Identification and Classification of Educational Collaborative Learning Environments

The educational process is a basic parameter in the facilitation of learning and of knowledge acquisition. The way it occurs, is reinforced and expands creates a significant difference in the final outcome of learning. Therefore, the adoption, implementation and use of the capabilities that derive from the fast changing technological developments are necessary. The impact of these developments on the educational process is a fact; its full acceptance and consolidation have already started to appear on the horizon. In this paper, we focus on collaborative learning, which is a key feature of the modern educational process. In particular, we survey and analyze several software programs, we present their evolution and we categorize them based on some of their basic characteristics. Through this process, we can see their usefulness, their educational value, their applicability to formal learning and several other important parameters that characterize them.This thorough study of the existing collaborative environments can open paths that may lead to new methods for supporting collaborative learning through digital technologies and may help in providing better support and enhancement to the educational process.