Collaborative Learning Technology from the Perspectives of the Millennials

Abstract

Students of today are labeled as millennials―a generation born with technology in
their hands. To make good use of technology, schools are already adopting
Collaborative Learning Technology (CLT) with all its effectiveness and drawbacks.
Viewpoints on CLT from educators and researchers outside and inside the country
had been established but studies on the standpoint of the millennial students are
minimal. Hence, this phenomenological study identified how millennial students
perceive collaborative learning technology. Using a validated semi-structured
interview guide, data were gathered through interviews among 10 purposively
sampled participants. Practical, useful, and group-oriented are the three themes that
emerged after the analysis. Results revealed that millennials positively welcomed
the use of CLT in their class; however, they perceive that construction of content,
learners’ differences, technical problems, and student-teacher gap are challenges to
be faced in utilizing CLT. Hence, for further study, researchers should delve into
the possible interventions to address these challenges.