Importance and forms of collaboration

1. Student – student

Interaction among students contributes to a sense of belonging and community, which reduces the risk of feeling isolated. Activities such as forums, chats, blogs, Wikipedia assignments, teamwork and peer evaluation have proven to be effective tools for encouraging this type of engagement (Revere & Kovach, 2011; Banna et al., 2015).

Shea et al. (2001), in a large study of 3,800 students, found that a higher proportion of grades based on discussions correlated with higher satisfaction and perceived quality of learning. Also, the use of tools such as Twitter, Google Apps, videoconferencing systems, and social networks has been shown to be useful for improving interaction among students (Tess, 2013; Everson et al., 2013).

2. Student – teacher

The relationship between students and teachers in an online context significantly influences the level of engagement. Research (Dixson , 2010; Gayton & McEwen, 2007) highlights the importance of multi-channel communication, instructional feedback, continuous teacher presence, and creating an interactive and cohesive environment. The use of video messages, screencasts, virtual consultations, and interactive discussions is recommended to ensure greater teacher visibility and increase student confidence in the learning process (King, 2014).

3. Student – content

Interaction with the content implies cognitive engagement and active acquisition of knowledge. This includes working on multimedia materials, watching instructional videos, solving problems through real examples, as well as integrating reflective tasks. It is recommended to design authentic tasks and realistic case studies, which encourage multidimensional thinking and active involvement (Britt, 2015; Abrami et al., 2011).

Teachers in an online environment need to carefully select educational content and design interactive evaluation methods that go beyond simple reproduction of information and encourage deeper analysis and critical thinking.