Virtual environments to enhance collaborative learning in university students

Abstract

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) have become a fundamental pillar of modern education, expanding access to knowledge, improving interaction between teachers and students, and supporting innovative pedagogical strategies aligned with contemporary technological advances. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the use of VLE in strengthening collaborative learning (CA) in university students. The study had an explanatory scope and a quasi-experimental design was adopted. From the population of 178 students in the first semester of the Education Studies program, two sections of 42 and 43 students were selected for convenience, forming the control and experimental groups (GC and GE). Data collection was carried out in two stages: before and after the intervention, using a 25-item questionnaire with answer options: never, sometimes and always. In the pre-test phase, the averages of both groups showed a moderate difference (23.5 and 24.5; p = 0.44 and 0.33; both > 0.005), attributed to the absence of intervention. However, after the implementation of the training program applied to the EG, the post-test showed a significant difference in the means (24.0 and 27.50; p = 0.02 and 0.001; both < 0.05).  The results show that the use of VLE enhances collaborative learning and its different dimensions in university students, consolidating itself as a key tool in the educational field.