This study is aimed at understanding how a group of teachers manages the context while working on ICT-mediated collaborative problem solving tasks. We claim that the management of the context strongly influences the quality of collaborative problem solving. The literature on this topic states this is important, but underdeveloped (Brézillon, 1999). Indeed, the importance of investigating “which tools are actually picked up and appropriated by learners and how they put to use for object-oriented endeavors” (Lund & Rasmussen, 2008) in learning environments enriched by technology is still to be addressed.

To such aim, we analyzed the concept of problem space, as a space distributed in the context, in its spatial and temporal dimensions. Newell and Simon (1972) introduced the fundamental concept of “problem space”, as a space within which a set of knowledge around the problem may be manipulated by applying logical operators. More recently, distributed cognition examines processes of solving problems through the creation and sharing of external representations (see Zhang, 1997). Thus, the problem space is not a purely mental space but it is distributed in the context and the artifacts used. Building on these ideas, we reinterpret the “problem space” in terms of heterotopias – i. e., a place in which many layers of mental, material, symbolic, virtual space overlap and alternate (Foucault, 1967) – and chronotope – i.e., patterns of organization of space and time (Lemke, 2004; Ligorio & Ritella, 2010).

This investigation involves a training course offered to a group of secondary school teachers, during which they familiarized with a software suite (CoFFEE) designed to support face-to-face interaction and plan collaboratively a pedagogical scenario enhanced by the software.

To identify patterns in the teachers’ management of the context, we looked at how the resources available in the context were used by the teachers while collaboratively building a pedagogical scenario to be implemented in their classrooms. Our specific research questions are: (1) how do teachers explore and punctuate the context? (2) How do they choose the tools to use? (3) Which patterns of context management can be recognized at different stages of the problem solving process?

We identified two patterns that we called ‘opening’ and ‘closing’ space. We found that interruptions in the flow of activity - caused by different reasons - led to an exploration of the context and an inclusion of novel elements into the problem space (opening space). On the contrary, when the problem space was satisfactory defined, a focused exploitation of the problem-space was engaged, leading to the generation and evaluation of solutions (closing space). We detected such patterns of space-time management systematically in the data and discussed their significance. We claim such findings are useful for the arrangement of environments for problem solving tasks. For instance, our findings may contribute to the open debate around the right time and place for introducing scaffolds supporting problem solving. Such a debate can be enriched by a diachronic look on how people use the context during the problem solving process.

P. Brézillon (1999). Context in Artificial Intelligence: I. A survey of the literature. Computer & Artificial Intelligence, vol. 18 (4), pp. 321-340. Lund, A. & Rasmussen, I. (2008). The right tool for the wrong task? Match and mismatch between first and second stimulus in double stimulation. ijCSCL, 3 (4). Zhang, J. (1997), The Nature of External Representations in Problem Solving. Cognitive Science, 21: 179–217. Foucault, M. (1967). Of other spaces, heterotopias. http://foucault.info/documents/heteroTopia/foucault.heteroTopia.en.html Lemke, J. L. (2004). Learning across multiple places and their chronotopes. Contribution at the symposium: Spaces and boundaries of learning (http://wwwpersonal.umich.edu/~jaylemke/papers/aera_2004.htm). Ligorio, B., Ritella, G. (2010). The collaborative construction of chronotopes during computer-supported collaborative professional tasks. ijCSCL, 5, 433-452. Goodwin, C. (1994). Professional Vision. American Anthropologist, 96(3), 606-633. Goodwin, C. (2000). Practices of color classification. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 7(1 & 2), 19-36. Marsico, G. (2011). The “Non-cuttable” Space in Between: Context, Boundaries and their natural fluidity. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 45(2). Vygotsky, L. S. (1997). The collected works of L. S. Vygotsky. Vol. 4: The history of the development of higher mental functions. New York: Plenum.