IT Assisted Collaborative Learning Twenty-fifth Americas Conference on Information Systems, Cancun, 2019 1 Does IT Promote Collaborative Processes and Improve Learning? An Activity Theory Approach Completed Research Abhijit Chaudhury Bryant University achaudhu@bryant.edu Kevin Mentzer Bryant University kmentzer@bryant.edu Debasish Mallick University of St. Thomas dnmallick@stthomas.edu Abstract Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is rapidly emerging as an interdisciplinary field that is focused on how technology can facilitate group learning. Much research has been conducted into CSCL’s contribution to learning and the roles of various factors leading to its effectiveness. An area that has escaped focus is investigation into the nature of collaborative processes and the features of technology platforms that may support them. We use an Activity Theory framework to model the relationship between platform features, group processes, and the learning outcome. The results of this empirical study demonstrate that there are features of the technology platform that promote key elements of the collaboration process, thus promoting better learning outcomes and acceptance. We use the Technology Acceptance Model to study the acceptance of the platform. The study can help guide the design of technology platforms that are conducive to productive group activities and collaborative learning. Keywords Activity theory, Collaborative learning, Group processes Introduction With its roots in cognitive, social, and psychological areas, collaborative learning has become a dominant paradigm in higher education (Davidson et al. 2014, Barkley et al. 2014). Social media and Web 2.0 tools have come to play a critical role in making collaborative learning practical and efficacious (Resta and Laferriere 2007). Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is now a growing area in the field of learning technologies. While it is part of the larger study of how technology promotes learning (Gribbins et al. 2007), the focus of CSCL research is on establishing the efficacy of the approach and the role played by supporting factors such as computer-led evaluation and document repository (Resta and Laferriere 2007, Popescu 2014). In the field of CSCL research, one area that has escaped attention is group processes among students and the facilitating role of a technology platform as opposed to individual discrete technologies. It has been observed that there is a substantial body of knowledge on collaborative learning in face-to-face settings, but less is known about CSCL (Jeong et al. 2014), particularly the collaborative aspects. “Despite numerous studies on social interactions in collaborative learning, little is known about interactions in successful computer-supported collaborative learning situations,” write Vuopala et al. (2016). Similarly, in the design of online environments, much attention has been paid to interface design, but much less to designing forums where students can interact, according to McLoughlin and Marshall (2000). Strijbos et al. (2004) note that “more research is needed on the design element of CSCL software to determine the extent to which they support, structure,… the interaction.” According to Popescu (2014), the impact of integrated social learning environments based on Web 2.0 tools (wikis, social media, blogging, etc.) has not received its due attention “with little recognition of the other factors that make it effective” (Smith and McKeen 2011).