Collaborative Learning Technologies: An Effective Learning Environment for the Outcome Based Learning Process

The motivation towards learning in a student’s centric environment is well appreciated among the new generation students. A traditional and passive learning environment creates a monotonous and disinterested atmosphere in the class. The new generation students look so disoriented in classes or in any learning environment because of their many social activities. Student’s involvement and participation is more when students centered methodology is adapted. Collaborative learning is an approach for creating a learning environment where students are encouraged to help each other and share knowledge with their peer group to complete given task under the guidance of the instructor. A collaborative learning environment could initiate a group discussion in the class or motivate to explore more on the resources available in online or offline apart from the delivered lecture content to solve the given task. This approach could help the students to meet the learning objective of the topic discussed by the instructor. The collaborative learning approach could be practiced in the traditional classes, computer supported learning environment, network based local learning environment, and Internet based remote learning environment or e-learning environment. This paper discusses about the various collaborative learning digital technologies, their advantages, and challenges in adapting the collaborative learning approach in the existing class or a remote learning environment.