Sharing Student Projects

The emergence and widespread adoption of online learning tools and collaborative platforms has opened up new possibilities for teaching and learning (Alahmari, 2019). Colleges and universities and faculty are steadily integrating collaborative learning technologies into their online courses to help promote effective learning strategies. This mixed-methods study explored the impact of online collaborative learning tools on student engagement and learning outcomes in a graduate educational technology course. Fifty-six students were surveyed and three students were interviewed to understand their experiences and perspectives. Quantitative results showed that most students were satisfied with online collaboration, felt it increased engagement and interaction, and wanted further guidance and training from the school and instructor levels. However, fewer felt that online collaboration had improved outcomes. The qualitative findings revealed challenges with the tools and a desire for enhanced interfaces, functionality, guidance and peer supervision. Combining these two aspects suggests that online collaboration tools are positive, but ensuring their benefits relies on strategic implementation and social support.

The study's findings underscore the need to refine technology design, pedagogical integration, training and community building when utilising online collaboration in higher education.