Supporting Group Cognition, Individual Learning and Community Practices in Dynamic Geometry

Abstract

Group cognition is analyzed at the small-group unit of analysis. It involves the semantics, syntactics and pragmatics of natural language, gestures, inscriptions, etc. The meaning-making processes involve inputs from individuals, based on their interpretation of the on-going context. They are also responses to the on-going social/historical/cultural/linguistic context, which they can reproduce and modify. Technologies play a central role in mediating the multi-level, intertwined processes. Emergent technologies should be designed to support this mediation. Collaboration environments should be designed to prepare groups, individuals and communities to take advantage of the technical functionality and to promote learning at all levels. This paper reports on the design of a curriculum in dynamic geometry to support group cognition, individual learning and community practices in a coordinated way.