#536: Investigating support for collaboration on the AI Frontier: A Qualitative Study of Middle-Grades Computer Science Classrooms Informed by the MOSAIC Protocol

This study investigates the relationship between middle school student collaborative behaviors and their activities before and after receiving support while collaborating. Regression analysis of data from the MOSAIC protocol was used to conduct maximum variation sampling for a qualitative case studies to explore how student activity immediately before receiving support predicts whether they receive support focused on collaboration and if they receive this collaborative support or not predicts student activity immediately after they receive support. The characteristics of both the collaboration support provided and the nature of the collaborative tasks play crucial roles in shaping these interactions. These findings highlight the complexity of fostering effective student collaboration and underscore the need for tailored support strategies that consider teachers’ pedagogical moves and the specific features of collaborative tasks.