This post is provided by guest blogger, Tania Pacheco, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Talent Development program.

Online learning has become a commonplace method of instruction due, in part, with the onset of the pandemic. This article examines how online collaborative learning is designed for the higher education environment and how specific design choices influence its effectiveness. Using a survey of online learners, the study invited students to share their experiences with the design of online group work in relation to group size, formation methods, collaboration type, and duration, along with their relationship to teaching and social presence. Results showed that collaborative work predominately occurs within small, randomly assigned groups focused on discussions, assignments, or peer reviews for varying lengths of time. While many students perceived online collaborative work as beneficial for learning and engagement, others reported neutral or mixed experiences due to coordination and participation challenges. Higher levels of social and teaching presence were associated with allowing students to self-select their groups and incorporating peer review activities. Overall, the study emphasizes that online learners value being able to provide input into the process of collaborative work in their online courses and that this purposeful, learner-centered design is critical for effective online collaborative work.

This article is an excellent resource for trainers, higher education instructors, and instructional designers that are responsible for creating online learning environments and wish to foster a positive e-learning experience. Effective instructional methods in online education differ from methods that are effective in other learning environments due to the lack of personal connection and face-to-face interaction. The study’s findings suggest that an instructor’s level of understanding of their student’s needs and how the instructional strategy being used relates to various learners’ requirements, enabling them to develop more effective learning experiences. Using the results of the study as a structural framework for integrating collaborative activities in an online environment would serve as a beneficial tool to inspire active participant engagement and to generate consistent feedback for future improvements to the learning experience.

Reference:

Oyarzun, B., Kim, S., Maxwell, D. et al. (2025). The design and effectiveness of online collaborative work. Journal of Computing in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-025-09472-2