The term "collaborative learning" (CL) refers to a broad range of educational strategies including the combined intellectual efforts of teachers and pupils. Students are typically required to work in groups of two or more, looking together for understanding, answers, or meanings or producing a product. People will be able to collaborate with someone far away just as readily as they would with someone in the same room thanks to the usage of ICT in CL. E-collaboration tool enable users to contribute a variety of abilities to group projects that remove time, distance, and resource limitations. Face-to-face engagement is still important, but ICT can enhance it by enabling communication at any time and from any location. ICT functions for group work coordination, tools for tracking progress and providing feedback, libraries of solutions and best practises, as well as meta data, are all available as collaborative technologies. In order to facilitate collaborative learning in all areas of education, the following technological tools can be used: wiki, online forums, chat, video conferencing, email, blogging, learning management systems, virtual classrooms, Sticky notes, etc.

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ICT TOOLS FOR COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
Dr. M. Deivam
Assistant Professor, Department of Education,
The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University),
Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu – 624 302.
Dr. A. Thangasamy
Assistant Professor, Department of Education,
The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University),
Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu – 624 302.
Abstract
The term "collaborative learning" (CL) refers to a broad range of
educational strategies including the combined intellectual efforts of
teachers and pupils. Students are typically required to work in groups of
two or more, looking together for understanding, answers, or meanings or
producing a product. People will be able to collaborate with someone far
away just as readily as they would with someone in the same room thanks
to the usage of ICT in CL. E-collaboration tool enable users to contribute a
variety of abilities to group projects that remove time, distance, and
resource limitations. Face-to-face engagement is still important, but ICT
can enhance it by enabling communication at any time and from any
location. ICT functions for group work coordination, tools for tracking
progress and providing feedback, libraries of solutions and best practises,
as well as meta data, are all available as collaborative technologies. In
order to facilitate collaborative learning in all areas of education, the
following technological tools can be used: wiki, online forums, chat, video
conferencing, email, blogging, learning management systems, virtual
classrooms, Sticky notes, etc.
Keywords: ICT Tools, Collaborative Learning and Student-Centred
Learning
CHAPTER 8

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Introduction
teaching-learning strategy called collaborative learning fosters
a group of students who cooperate with one another to
accomplish a common objective. The term "collaborative learning"
is used to describe a number of educational strategies that involve
students' or students' and teachers' shared intellectual work. It is
clear that learner-centered learning has always aided students in
achieving curriculum goals and, more importantly, has improved
their ability to succeed as students in the twenty-first century. For a
teacher to contribute to a constructive society, collaboration must be
fostered rather than individual competition. Studies also point out
that learners' active involvement in the co-creation of knowledge
increases their level of motivation and learner satisfaction. While
collaborative ICT tools prove to be a wonderful help to teachers in
co-creating knowledge by students, cooperative learning tactics,
group projects, and group work in the classroom surroundings help
teachers create conducive learning environments. In person and
online, Blended learning may not resemble teacher-centered
classroom settings. On the other hand, a variety of ICT technologies
can be used to engage students in creative and useful tasks. Both
offline and online tools can be categorised as collaborative learning
resources. Media that can be used on a standalone computer that is
not linked to the Internet are referred to as offline tools. Soft copies
of the documents, presentations, graphics, audio files, and video files
are among them. You can keep these on your computer and
distribute them using transfer tools such hard drives, memory sticks,
CDs, and data transfer cables. The tools utilised online are ones that
require an Internet connection. Email, cloud-hosted apps, and Web
2.0 tools like messengers, blogs, message boards, forums, wikis,
social media, etc. are among them. Teachers can design student
collaboration contributions using free ICT technologies. Although
teachers are urged to investigate a wide range of different tools for
fostering learner collaboration, some of the indicative ICT
technologies are included below as some examples.
A

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Importance of Collaborative Learning in the Classroom
A classroom is a microcosm of the universe, and it is a great
place to teach pupils habits that will benefit them in their future life.
Henry Ford noted, "Coming together is the beginning, remaining
together is progress." He was absolutely correct. Collaboration
equals success. It's important to help students feel at ease working in
groups. It is true that a learner's requirements, goals, and strengths
must be taken into account for the learning process to be relevant.
The emphasis of today's educational system has actually evolved
from a teacher-centric approach, where the instructor serves as the
primary repository and disseminator of knowledge, to a more
student-centric approach, where each student is in charge of their
own learning process. That does not, however, advocate for a
learner's isolation from their peers and teachers. Early on in their
lives, students need to learn that their personal goals may be
advanced and improved via teamwork and involvement, as well as
how well they fit into a bigger framework. In order to develop into
tomorrow's practical problem solvers, learners can critically
understand their own concepts in close relation to the world of
others.
The source of drinking and washing water in their community is
an example of an inter-disciplinary topic that a teacher might assign
to a group of students and ask them to present on. Students would be
able to collaborate and work independently as a result. Their
communication abilities would be improved through teamwork and
discussion. The advantages of phenomenon-based learning also
extend beyond group learning and are enhanced by constructivism
and inquiry-based learning.
ICT Tools for Collaboration
Blogging
The teacher can start a blog, and after that, students can
contribute to the blog. A subject, theme, or issue may be introduced
along with a few resources, and learners may then be asked to
contribute their perspectives, ideas, opinions, examples, scenarios,

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etc. to the blog. Blogging can be assigned as an asynchronous
activity, and the instructor can act as a facilitator to help students
post their entries.
Sticky Notes
Online brainstorming can be done using stickynote apps like
IdeaFlip, Lino.it, Jamboard, etc. In a live online class, brainstorming
can be done as a synchronous activity; alternatively, it can be
assigned as an asynchronous activity.
Shared Documents
After working in small groups of 2 to 5 students, teachers can
ask the class to present a final product. They can be exposed to tools
like Google Doc, Google Slides, etherpad, ScatterSpoke, ideaboardz,
etc. Most of these resources are free, giving students the opportunity
to use the internet whenever they want.
Concept-Mapping, Mindmapping, Infograph Tools
Concept mapping and mind mapping in groups ICT technologies
like Miro, Google Drawing, Concept board, Coggle, Bubble. us, and
others make it easier for students to connect online, discuss, and
develop connections between ideas linked to a subject or theme. The
addition of films, photos, sketches, links to other files, hyperlinks,
and other elements is possible with online tools.
Email
Using your email, you can gather the email addresses of the
students to form a group. As many learning groups as you like can
be formed. In this manner, you can communicate with the entire
group of learners at once. You will be able to send one message to as
many students as you choose, not just in their emails but also to their
mobile devices through free messaging services, informing them of
the next phase of the activity or the amount of time left to finish the
assignment.

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Chat
A message or chat system provides an easy way to communicate
and work together. Through chats, you may talk about the different
problems that the students are having one-on-one or in groups. You
can use Skype, Gmail, or Yahoo Messenger's chat features, which
are frequently used by students for social networking. Facebook and
Twitter are further options. Videos are also supported by Skype,
Yahoo Messenger, and Google Hangouts. WhatsApp and Viber are
two increasingly popular mobile apps.
Web Conferencing
This resource is accessible online. Web conferencing, often
referred to as webinars, video conferencing, e-conferencing, and
webcasting, is made possible by the Internet. A webinar is an online
presentation, lecture, workshop, or seminar that is held with the aid
of software.
Wiki
Wiki is a software tool used to build collaborative websites.
Anyone can upload content to this website and edit it. Software
documents, audio files, and video files are examples of the numerous
media that can be utilised in wikis. A discussion forum cannot be
found on a wiki. A wiki can be established for group content
generation. This is primarily useful for creating and sharing content
produced during group activities.
Streaming Media
The video or audio content that is accessible on the computer is
referred to as streaming media. These days, cloud computer
technology allows even televisions to receive streaming video.
YouTube is the most well-known online streaming platform. You
are able to make an account on your own and upload videos. The
tool also supports threaded conversations. Your pupils can access the
videos on their own devices at any time and from any location.

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Learning Management System
The Learning Management System (LMS) is essentially
software that is designed to handle all facets of an academic
institution's operation, including teaching-learning, from admission
to material delivery to examination to degree awarding. If it is made
available to the teachers and students, an LMS can be utilised for
collaborative learning. It enables teachers to alter the content to meet
the specific needs of each student. Through chats and discussion
boards, the LMS facilitates contact between teachers and students as
well as between students themselves.
Virtual Classroom
An online learning environment is known as a virtual classroom.
It is mostly used to deliver distance learning. Students check in and
participate in class in real time. The teaching-learning activities in
the virtual classroom are carried out using ICT technologies, such as
softcopies of papers, e-conferencing, audio and video files, etc., in
addition to the lecture of the online teacher. For asynchronous
engagement, it also makes use of ICT technologies like texting,
discussion boards, etc.
Teachers and pupils can explore and experiment with a wide
variety of ICT tools and platforms. Utilization of FOSS tools may be
promoted. Many tools will have mobile apps that students can easily
access and use. Students in need may have access to computer
facilities on campus to complete online tasks. The various
applications of these tools are covered in the following chapter.
Benefits of using ICT to support Collaborative Learning
 The participation and engagement of students rises,
especially for more reserved students who can work together
online without feeling shy about asking questions in front of
the class. Students can also express themselves in
unconventional ways, including through video.
 Social media can promote student discussion online beyond
school hours.

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 Tolls are available at any time and from any location, which
encourages some students to enhance their learning by
conducting additional research on issues of interest to them.
Conclusion
The advantages of utilising information and communication
technology resources in Collaborative learning. Any teaching
strategy that promotes students' participation and engagement as CL
should be supported. Students tend to remember any knowledge they
learn for a longer amount of time when they are actively seeking
information or solving problems. Schools‘ ought to promote the use
of ICT in Collaborative learning. ICT improves collaborative
learning in a variety of ways since it does not confine learning to
specific locations or times. Additionally, it exposes students to
subject experts from throughout the globe.
ICT resources support collaborative learning by enhancing
student involvement, promoting online conversation among students
outside of the classroom, allowing students the freedom and
flexibility to learn at their own speed and time, motivating students
to extend their learning through further investigation, and allowing
students to acquire ideas from topic experts across the world. When
ICT resources are employed, CL is not constrained by time or
distance (Gertrude K, 2015).
References
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in small groups. Speaking of Teaching, 10(2). 1-4.
4. Holste J. S. and Fields D. 2010. Trust and tacit knowledge
sharing and use. Journal of Knowledge Management, 14 (1).
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5. Laal, M., &Ghodsi, S. M. (2012). Benefits of collaborative
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Unit-12.pdf