Collaborative Learning Tools for Constructive Learning in Maldives

Abstract

Collaborative student work has taken a stronghold in higher educational contexts due to the paradigm shift from instructor-centered to student-centered teaching and learning. Instructor roles have shifted towards facilitation and students have become more active in their learning, creating and sharing knowledge within their social groups. The availability of online tools enabling peer collaboration has been the main driving force behind this progress. These online collaborative learning environments have been particularly useful for geographically distributed learners with limited opportunities for face-to-face collaboration. With the evidence from literature, this has proven to be applicable to Maldives, with its unique geography of 1190 islands distributed over 20 atolls, with students across the country in executing constructive learning approaches in Maldives. However, evidence from studies are required to support on the effectiveness from student’s perception, and the impacts of the tools in learning.