Collaborative Learning and Teaching in Digital Environments: A Systematic Review of Two Decades of Research

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct an SR of the author’s own studies published between 2004 and 2025 on collaborative learning in EFL (English as a Foreign Language), AFL (Arabic as a Foreign Language), translation, reading, writing and research skills among students from Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Russia and India. The 26 studies were categorized into 3 thematic clusters: (i) Who collaborated (local collaboration within the same class or institution, national collaboration across Saudi universities, and global collaboration across countries); (ii) which skills and courses (translation, reading, writing, grammar, research, general EFL and AFL, teachers’ professional development); and (iii) which technologies (Twitter, Facebook, Skype, SMS, Chatbox, Elluminate, WebEx, Polycom based systems supported by Sony and Tandberg units, mobile e books, online discussion forums, and Learning Management Systems such as Blackboard, WebCT, Moodle, Makkah eLearning, and Nicenet). Findings revealed that most collaborative learning cases were effective in enhancing students’ linguistic skills, cultural awareness, interactions, engagement, and teachers’ professional development across a variety of contexts and skill areas. Successful collaborations typically featured clear student-centered activities, task assignment, accessible technologies, active instructor facilitation, and that supported sustained interaction. The students benefited from opportunities for exchanging ideas, practicing skills, and engaging with peers, giving and receiving feedback, which contributed to improved motivation, interaction and communicative competence. Additionally, online collaboration fostered a stronger sense of community among the students, encouraged reflective learning, and supported the development of digital communication skills across multiple platforms. However, two studies reported a complete failure in collaboration due to unfamiliarity, students’ reluctance to interact publicly with students and teachers whom they did not know, cultural constraints, and limited digital readiness. Cross cutting analysis revealed that collaboration is highly sensitive to cultural, contextual, and institutional factors, and that its success depends on alignment between students’ preparedness, technological support and instructional design. Overall, the review showed that collaborative learning has a great potential for language skills development, but its effectiveness is dependent on how it is conducted, cultural responsiveness, and sustained instructional support from collaborating teachers and the online community.