WoPaLP Vol. 3, 2009 Dorner & Major 76 EVOLVING COLLABORATION AMONG TEACHER TRAINEES – ANALYSIS OF COLLABORATIVE DISCOURSE Helga Dorner University of Szeged and Central European University, Budapest helgadorner@t-online.hu Éva Major Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest majore@ludens.elte.hu Abstract: The main focus of the study was to investigate group-mechanisms and collaborative small-group learning. Participants (n=20) were pre-service English teacher trainees of a methodology seminar. Group mechanisms and collaborative activities were analysed and made visible with the help of online discussions that evolved in the discussion forums of the course management system (CMS) Moodle. Quantitative data on student participation, online activity and frequency of messages were gained from the log files of the CMS. Through the qualitative content analysis of forum discussions, nine stages of collaborative discourse were identified in the presented pedagogical scenario. Methods for integrating the identified stages in the design process of blended learning in teacher training courses are suggested and best practices for similar courses are offered. However, due to the limited number of participants, further investigation of the relevance of the identified stages on a larger set of sample is needed. Keywords: teacher training, blended learning, collaborative learning, online communication, collaborative discourse 1 Introduction The present paper deals with the concept of online collaborative learning in small groups. Our study, which is part of the European Knowledge Practices Laboratory research, focuses on the “knowledge-building community” (Scardamalia, & Bereiter, 1994) whose members invent knowledge and skill together that none of them would likely have constructed alone (Stahl, 2003). Our experiment took place at a Hungarian university, with a group of students studying ELT methodology. We used the Moodle CMS for online collaborative tasks that we had planned especially for the group. In the analysis, we investigate group-mechanisms and collaborative small-group learning which are analysed and made visible with the help of online discussions that evolved in the forums of the Moodle CMS. Interaction created during the teaching and learning process is considered as “direct evidence of learning,” thus its interpretation is a powerful method of empirical analysis (Stahl, 2003, p.35). Our aim is to identify the stages of evolving collaboration in the present pedagogical scenario. In addition we intend to find relevant methods of integrating the identified stages in the design process of blended learning courses. We also draw conclusions and describe best practices for courses. Quantitative data on student participation, online activity and frequency of messages are gained from the log files of the CMS, to which we add the results of the qualitative content analysis of forum discussions.