Knowledge development, technology and quality of experience in collaborative learning: a perspective from Saudi Arabia universities

Technology has recently gained relevance within collaborative learning environments to provide robustness, agility and flexibility. Several recent studies have investigated the role of technology, as well as researchers have defined different metrics to assess learning outcomes and experience along the collaborative knowledge development process. More recently, technology has played a key role to face the new challenges related to COVID-19, which forced to move on remote or hybrid learning. This research focuses on the quality of learning experience in terms of academic performance and perceived satisfaction. From a methodological point of view, a conceptual framework has been proposed and a quantitative study has been conducted among undergraduate and postgraduate students that are undertaking programs related to System Design in Saudi Arabia universities. 152 responses have been collected through an online survey and analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS. Results show a positive impact of technology along the collaborative knowledge development process and a strong correlation among the different quality of learning experience parameters considered. Indeed, despite some challenges, an integrated use of technology seems to properly support the most pressing needs in terms of quality experience, while the well-known social/educational issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic are not object of this study. Those findings are expected to contribute to the Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030 and, more holistically, to the assessment of collaborative learning environments that extensively rely on technology.