The "Edutab Box": A computer-supported collaborative learning system - practical activities and future directions

Collaborative/active learning is a notably effective educational method. Since tablet terminals are now being widely used in the educational field, it is being possible to use tablet terminals for collaborative/ active learning. To do this, a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) system and software is required. The authors report on the development of CSCL system/software called the "Edutab box." The authors also report on three practical activities/research studies involving the use of the "Edutab box" in regular public elementary school classrooms in Japan, in three contexts: 1) debate practice, 2) creating social studies class reports, and 3) lesson study (a re-reflection of class observation). As a future direction, the authors propose an "intelligent Edutab," which is an extension of the "Edutab box." The development of the prototype-and of practical activities/research studies using the prototype-is reported.