Title: Exploration of gender specific and learning environment specific comfort level in collaborative learning
Authors: D. Anitha; Purnima Ahirao; Ramaa Ananthamurthy; Vrinda P. Ullas
Addresses: Department of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, India ' Department of Information Technology, K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai, India ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, R.V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India ' Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, K.J. Somaiya Institute of Engineering and Information Technology, Mumbai, India
Abstract: Collaborative learning creates interest and engagement in learning. The collaborative learning activities can be conducted in one of the three learning environments or modes: face-to-face, completely online and blended mode and with different gender compositions. It is essential to understand the comfort level of students when working in different gender compositions and different learning environments. Hence, this research study is carried out with different group compositions in three different learning environments of collaborative learning: online, blended and face-to-face. One hundred seventy students from four educational institutions in India participated in this study. A survey is administered to them on the various parameters of comfortable learning. From the results obtained, it is observed that online or blended learning results in an increased comfort level of students than face-to-face learning sessions and the gender composition affects the comfort level.
Keywords: collaborative learning; learning environments; gender; comfort; team formation.
DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2023.134351
International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2023 Vol.33 No.6, pp.536 - 553
Received: 27 Feb 2021
Accepted: 29 Nov 2021
Published online: 19 Oct 2023 *