Title: Peer-to-peer technology in collaborative learning networks: applications and research issues

Authors: Robert P. Bostrom, Saurabh Gupta, Janette R. Hill

Addresses: MIS Department, University of Georgia, Brooks 312, Athens, GA 30605, USA. ' Department of Management, University of North Florida, 1 UNF drive, Jacksonville, FL 32258, USA. ' Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, University of Georgia, 604 Aderhold, Athens, GA 30605, USA

Abstract: As organisations struggle with how to develop and use individual expertise, the importance of Collaborative Learning (CL) has grown in both academic and practitioner communities. Although organisations have a large amount of individual expertise, their ability to aggregate and share it has largely eluded them. A review of educational literature points out that academic organisations| learning strategies are shifting towards a more active and group-oriented learning, referred to as cooperative or collaborative learning. Educational and business organisations are currently searching for best practices and technologies for implementing CL. This paper explores how Peer-to-Peer (P2P) computing fits in the collaborative learning paradigm. P2P has great appeal for CL because it allows people to work and learn in a more natural fashion. The paper explores the existing collaborative P2P applications, identifying those most relevant to CL. The paper also compares P2P tools with client/server tools for CL within various organisational learning networks. The paper identifies key research issues concerning the use of P2P applications for CL.

Keywords: peer-to-peer; P2P networks; collaborative learning; learning networks; organisational learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKL.2008.019736

International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, 2008 Vol.4 No.1, pp.36 - 57

Published online: 27 Jul 2008 *

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