ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author evaluates the state of practice and research relating to the deployment of computers for peer-supported learning. First, he reviews claims that have recently been made for the quality and consequences of such collaborative work. However, the author argues that the use of computers for peer-based learning deserves richer input from psychological theory. He identifies the concepts that are used by researchers to characterise group learning and peer interaction. The author also presents a perspective on collaborative learning that is consistent with his preferred theoretical orientation: that of a cultural psychology. The chapter converges on a perspective for characterising peer-based learning and suggests that computer-based work is a good vehicle for exploring it.
