A survey on technology supported collaborative learning tools and techniques in teacher education

Collaborative learning is a well-known teaching and learning approach that engages learners in pairs or groups for achieving a common learning goal. This approach is widely used, researched and advocated in the context of teacher education. The effective use of collaborative learning in teachers' training creates an active learning environment by exchanging the ideas within groups and builds a strong interpersonal, leadership, problem solving skills and decision making. In the 21st century collaborative learning has been supported through wide range of tools and technologies like computer, mobile, internet and web-based and other related technologies. These technologies extend the use of collaborative learning beyond the classroom teaching and learning. The main aim of this study is to explore “what tools and technologies, techniques, methods or learning strategies and learning environments are used for collaborative learning in teacher education context. For the study content analysis approach has been employed to survey recently commissioned research studies from the year 2010 to 2018 about the technology supported collaborative learning in teacher education. Total 45 technology supported collaborative learning studies have been reviewed and analyzed after examining various international journals such as (I) computer and science Elsevier (II) Journal of educational technology and society (III) British journal of Education Technology and the Google scholar. The finding of this study are reported according to the criteria of (1) study (Author Name), (2) subject or domain of study, (3) subjects, (4) type of study, (5) study methods, (6) year of publication, (7) tools and techniques used for collaborative learning, (8) learning environment for collaborative learning, (9) group formation techniques used for collaborative learning or population ratio used for study and (10) learning strategies used for collaborative learning approach. It is expected that, this study will help in understanding how the inclusion of technology for collaborative learning enhances learners' outcomes. Further, the study will also help which tools and techniques be adopted in offering collaborative learning environment.