Technology-Enhanced Collaborative Inquiry Learning: Four Approaches under Common Aspects

Collaborative inquiry is seen as a promising, but also a demanding way of learning. Over the past years several computer learning environments have been designed to support learners in doing inquiry. Students may investigate complex problems from everyday life or socio-scientific issues using simulations, datasets, media-enriched content information, text editors, mapping tools, graphical modelling etc. This paper describes and compares four different approaches to collaborative inquiry, developed in the projects ParIS, WISE, Viten, and Co-Lab. Commonalities and differences in their models of inquiry learning are highlighted. Building on and synthesizing research results from these projects the paper draws conclusions on issues relevant for designing collaborative inquiry learning environments, like guidance and freedom, knowledge construction, and integration of external knowledge