When Co-learners Work on Complementary Texts: Effects on Outcome Convergence

In this paper, we examined the effect of knowledge interdependence among co-learners on knowledge convergence outcomes. Prior to collaboration, two partners read the same text in the independent condition while each of them read one of two complementary texts in the interdependent condition. In the remote collaboration phase, partners were asked to build a collaborative concept map. While interacting, they were provided with visualizations (concept maps) of both their own- and their partner’s knowledge. No effect of interdependence could be found with respect to both outcome knowledge equivalence and shared outcome knowledge. In the independence condition, convergence was mainly due to the fact that partners received the same text before collaboration. In the interdependence condition, shared knowledge did not occur as a result of social interaction. It seems that participants were able to individually link what they learnt from text to complementary information provided by their partner’s map.