent findings
González-Ibáñez, R., Shah, C. (2014). Performance Effects of Positive and Negative Affective
States in a Collaborative Information Seeking Task. International Conference on Collaboration
and Technology (CRIWG 2014), p. 153-168.
• Studying working in Pairs
• Experiment setup (45 dyads)
1. Positive-Positive
2. Negative-Negative
3. Positive-Negative
• Which one correlates to better students’ performance?
o Negative-Negative  Better Performance !!
RQ 1 Why affective states are important to build better and more
intelligent CSCL environments?

28. 15
Recent findings
Caspi, A.; Blau, I. Collaboration and psychological ownership: how does the tension between the
two influence perceived learning?. Social Psychology of Education, vol. 14, issue 2, p. 283-298,
2011
• Why students tends to not like to work in groups overtime?
• Experiment setup (118 undergrad students)
1. Control group
2. Sharing group
3. Collaborative group
o Results: collaboration may improve perceived quality, but
students may avoid it because they do not want to lose a
sense of personal ownership (feeling of contribution)

29. When we do not consider affective states during students’
interaction:
• Researchers have reported that students spend more time
in the resolution of socio-emotional conflicts than
developing the task (Reis et al, 2015).
23
Other Findings

30. 24
• Intelligent Tutor System (ITS) for CSCL:
• An ITS can use its inferring
capabilities to identify students’
emotions and select the best
pedagogical actions to support group
work in order obtain better learning
outcomes
RQ 1
Why affective states are important to build better
and more intelligent CSCL environments?

31. • Build a formal body of knowledge about affect and
CSCL.
• With this body of knowledge, intelligent systems will be able
to use affective information in:
• Group Formation
• Collaborative learning design
• Interaction analysis
• As well as decide:
• what to teach (e.g. match personality traits with
specific contents) and
• how to teach (e.g. specify CSCL scripts to meet
students affect needs). 28
Challenges
Affect + CSCL

32. How to build this
body of knowledge?

33. 7/39
Research Questions
What are the affective states used in CSCL
environment so far?
RQ 2
RQ 3
Were affective states in CSCL environments
empirically evaluated? What are the benefits?
RQ 4
What types of research and educational systems
use affective states in CSCL contexts?
RQ 1
Why affective states are important to build better
and more intelligent CSCL environments?

34. 7
A Review of the Literature

35. 10
Scientific Database
757

36. 12
Filtering
370
Exclusion of duplicates
236
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
80
Studies available at:
https://sites.google.com/site/asincscl/files
45
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

37. Last five years produced ~45% of the
published papers on the topic

38. Results
RQ 1
What are the affective states used in CSCL
environment?
Personality Trait – 17 papers

39. 14
Results
RQ 1
What are the affective states used in CSCL
environment?
Personality Trait – 17 papers
sociability, communicability,
punctuality, commitment,
thoroughness, initiative, group
work attitude, shyness, self-
confidence, emotional stability,
extraversion, mental stability,
honesty level, self-confident,
diligent, participative, willing-to-
help, extroversion, introversion,
sensing, intuition, thinking,
feeling, judging, perceiving.
Psychological questionnaires:
Big Five*: energy,
agreeableness, emotion stability,
openness, and
conscientiousness
Roger Verdier**: melancholy,
unstable, amorphous, apathetic,
social, phlegmatic, active and
leader
* John and Srivastava (1999)
** Lopes Filho et al. (2012)

40. What are the affective states used in CSCL
environment?
13
Results
RQ 1
Emotion – 12 papers

41. 15
Results
RQ 1
What are the affective states used in CSCL
environment?
Mood – 5 papers
sad, unhappy,
neutral, happy, very
happy, bad mood,
good mood and
degrees of attention

42. 16
Results
RQ 2
Were affective states in CSCL environments
empirically evaluated?

43. 17
Results
RQ
2.1
What is the population and research topic?
Among the empirically evaluated papers:
Population:

44. 18
Results
RQ
2.1
What is the population and research topic?
Among the empirically evaluated papers:
Research topic:

45. • Identify the causes of emotion like frustration in CSCL
environment (e.g. Capdeferro & Romero, 2013);
• Provide positive influence using affective feedback in
collaborative work (e.g. Feidakis et al., 2013);
• Improve the interactions between teacher-student and better
understand the student motivational state in group work (e.g.
Solimeno et al., 2008);
• Offer group formation support considering the students
affective state to improve the interaction among students (e.g.
Reis et al., 2015).
19
Results
RQ
2.2
What are the benefits?

46. Results
RQ 3
What types of research and educational systems
use affective states in CSCL contexts?
20

47. Results
21
Research Gaps

48. Results
21
Research Gaps
Evaluation Research provides
evidences to help us propose
theoretical frameworks (philosophical
papers) that can be used to conduct
validation research and experience
reports

49. 27
Final Remarks
• To understand the effects of
affective states in CSCL and create
frameworks/models to use this
knowledge is the key to create better
and more intelligent CSCL environments
• There are several challenges
that need to be addressed
and goals to be pursued.

50. Many
thanks

51. Advancements in Intelligent
Support for CSCL
The Role of Affective States in CSCL
Environments
Prof. Seiji Isotani
Co-Director, Applied Computing in Education Lab
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
sisotani@icmc.usp.br