  The ability to synthesize information has emerged as a critical skill for
success across various fields. However, within the field of education, there is
a lack of systematic understanding and well-defined design infrastructures that
address the mechanisms and processes of knowledge synthesis in collaborative
learning settings. In this poster, we introduce a design innovation - The
Synthesis Lab, which aims to support students in synthesizing ideas from their
online discussions in higher education classrooms. The tool offers structured
work-spaces for students to decompose the synthesis process into intermediate
synthesis products and features two key iterative processes of knowledge
synthesis in collaborative settings: categorizing peers' ideas into conceptual
building blocks and developing a synthesis of the discussions. Future
implementation and evaluation of the design will make significant contributions
to both research and practice.
