Analysis of the awareness of collaborative e-learning (CeL) in Sri Lankan university education

E-learning introduced new ways of learning using computer and internet, and is rapidly evolving with the development of technology. Learners can actively participate and collaborate in a learning process using either synchronous or asynchronous e-learning. Collaborative e-Learning (CeL) is an effective way of learning which also improves the processing skills of the students. In this study, the awareness of the effectiveness of CeL instructional models used in the Sri Lankan university education was analyzed. The population for this research study is the students and lecturers of 15 Sri Lankan National universities where the CeL model is used in the academic curricula. The study was conducted by interviews, phone calls and email among the participants. The interview results were analyzed and the definition of CeL in Sri Lankan context is defined. Further, the factors affecting CeL, the tools used in CeL, the advantages of practicing CeL, and the challenges that arise when implementing CeL are identified. The factors are then categorized into different types and the critical factors identified. The key challenges faced by the lecturers and students were also identified. Finally, this paper presents recommendations to improve the quality of education in Sri Lankan universities and specifies future research opportunities in this field.