Experimental Findings with Collaborative Writing within a Project-Based Scenario Flávia M. Santoro 1 , Marcos. R. Borges 2 and Neide Santos 3 1,2 IM/DCC&NCE - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro 3 IME – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro PO 2324 - 20001-970 Rio de Janeiro – Brazil flavia@cos.ufrj.br, mborges@nce.ufrj.br, neide@ime.uerj.br Abstract - The modeling of the process is a key point for the successful use of collaborative project-based learning environments. We built a cooperation model expressed as patterns in order to point out these ideas. In this paper, we describe the scenario chosen to evaluate the model: collaborative writing projects and EdiTex, a groupware tool to support them. We tested our ideas by using EdiTex in two case studies, with over 30 participants. The results were promising, pointing out the relationship between the process design and the level of collaboration. Moreover, new case studies must be carried on in order to validate our findings. Index Terms – Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, Collaborative Writing, Case Studies I. INTRODUCTION HE definition of activities in a project-based collaborative learning environment is extremely important to determine the positive interdependence required to stimulate collaboration in any context. Teachers and students need flexible environments to support them in the use of the computing technology and to allow the configuration of different scenarios for collaborative projects. Several authors have agreed on these requirements for CSCL [1, 2, 3]. In spite of this, most CSCL environments neither provide mechanisms to the definition of the collaborative process, nor address all stages required in a project-based approach. We proposed a Cooperation Model for project- based learning, presenting solutions for the definition of educational collaborative processes and their interdependencies with learning theories, cultural aspects and previous knowledge. Our approach was to model the main aspects involved in the collaborative process, designing a cooperation model, expressed as a system of conceptual patterns [4, 5, 7]. From this model, we developed an infrastructure for collaborative project-based learning environments [6]. The scenario chosen to evaluate the model was projects where groups of students had to write documents. Thus, based on our premises, they should define their workflow in order to achieve the objectives and use an appropriate tool to support them in their tasks. This paper presents EdiTex, an educational groupware for collaborative writing, implemented within this context. Our goal was not only to observe the act of writing collectively, but also to evidence the importance of modeling the process of collaborative writing in order to augment it and, consequently, enhance learning in a CSCL environment. Therefore, we adopted an experimental approach to validate our premises. The design of EdiTex considered our main concerns and incorporated features that helped perform the tasks and evaluate them the afterwards. In Section 2, we briefly discuss the theoretical basis of project-based learning, which constitutes our work context. Section 3 describes the design and implementation of EdiTex, an educational groupware for collaborative writing. Section 4 presents the results obtained with the use of EdiTex in real educational settings. The conclusions and future works are outlined in Section 5. II. PROJECT-BASED LEARNING Project-based learning is not a new educational approach; therefore it is useful for designing CSCL environments. A project is a "wholehearted purposeful activity proceeding in a social environment" [8]. Kilpatrick introduced the Project Method in 1918, when science was moving towards making curriculum relevant to the cultural context of students. The Project Method was designed to solve real-world problems by using a variety of instructional practices, including laboratory work. Rather than creating curriculum based upon the T