Social Organisation and Cooperative Learning: Identification and Categorisation of Groups and Sub-Groups in Non-Cooperative Games

Abstract

This paper outlines the results of a Modified SYMLOG (Mod-SYMLOG) analysis for group formation, structure and interactions. While collaborative working has been an established working methodology for Education and Computer Science researchers alike, there has been a lack of focus in the latter as to what a group actually is within psychologically complex human communities. Here we discuss why groups can be beneficial to student learning in education, but also how misusing groups has negative effects. This paper presents the results of two board game based experiments. The first experiment used the classic SYMLOG model to show validity of the scenario in data collection and the second testing our Mod-SYMLOG. Results showed that Mod-SYMLOG was effective in capturing group dynamics, with indications of group structure.