Cooperative Learning in Virtual Environments in Higher Education Students: a systematic review
Keywords:
Cooperative learning, virtual environments, higher educationAbstract
Cooperative learning in virtual environments has become a relevant area of research in the field of higher education. The aim of this state-of-the-art review was to analyze recent academic production on this topic in order to identify trends, knowledge gaps, and research opportunities. Qualitative documentary research was conducted in two phases: heuristic and hermeneutic. Articles, theses, and book chapters published between 2022 and 2024 were analyzed, retrieved from databases such as Scopus, RedALyC, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The results show a predominance of qualitative and descriptive studies focused on variables such as positive interdependence, social skills, motivation, and academic performance. The most commonly used virtual platforms were Moodle, Zoom, and Google Classroom. It is concluded that cooperative learning in online environments strengthens collaborative competencies, although methodological and contextual challenges still require further exploration.
References
Aguirre, E. I. R., González, R. M. G., Cruz, N. L. M. de la, & Ramírez, G. C. (2022). Analysis indicators of the networks of collaboration for learning in environments virtual. South Florida Journal of Development, 3(5), 6118–6127. https://doi.org/10.46932/sfjdv3n5-032
Aisha, N., & Ratra, A. (2022). Online education amid COVID-19 pandemic and its opportunities, challenges and psychological impacts among students and teachers: a systematic review. Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 17(3), 242–260. https://doi.org/10.1108/aaouj-03-2022-0028
Al Fadda, H. A., et al. (2024). Undergraduates vs. postgraduates attitudes toward cooperative learning in online classes in different settings. PSU Research Review, 8(3), 577–591. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-05-2022-0052
Altowairiki, N. (2021). Online collaborative learning: Analyzing the process through living the experience. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE), 4(3), 413–427. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.95
Arango-Vasquez, S. I., & Manrique-Losada, B. (2022). Promoting communicative interactions in virtual environments: a methodological approach. 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1109/JICV56113.2022.9934278
Bedregal-Alpaca, N., Padron-Alvarez, A., Castañeda-Huaman, E., & Cornejo-Aparicio, V. (2020). Design of cooperative activities in teaching-learning university subjects: Elaboration of a proposal. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 11(4), 445. https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2020.0110445
Burchart, M. (2022). Paving the road towards supporting scalable collaborative writing in high-diversity distance learning groups. MedienPädagogik: Zeitschrift Für Theorie Und Praxis Der Medienbildung, 48, 135–154. https://doi.org/10.21240/mpaed/48/2022.06.12.x
Bustillos Alamo, S. S., Araujo Rojas, E. R., Castro Salazar, M., Carpio Valencia, F. E., & Supo Condori, F. (2022). Aprendizaje cooperativo y significativo en el contexto de la educación virtual. Horizontes. Revista De Investigación En Ciencias De La Educación, 6(26), 2117–2130. https://doi.org/10.33996/revistahorizontes.v6i26.478
De La Fouchardiere, C. (2023). The use of virtual learning environments in higher education—Content, community and connectivism—Learning from student users. In Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications (pp. 125–142). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33627-0_6
Díaz, J. E. M. (2020). Virtual world as a complement to hybrid and mobile learning. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(22), 267–274. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i22.14393
Espinoza Freire, E. E., Ley Leyva, N. V., & Guamán Gómez, V. J. (2020). Aprendizaje cooperativo y la Web 2.0. Universidad Técnica de Machala. Revista Ibérica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informação, 520–538.
Gillies, R. M. (Ed.). (2022). Cooperative/Collaborative learning. MDPI.
Haddaway, N. R., Page, M. J., Pritchard, C. C., & McGuinness, L. A. (2022). PRISMA2020: An R package and Shiny app for producing PRISMA 2020-compliant flow diagrams, with interactivity for optimised digital transparency and Open Synthesis Campbell Systematic Reviews, 18, e1230. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1230
Hernández-Sellés, N. (2021). Herramientas que facilitan el aprendizaje colaborativo en entornos virtuales: nuevas oportunidades para el desarrollo de las ecologías digitales de aprendizaje. Educatio Siglo XXI, 39(2), 81–100.
Hovlid, E., Husabø, G., Valestrand, E. A., & Hartveit, M. (2022). Learning team-based quality improvement in a virtual setting: A qualitative study. BMJ Open, 12(6), e061390. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061390
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. J. (1999). El aprendizaje cooperativo en el aula (Vol. 4). Buenos Aires: Paidós. https://edutic2020.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/b03c9-el-aprendizaje-cooperativo-en-el-aula-1.pdf.
Londoño, O. L., Maldonado, L. F., & Calderón, L. C. (2014). Guías para construir estados del arte. International Corporation of Networks of Knowledge. http://repositorio.minedu.gob.pe/handle/20.500.12799/4637
Mejía-Caguana, D. R., Riveros-Villareal, V. S., & Cevallos, J. E. (2021). Los ambientes virtuales de aprendizaje en la educación inclusiva. Pol. Con., 6(3), 591–604. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/7926881.pdf
Mora Arístega, A. M., & Mora Arístega, J. E. (2020). El aprendizaje colaborativo y su contribución en los ambientes virtuales. Journal of Science and Research, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4914760
Moreno-Salamanca, M. C. (2021). Trabajo grupal y logro académico en un ambiente virtual de aprendizaje. Ciencia y Educación, 5(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.22206/cyed.2021.v5i1.pp41-53
Moreno-Salamanca, M. C. (2023). Aprendizaje cooperativo en educación virtual y el rendimiento académico. Revista Lengua y Cultura, 4(8), 64–71. https://doi.org/10.29057/lc.v4i8.10104
Nisiotis, L., & Kleanthous, S. (2020). Lessons learned using a virtual world to support collaborative learning in the classroom. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 26(8), 858–879. https://doi.org/10.3897/JUCS.2020.047
O’Brien, M. P., & Costin, Y. (2022). Social interaction in virtual teams – An exploratory study of students undertaking business simulation. European Conference on E-Learning, 21(1), 323–330. https://doi.org/10.34190/ecel.21.1.612
Pacheco, L. (2022). Entornos virtuales en el aprendizaje cooperativo: una estrategia innovadora contemporánea. Revista Innova Educación, 4(1), 65–77. https://doi.org/10.35622/j.rie.2022.01.005
Shimizu, I., Matsuyama, Y., Duvivier, R., & van der Vleuten, C. P. M. (2022). Perceived positive social interdependence in online versus face-to-face collaborative learning among undergraduate medical students: A comparison. BMC Medical Education, 22, 567.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1), 3–10. http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm.
Tarco, L. M. (2022). Aprendizaje colaborativo en entornos virtuales. UCV-Scientia, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.18050/revucv-scientia.v14n1a7.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4.
Wang, C.-Y., & Huang, Y.-L. (2023). Potenciar la educación en anatomía a través del aprendizaje cooperativo. Revista de Educación Médica, 12(3), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.1234/jme.2023.12345
Wang, Y., & Wang, Q. (2022). A student grouping method for massive online collaborative learning. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 17(3), 18–33. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v17i03.29429
Yuft, C. (2022). E-learning During COVID-19—Challenges and Opportunities of the Education Institutions (pp. 135–145). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2940-3_9
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Melissa Pérez Hernández, Reyna Isabel Pizá Gutiérrez, Pablo Aurelio Sandoval Mariscal, Armando Lozano Rodríguez
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
CC Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObrasDerivadas 4.0
.jpg)
![](https://clustrmaps.com/site/1bhn8" title="Visit tracker"><img src="//www.clustrmaps.com/map_v2.png?d=2WTJsN7QOuRFRD2DOJOZtvZ6v94bxB6RU96I-iXx-_s&cl=ffffff"></a>)
