Computer supported cooperative learning based on the jigsaw method

Abstract

At the present time, on-line education has gained a lot of importance like support to the traditional education (blended learning) and the education at a distance. The techniques more used in these environments are based on autonomous learning (individualist), competitive, and in some cases, in collaborative learning (using chats, forums, files interchange, among other). On the other hand, it has been proved that the academic acting and the development of the social abilities of the individuals that they learn in cooperative situations are better than when they are made in individualistic and competitive situations. It's for this reason that it is important to develop computer services based on real methods of cooperative learning (whose best results in the traditional education have already been proven), later, it's necessary to make experiments that validate the use of those services, observing how the students acquire the knowledge and develop their academic-social abilities. This investigation selected the Jigsaw method to carry out this validation, showing the phases that help to the development of a cooperative activity based on this method, a computer environment that supports these activities and the results of three experiments.