Visualization Forms in the Cross-cultural Collaborative Activities of Design and Development of a Digital Resource for Education

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated the integration of visualization technology to support collaboration and stimulate learning performance. The use of visualization tools during the collaborative activities of international students is a worthy topic for further exploration. Based on grounded and activity theories, this research uses observation and qualitative behavior analysis to determine how participants use visualization tools to distinguish the behavior features of learners and to explain the role of these tools in a telecollaborative project. The analysis distinguishes three major types of visualization forms: shaped, diagramed, and tabled presentations, which serve particular epistemic and social demands of collaborative tasks. Findings indicated that visualization forms and tools can enhance collaborative activities by helping international members visualize their thoughts, comprehension, and discussion, although they use different languages and are from diverse cultures. Further research can develop new and effective methods for collaboration and learning using visual support tools.