Regulación del comportamiento durante la construcción conjunta de conocimientos en tareas cooperativas en entornos de aprendizaje virtuales asincrónicos y escritos

The study analysed the regulation strategies used by five groups of students during the process of joint construction of meaning in cooperative tasks in a virtual, asynchronous and written-based learning environment. The study was carried out during a Master's course in which students were required to apply case study techniques to solve two different tasks. These tasks involved written argumentation, were supported by virtual discussion, and to complete they required a written report. The regulation concept in its social and cognitive dimensions, which act together during the process of joint construction of meaning, was defined based on the literature review and current research status. Using case study methodology and discourse analysis, three modes of regulation present during the cooperative tasks were identified: self-, external, and shared-regulation. The types of speech used during the activities analysed were categorised and the resultant interactions described. Lastly, regulation models emerging at different stages of cooperative work in the context studied were identified.