AN OBJECT-ORIENTED METHOD AND TOOL FOR STUDYING COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES

This paper provides an overview of a method and tool that have been used for studying interaction in the frame of synchronous collaborative problem solving activities. This method is based on the "Object-oriented Collaboration Analysis Framework (OCAF)", a framework that puts emphasis on the abstract and tangible objects that appear on the mediating computer screen during problem solving. The notions of the "objects' histories and ownership" are introduced in this analytical framework. In the paper we put special emphasis on a tool that has been recently developed to support this framework, together with extracts of studies that have been undertaken, during which OCAF has been effectively used.