ABSTRACT
An investigation was carried out to determine the extent to which evidence of collaborative learning
could be identified in students’ textual interactions in an online learning environment. The literature
on collaborative learning has identified a range of behaviors that characterize successful collaborative
learning in face-to-face situations. Evidence of these behaviors was sought in the messages that were
posted by students as they interacted in online work groups. Analysis of students’ contributions
reveals that there is substantial evidence of collaboration, but that there are differences between
conventional face-to-face instances of collaborative learning and what occurs in an asynchronous,
networked environment.