Understanding the well-being impact of a computer-supported collaborative learning tool: the case of PyramidApp

Abstract

The global efforts toward evaluating the impact of the use of data-driven technologies on humans’ well-being continue to establish societal guidelines for such systems to remain human-centric, serving humanity’s values and safeguarding well-being. In this paper, we apply the first activity of IEEE P7010 recommended practice, a methodology and a set of metrics, to understand the well-being impact of a web-based tool (PyramidApp) that allows teachers to design and deploy Pyramid-pattern based collaborative learning activities in classroom learning scenarios. The tool’s creators who are learning technology researchers (n = 2) and a sample of the tool’s users and stakeholders who are undergraduate students (n = 11), master students (n = 14) and instructors (n = 2) are engaged in surveys and interviews to investigate the tool’s well-being impact by reflecting on well-being indicators distributed to multiple well-being domains. The findings discuss possible impacts of the tool on the well-being domains of life satisfaction, affect, psychological state, community, education, government, human settlement and work. The creators also share views about the extent to which the use of IEEE P7010 increases their awareness of the intended and unintended impacts of their tool on well-being.