Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is one form of online learning that emerged as a reaction to students’ learning as being isolated individuals. CSCL aims to offer new software and applications that connect learners, and support creative activities of intellectual exploration and social interaction (Stahl, Koschmann, & Suthers, 2006). An important advantage offered by CSCL environments is the system logs that capture the interactions among students. Since such logs capture instances where learners raise questions, search for information, engage in reasoning together, they practically make learning visible. The increasing use of computer-mediated communication channels such as social networking, chat, instant messengers and wikis as part of CSCL applications has culminated into the generation of large repositories of such learning interactions. However, despite the advantage CSCL tools offer for addressing the student isolation issue, such environments also bring some important methodological and pedagogical challenges. For example, analyzing all collaborative interactions of learners is a time consuming task for an instructor; hence automated monitoring and assessment tools are required (Dascalu, Chioasca, & Trausan-Matu, 2008). In addition, instructors generally consider the final deliverables while evaluating learner performance in a CSCL-environment. Since each individual is assumed to have equally contributed to the final product, the whole group often gets the same grade as a result of evaluation. However, assigning students into groups and asking them to collaborate do not simply bring equal participation and fruitful discussion. Therefore, a close monitoring of the collaboration process is essential to help teachers conduct a fair assessment of group work, adjust learning activities in time and provide appropriate support when needed (Wang, 2009).

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