Abstract

The study of collaborative learning is a multimethod and multidisciplinary affair (Strijbos & Fischer, 2007). As the chapters in this volume attest, controlled experiments, ethnographic portraits, surveys, and qualitative or quantitative analysis of talk and interaction all have their roles to play in advancing our understanding of this vital form of human interaction. Hybrid or mixed methods approaches are increasingly used to integrate studies of interactional processes and learning outcomes in collaborative learning and education more generally (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007; Maxwell & Loomis, 2003; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). Our field seeks to better understand how technological tools and artifacts amplify or hinder productive collaborative interactions. What may be involved in planning and completing a study using video records? In this chapter, we consider the importance of theory inquiry cycles, the development of viewing practices, and the usefulness of intermediate representations of video records, and we summarize how researchers use video records to create datasets and make claims about collaborative learning phenomena.