**5. Evaluation of technology-based collaborative skills through STEM approach**

Despite its widespread use, there is a relatively limited amount of empirical study conducted in evaluating technology-based collaborative skills. The assessment of

collaborative learning gained can be viewed from two different perspectives, namely collaborative outcomes and processes. Collaborative outcomes refer to what the group produces during the learning process. This collective output can be analyzed to infer the collaborative processes or individual understanding of teamwork. Meanwhile, the processes examine the complex dynamics (such as social interactions among group members), which serve as a link between the individual and the group.

In order to develop products, the discourse documented has been utilized in various technology platforms during the collaborative learning process. For example, synchronous or asynchronous discussion forums can record the discourse that occurs between members of a learning community. This provides a rich data source for evaluating and analyzing the collaboration and knowledge construction among members.

Jimoyiannis and Angelaina investigated Community of Inquiry (CoI) and Social Network Analysis (SNA), using a total of 131 blog posts that addressed the issue of acid rain [52]. Through the use of CoI analysis, community characteristics were examined by classifying publications into three categories, namely social presence (i.e., not involving domain knowledge but for emotional communication and group cohesion), cognitive presence (i.e., involving domain knowledge), and teacher presence. Teacher presence was defined as the presence of a teacher in a publication (i.e., including instruction or scaffolding). The SNA analysis provided a quantitative representation of the engagement level of individuals as well as their social relationships. The amount of direct contact each member has with others may indicate the power distribution among students.

The use of external technologies, such as video or audio recordings, to analyze collaborative processes is frequent. This approach can be used to investigate the collaborative processes. Talentino investigated the use of a mixed reality environment to enhance the study of earth science by high school students. The discourse between students and teachers (e.g., questions and answers) as well as among students, were analyzed and coded using video and audio recordings (e.g., comments, questions, or responses between individual students). The statistics revealed a visible increase in the number of statements driven by student participation. This activity is a usual practice for computer-based learning platforms to track students' activities as they use the platform (e.g., time stamps, clicking on buttons or pages, editing text) [70].

Several previous studies have focused on analyzing log data to gain a deeper understanding of collaborative processes within groups. Altebarmakian and Alterman [68] investigated how elementary school students solve arithmetic problems using an online platform with an intelligent virtual tutor under three different learning conditions, namely collaborative, individual, and combined. They also evaluated the effectiveness of each student's problem-solving approach within the context of their learning conditions by analyzing log data of students' interactions with the virtual tutor. This analysis included students' attempts, errors, and hint requests [71].

Some studies focus on both collaborative procedures and their products. For example, [68] investigated the extent to which 29 university students engaged in collaborative work during a computer science and psychology class by analyzing the data recorded through the system and the substance of the posts made by the students. The students worked on their assignments in groups of three to five using an educational blog as their platform of collaboration. They were required to independently draft and upload their answers to the initial problem, comment on posts made by others, respond to questions posed by others, modify their solutions in light of the group conversation, and eventually submit final responses [68].

## *Developing Collaborative Skills through STEM Approach DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113880*

The participation of each student in the group project is assessed with respect to their cognitive, social, and behavioral habits during the activity. The measurement of their reading, editing, and commenting behaviors, as tracked by the system, provides insights into their behavioral engagement. The log data also revealed that students' interaction levels depended on whether they referred to previous statements made by their peers. Subsequently, the level of cognitive engagement was evaluated based on the topics covered in the students' contributions.

An important observation regarding the assessment component of the study on collaborative learning is that most studies use assessments to test the effects on individual students' academic or emotional outcomes. However, these tests do not necessarily reflect the development of students' understanding of collaboration or their ability to work together effectively. Therefore, it is crucial they receive timely and useful feedback on their individual and group efforts when participating in learning activities that require collaboration. Continuous assessment of collaborative learning facilitates meaningful communication, not only among collaborative group members but also between students and teachers. Therefore, students have a more positive experience when participating in collaborative learning.
