Implementation of Deep Digital Collaborative Learning to Develop Collaborative Skills in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Fajar Arianto (Universitas Negeri Surabaya)
Alim Sumarno (Department of Educational Technology, Faculty of Education, State University of Surabaya)
Favian Avila Syahmi (Department of Educational Technology, Faculty of Education, State University of Surabaya)
Anugrah Dwicahyandi Oktavian (Department of Educational Technology, Faculty of Education, State University of Surabaya)
Shahrin Bin Hashim (Department of Educational Studies and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology, University of Technology Malaysia)

Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan
Vol. 32 No. 2 (2026)

The rapid expansion of digital learning environments in higher education has created new opportunities for developing students’ collaborative skills, but the effectiveness of digital collaboration depends on the quality of interaction, communication, knowledge construction, feedback, and collaborative regulation. This study aims to examine the implementation and contribution of digitally supported collaborative learning to the development of collaborative skills in higher education and to identify key principles that can inform the development of a Deep Digital Collaborative Learning (DDCL) framework. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using the PRISMA 2020 framework. Relevant literature published between 2018 and 2025 was identified through searches of major academic databases and scholarly sources. Following the identification, screening, eligibility, and quality-assessment processes, 25 empirical studies were included in the final synthesis. The findings indicate that digitally supported collaborative learning can strengthen students’ collaborative skills through structured interaction, communication and responsibility sharing, collaborative knowledge construction, peer feedback, reflection, co-regulation, and collaborative problem solving. The synthesis also shows that the effectiveness of digital collaboration is influenced by the design of collaborative activities, the quality of digital interaction, students’ readiness and digital literacy, feedback mechanisms, group climate, and opportunities for meaningful participation. Cross-cultural and international digital collaboration further demonstrates the potential of digital environments to develop interpersonal and intercultural competencies. Based on the synthesized evidence, digital collaborative learning should not be viewed merely as the use of digital platforms for group activities but as a structured learning process that integrates authentic collaboration, continuous interaction, feedback, reflection, and shared knowledge construction. These findings provide an evidence-based foundation for the development of the DDCL framework to support collaborative skills development in higher education.