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Revision with unchanged content. This book explores the extent to which the systematic analysis of the interactions between instructors, learners, and content within computer-supported cooperative learning (CSCL) environments can provide evidence of learning processes and learning outcomes, as represented in the participants discourse. The book also describes a framework for the systematic analysis of online conversations in CSCL environments. The framework emerged in a qualitative study from the connections between communication theory, instructional design theory, and learning theory. Such a framework can inform the design and evaluation of instruction for CSCL systems in distance education environments. Both researchers and practitioners in the fields of instructional design, computer-supported cooperative learning, adult learning, and distance edu cation could benefit from the research results described in this book.

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holds a B.S. in Information Systems from UANL in Mexico, a Master Degree in Information Engineering from the University of Tokyo, and a PhD in Information Science from the University of Maryland College Park.

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