Affective Processes in Collaborative Learning Contexts: Examining Affordances and Challenges of Video and Multi-Channel Data

The possibilities of using video to explore learning and interactions in context have grown significantly in recent decades. At the same time, the role of affect in collaborative learning has been increasingly recognised and examined. However, studies in this area have largely relied on self-reported data. When video data have been used, findings have been reported in the form of descriptive accounts of illustrative cases as a way of dealing with complex and large datasets. This chapter focuses on recent research developments in collaborative learning, stressing the value of video as a versatile data source in itself and when used in conjunction with other forms of data. It is argued that video captures the socially dynamic and evolving nature of affect in-context: Specifically, (a) the multi-level nature of affect, capturing individual, sub-group and whole-group displays of emotions; (b) the temporal ebbs and flows of affective processes; and (c) the specific affordances of observational data when combined with self-reported and physiological data. In conclusion, this chapter acknowledges the advances made so far in this field while alerting the reader to current challenges and future developments.