Student Satisfaction, Performance, and Knowledge Construction in Online Collaborative Learning

A growing amount of research focuses on learning in group settings and more specifically on learning in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) settings. Studies on western students indicate that online collaboration enhances student learning achievement; however, few empirical studies have examined student satisfaction, performance, and knowledge construction through online collaboration from a cross-cultural perspective. This study examines satisfaction, performance, and knowledge construction via online group discussions of students in two different cultural contexts. Students were both first-year university students majoring in educational sciences at a Flemish university and a Chinese university. Differences and similarities of the two groups of students with regard to satisfaction, learning process, and achievement were analyzed.