Evaluation of Collaborative Tools in Web-Based E-Learning Systems

During the last decade, the Web has changed from a simple hyper textual repository of documents to a powerful communication media. This shift has made Web applications highly suitable for the support of educational activities, which often include collaborative sessions. However, e-learning groupware technologies are still not supported by established evaluation methodologies. Basing on previous studies, we developed a questionnaire aimed at evaluating their functionality and usability, as well as their impact on the contexts of adoption. The questionnaire was then administered to students who used different commercial and freeware e-learning platforms to support collaborative writing activities (peer review). Apart from evaluating the platforms’ usability and functionality, the results obtained constitute a report of the impact collaborative tools can have on educational environments, and provide food for thought about their use and possible ameliorations.