A cognitive tool in handheld devices for collaborative learning: Comprehending procedural knowledge of the addition of common fractions

The aim of this research is to design a scenario for collaborative learning using a handheld or mobile device to aid the comprehension of new procedural knowledge. A cognitive tool (CT) – the graphical partitioning model (GPM) – that aids the development of the procedural knowledge needed to add fractions with unlike denominators was established from the results of a series of experimental studies. This paper discusses the redesign of the CT for use in handheld or mobile devices. The key to mediating the generation of procedural knowledge of the addition of fractions with unlike denominators is the process of searching for common denominators in the GPM. A scenario for collaborative learning is depicted, and the distribution of the cognitive load of learners across the GPM and their collaborative learning partners is elaborated. Three essential structures that promote collaborative work are discussed, namely, task structure, incentive structure, and group motivation. Copyright © 2005 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.