Abstract:

Among the most common problems in collaborative learning, it was observed that students do not participate equally in activities and that they often do not know how to communicate and cooperate with each other. Till the present day, different research areas have tried to overcome the abovementioned problem. In computer supported collaborative activities, the most common approach was to use a 1:1 distribution (one device per user) due to the support for independent content research and seamless learning and also due to the observed positive effects on students' achievements, motivation and engagement, given that each student has his own device. However, it was also observed that one having his own device during collaborative activity can lead to difficulties in reaching an agreement within the group due to the emphasized autonomy of each student. Moreover, some research suggests that working in a 1:m distribution (one device per many users) results in the creation of superior artefacts and better cooperation compared to working in a collaborative group where the device distribution is 1:1.

This paper presents a split-screen application prototype and possibilities arising from dividing a single multi-touch screen into independent work segments on portable devices such as a tablet computer and a smartphone, which could lead to a different approach in supporting collaborative learning and group interaction among elementary school students.

Keywords:

Mobile learning, collaborative learning, split-screen, elementary education.