Discussing a wicked problem in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment

Abstract

Difficult problems are not new, but there is a major difference between trying to solve such problems today, as opposed how they are solved in the past. This difference is due to the increased interconnectedness of the solution problem parts and the enormity of information available. To this end, people must learn to incorporate new information into their own knowledge structures and take a stand when confronted with conflicting information for solving the problem. Education, in turn, has to deal with the question of how education can students can best be equipped to deal both interconnected complex problems and the availability of so much information. This paper reports on a study into task design in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) situation in which learners are supported in arguing about complex issues.