25 Best Collaborative Learning Tools for 2024

oes human interaction ensure that learners study better? Yes! That’s why collaborative learning is so popular.

It offers higher engagement, regular communication, and active participation. Moreover, this method positively affects students’ results, irrespective of whether these outcomes refer to an online or offline course.

Yet, organizing such an event in a classroom and within a virtual space is different. To handle a class online, you need special tools and instruments. Which ones?

Read on to find out and learn more about the best collaborative learning tools for your teaching.

What is a Collaborative Learning Tool?

A collaborative learning tool is a tool that allows instructors, teachers, and learners to communicate, exchange ideas, or work on certain tasks together within one environment. 

Before all, you should understand that collaborative learning is a pretty comprehensive concept. Any learning is collaborative if it goes beyond the interaction between two people toward a specific task or goal.

For example, when you teach cohorts or groups and ask them to do a particular task, this process has a collaborative concept at its core. 

For it to work online, you, as a facilitator, should consider the student collaboration tools that suit your course, specific cohort, or activity you designed. 

What to look for in Collaborative Learning Tool?

There are two approaches to organizing the learning flow and setting the collaboration:

Approach#1. Flexible and comprehensive system that suits comprehensive and complex courses

The first method contemplates that you need a flexible and comprehensive collaborative learning platform. 

When can it work? When you have different courses that combine analysis, discussions, simulations, and think-pair-share activities. There, you would need to organize multiple processes, like group community discussion, role-playing, and peer reviewing, for each group separately.

Sounds like a nightmare, right? Especially for an instructor. 

Therefore, picking a solid collaborative learning software can be the best solution to deal with such a workflow and focus on teaching and not organization.

This option suits medium and large academies, corporate training centers, and creators with a large student pool.

Approach#2. An answer to specific learning or organizational needs

The second approach is entirely different from the first one. In this case, you first identify collaborative needs and then find an adequate answer. 

For instance, if you want to create a community to discuss assignments, you will need Slack or Zoom as a place for discussion. However, for a UX/UI design course, you will likely need tools like Figma or Miro for peer editing. 

What about a more complicated scenario? The one, where you can resort to various collaborative websites for students.

Let’s say you organize a unique bootcamp course. Your students will need to do lots of listening, discussion, solving cases, and making projects. In this regard, you can find a suite for different needs: Hopin for conferencing, Padlet for content curation, and Notion for developing projects.

Sure, it will be hard work for a curator as well. However, using the suite of specific online learning collaboration tools gives you enough opportunities and freedom to create specific architecture, tasks, and flows.

Best Collaborative Learning Platforms and LMSs 

In case you are to pick the first approach, the particular list of learning platforms and LMSs for collaborative learning is for you: 

Note. They are intuitive and flexible enough to create advanced courses and integrate other tools to support your program.

#1. EducateMe: Powerful platform with a focus on cohort-based learning

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Disclaimer. Out of all tools, we place EducateMe on the pedestal. The reason is simple: we know that it is excellent for cohort-based course management and, thus, for collaborative training.

EducateMe  is a powerful collaborative learning software with rich features and resourceful tools to support peer interaction, handle communication, and manage tasks. 

Firstly, it offers an in-built messenger, Slack-like channel, peer-reviews, group manager, and multiple integrations for hosting live sessions. That way, you can make students collaborate in cohorts, discuss and review their works, or create a community. 

Secondly, EducateMe has an easy-to-use course builder and an advanced assignment management organization. Overall, it is ideal for managing cohorts and building your learning around collaboration. It will suit almost any collaborative strategy, from Jigsaw to think-pair-share. 

Features of EducateMe

• Content editor. You can use a variety of content formats, embed different content, and benefit from convenient module structures.
• Engagement suite. This collaborative platform offers instructor and peer reviews, notifications, channels, and comment sections.
• Task management. EducateMe offers interactive assignments and provides the Kanban approach for tracking tracking.
• Integrations. EducateMe provides API access and great integrations with collaborative learning tools like Zoom, Loom, Miro, and more.

Pros of EducateMe

• User-friendliness in design and flexibility of content formats.
• Peer-to-peer features to review assignments. 
• Effective tools for task and learning flow organization; diverse integrations.
• Advanced analytics and insights on completion rates, feedback, and engagement.

Cons of EducateMe

• Offers no mobile apps and lacks SCORM compatibility. 

Best for: medium and large academies and companies providing corporate training

#2. 360 Learning: Flexible software with excellent features for corporate actors

360 Learning is a flexible collaborative learning platform many business and corporate actors use for training. It is intuitive as it allows course or path creation in the form of a presentation.

This tool has great features for collaboration. First, it has a comment and news feed, forum, upvotes, and sharing to manage discussions. Secondly, there is a “learning needs” section where a student can ask for an expert opinion and comment from anyone in the group. 

You can make different tasks with interactive questions, for instance, asking to pick-point an answer on an image or record the video. The software has good reporting functions. Ultimately, 360Learning is an excellent platform for sharing expertise, igniting conversation, and exchanging thoughts. 

Features of this collaborative learning tool:

• Gamification. 360Learning brings reactions, badges, certificates, achievements, and leaderboards for better engagement with students.
• Content creation. Businesses can use co-authoring and group-level content authoring. Besides, there are various formats, a SCORM player, and video options.
• Integration capabilities. The collaborating learning tool offers Google Drive, Canva, and Loom integrations and syncs with HRIS systems.

Pros of 360Learning 

• It is intuitive and offers good navigation. 
• Design and navigation support interactive learning.
• Great knowledge-sharing options for teams.

Cons of 360Learning

• Possible issues with real-time collaboration.
• Lacks advanced content creation tools.
• Pretty expensive.

Pricing: starts at $8/mo for a registered user (up to 100); prices for other packages are given upon request.

Best for: collaborative learning and training within businesses and corporations, as well as academies that offer coaching and training.

Read more: Best 360Learning Alternatives

#3. Disco: Community-focused collaborative learning platform

Disco is another collaborative learning tool, yet, paying particular attention to community management. This approach allows them to have powerful tools for collaboration and discussion. 

First, it has integrated direct messaging and threaded channels for effective peer-to-peer engagement. Also, its product builder tool is intuitive and allows you to create spaces, feeds, and pages and upload materials for discussion within each community. Even the interface looks like you are using a messenger. 

It is an excellent platform if you prefer community and social learning strategies for reaching your business or education goals. It suits the Jigsaw collaborative method well.

Features of this collaborative learning tool:

• A community for engagement. Disco brings in exciting features to set insightful collaboration and ignite conversation, including forums, threads, channels, DMs, profile customization, and integrations.
• Onboarding and dashboard features. You can enhance the experience of students by offering a personalized onboarding flow and the ability to create a custom learner dashboard.
• Tools for monetization. It allows for building membership and hybrid models and allows promotion, referrals, and coupon management.

Pros of Disco

• Interactive tool for community learning.
• Mobile app and decentralized approach.
• Automation and management features for cohorts.

Cons of Disco

• Can be difficult to operate at first.
• Won’t suit users looking for linear options.
• Basic reporting.

Pricing: offers 14 days free plan; paid ones cost $99/mo (Pro Plan) and $449/mo (Organization Plan). 

Best for: corporate actors wanting to promote engagement or academies implementing cohort-based courses.

#4. Google Classroom: Platform with multiple collaborative apps

Have you used any of the Google Apps for collaboration? We bet you have. Google Classroom heavily relies on them, and thus, can be a great platform for collaborative learning.

It offers exceptional knowledge sharing, collaborative spaces, and assignment features. For instance, thanks to Google Docs integration, instructors can comment on student’s assignments in real time. That’s quite a unique feature for coaching or instructor-led training.

Its integration with G Suite tools like Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Meet, Google Drive, and Google Calendar makes it a versatile choice for educational settings. With them, teachers can create assignments, provide feedback, and engage students in collaborative projects. 

Features of this collaborative platform:

•  Stream tab. With that Google Classroom tab, you can post updates or announcements and turn them into threads for people to collaborate. Also, you can start live sessions from there. 
• Collaborative spaces. You can create s shared documents, group discussions, and video conferencing through Google Docs or Sheets, Google Meet, and Hangouts.

Pros of Google Classroom

• Free to use, making it accessible for schools with limited budgets.
• Native integration with Google Workspace and Apps.
• Simple interface for easy content creation and collaboration.

Cons of Google Classroom

• Limited reporting and course management features.
• Lacks LMS functionalities required for more complex courses.

Pricing: free, Google Workspace for Education is available upon contact with sales.

Best for: classroom management and simple collaborative learning programs.

Read more: Great Google Classroom Alternatives

Collaborative Learning Tools for Communication

Learning platforms can be a suitable solution for your organization, helping you automate the workflow and improve student engagement.

However, what if one doesn’t need an all-around solution and wants simply to improve the established program or workflow with a suitable tool? There, much will depend on the collaborative learning needs and strategies. 

Let's start with collaborative tools for communication as collaborative learning significantly relies on interaction:

#5. Zoom: Popular conferencing tool for meetings and online sessions

Yes, we couldn’t ignore Zoom, a well-known screen-sharing tool that offers powerful communication and productivity tools. 

It is ideal for virtual classrooms and blended learning mainly due to such features as breakout rooms, chats, and meeting recordings. With rooms, you can even apply the Jigsaw collaborative method, while chats are great for Q&A during webinars or projects.

What else? There is a whiteboard feature for brainstorming sessions, real-time surveys and notes, and great visitor management. Besides, its engagement features, like reactions and background customization, can add some fun. 

Pricing: there is a free version, Pro and Business Workspace Plans cost $14.99/mo and $21.99/mo. 

#6. Microsoft Teams: Communication hub for collaboration

Next, we should mention Microsoft Teams, a team collaboration software with chats, conferencing, file sharing, and polling. 

So, yes, it is the main Zoom alternative. This collaborative tool offers similar functions but brings a more flexible chat and activity tab. Its free version provides more storage and a longer call duration. 

At the same time, it is not just a chat hub, as Microsoft Team offers productivity apps and integration with such tools as SharePoint and OneDrive. That way, from a conferencing tool it can become a collaborative learning environment.

Pricing: a free option is available; other options, if paid annually, are Microsoft Teams Essentials ($4/mo), Basic ($6/mo), and Standard ($12/mo).

#7. Slack: Well-recognized tool for interactive messaging and sharing

Out of many messengers, Slack is the most popular among business actors and ideal for collaboration. Students and instructors can create groups and channels based on the topic or assessment. Yet, the ability to develop a thread under each post and turn it into a forum is one of the best features for learning. 

Moreover, it allows very interactive messaging, as you can pin messages and posts and react or reply to messages. The platform supports direct messaging, voice, and video meetings, and allows uploading different content formats. Besides, Slack has multiple integrations with various tools from Google Drive and Trello to LMSs.

Pricing: has a free option. Pro+ and Business Plans, with advanced functions, cost 8.75//mo and $15/mo per person. 

#8.Hopin: Suite of tools for events

Hopin is not a typical collaborative learning software, it is a suite of tools for hosting streams, webinars, events, and video sharing. Each tool has its own function, yet, they offer exceptional experience altogether. Other than that, they offer audience live engagement tools for the live sessions and community. 

Importantly, the main products, StreamYard and Streamable, focus on webinars and live session organization. Thus, it can be great for joint sessions between experts, within a specific community, or during a boot camp program. 

Pricing: upon request. 

#9. Discord: Streaming software for communities

Even though Discord is for communities, it can be as efficient for teams and small groups that learn via collaboration. Why? Mainly because Discord provides screen and video sharing capabilities, convenient channels, and threads to handle communication and multiple bots. It may be a great alternative to Slack and even some community learning platforms like Circe.so.

Pricing: the basic plan is free, Discord Nitro costs $9.99/mo, and Nitro Basic costs $2.99/mo.

#10. ON24: Engagement platform for business training

What about an unusual solution for business training?

ON24 is an intelligent engagement platform for on-demand webinars and virtual events but can be effective for collaborative training programs, like sales training or certifications. How? Due to its 20+ engagement tools that involve networking lounges, and flexible chats and polls. 

That way, you can deliver sessions that scale and create live interactive group discussions. Also, there are content hubs that help you to create portals to deliver webinars or create ebooks or summaries.

Pricing: upon request.

Collaborative Learning Tools for Project Management

One of the essential principles of online collaborative learning is the organization of student interaction. Thus, an instructor should consider platforms for collaboration that define roles and set the space for ideas exchange. 

#11. Notion: Flexible tool to organize the learning environment

Notion is flexible, appealing, and feature-rich software that organizes collaborative learning processes. Its integrations and upload functionality allow you to easily share info, create projects, track progress, and provide feedback. It is an all-in-one solution where you can allocate and track assignments, handle databases, and remind people of tasks. 

Pricing: Free, Plus ($8/mo), and Business ($15/mo) Plans.

#12. Trello: Solid collaborative learning platform with project management features

Trello is more of a task management tool rather than a collaborative tool. Yet, due to its project management options, you can define the roles and build the collaboration workflow. Its Kanban approach may be great for setting assignments, dividing into groups, and projects. At the same time, thanks to sharing and commenting options, it is ideal for implementing the Jigsaw approach and case studies.

Pricing: there is a free plan, as well as Standard, Premium, and Enterprise Plans, costing $5/mo, $10/mo, and $17.50/mo, respectively.

#13. Airtable: Spreadsheet good for planning and collaboration

Airtable is another platform that is good for planning and organization of workflow. It may look like a simple spreadsheet. Yet, it can offer much more. Airtable takes an advanced database approach focusing on data. Thus, an instructor can define the tasks, their urgency and assign them to students. The tool offers commenting and sharing options that are a must for project-based learning.

Pricing: there is a free plan. Plus and Pro Plans cost $12 and $24/mo.

#14. Basecamp: A straightforward tool to manage the flow and collaborate

Basecamp is a simple project management tool with real-time group chat and file sharing. For educators, it grants a straightforward and effective approach to organizing work into projects. There, each project will have its message board, schedule, and to-do list. This collaborative learning tool helps centralize discussions and track tasks and deadlines. 

In particular, Hills charts and check-ins are very convenient for progress tracking, while dashboards are great for task overview. Thus, teachers can use it for learning management and curation or learning provision.

Pricing:30-day free trial; pricing starts at $15/mo; BaseCamp Pro is $299/mo if billed annualy.

Online Collaboration Tools for Content Curation

Collaborative learning relies on interaction and sharing ideas significantly. Thus, we offer some great tools that allow students to access documents, provide feedback, and create and organize thoughts:

#15. Nuclino: Knowledge-sharing and note-management tool

Nuclino is a powerful knowledge and project management tool providing collaborative spaces and real-time editing and commenting. Its main advantage is a unified workspace to organize and customize knowledge pages, notes, documents, projects, and wikis. 

Other than that, Nuclino provides canvases that you can use for visual collaboration and idea organization. The comments and mentions can be good for asynchronous communication or ed projects.

‍Pricing: free plan; Standard Plan is $6/mo per user; Premium Plan is $12/mo per user.

#16. Padlet: A wall for sharing ideas

Padlet is a convenient and visually appealing note-taking space that many may compare with Pinterest. So, with this collaborative learning tool, students can create one or more walls (boards) where they can place different posts. They may be a video, image, document, link, or audio. This software is effective for peer review, reflection, and brainstorming. 

Pricing: a free version with three padlets and one user; paid plans are Gold for $6.99 /month, Platinum for $9.99/mo, Team starting at ₴14.99/mo, School starting at $1,000/year.

Collaborative Learning Tools for Students

Effective collaboration is usually a result of a high level of engagement. What is the right way to increase it? 

• to give freedom and space to develop ideas 
• adopt features of game design into the tasks and activities. 

In this section, we are to provide classroom collaboration tools that provide room for the expression of ideas, and brainstorming, as well as tools that will allow you to make interactive and engaging tasks and quizzes:

#17. Miro: Powerful software for visual collaboration

Miro is one of the most popular online collaborative learning tools. It is an intuitive yet advanced whiteboard option that provides virtual space for multiple tasks: idea creation, before and after session discussion, presentation, project planning, and design thinking. Whiteboard space supports adding files, texts, drawings, and sticky notes and has tons of integrations. 

Pricing: Free version with three boards, Starter and Business Plans cost $8/mo and $16/mo, respectively. 

#18. Mural: Another whiteboard software for visual collaboration

Mural, one of the Miro alternatives, offers a fresh approach to visual collaboration due to its simple whiteboard. Compared to Miro, it can be better for smaller projects. It is straightforward and allows drawing, making notes and prototypes, and sharing or organizing ideas. It has live and recorded opportunities and is excellent for various types of learning, like think-pair-share or peer review. 

Pricing: offers a free plan with three murals; Team+ and Business plans cost $12/mo and $17.99/mo

#19. Figma(FigJam): Collaborative tool for design thinking

What is another alternative to the products above? Figma. One of its apps, FigJam is a solid tool for collaborative learning, offering a virtual whiteboard designed to foster creativity and teamwork. You can use it to facilitate interactive group activities, brainstorming sessions, and classroom discussions. So, for design thinking and idea project it is pretty effective. 

The most powerful features are: drawing, sticky notes, templates, and in-file real-time collaboration. Lastly, there is a powerful community with numerous templates for planning, whiteboard, and brainstorming.

Pricing: free plan; FigJam’s pricing starts at $3/mo with Professional Plan (free for educators if verified); Organization and Enterprise plans are $5/mo;)

#20. Loom: Video feedback and presentation tool for better collaboration

Loom is another video recording tool that is extremely handy in providing feedback and presenting ideas. With it, students can record and capture their screens and back the recording with personalized messages. At the same time, people can leave comments and reactions after watching the recorded video. Therefore, this collaborative learning tool is ideal for project presentations, working on case studies, or Jigsaw projects.

Pricing: Loom offers a free plan; Business plan costs $15/mo.

#21. Nearpod: Interactive presentation platform with features for quizzes

Nearpod is a collaborative learning tool allowing you to create interactive presentations with live quizzes, assessments, and discussions. Even though the software could be more intuitive, it has multiple functions to increase engagement. For instance, you can add quiz games, like matching pairs, ask students to respond with drawings, and organize a poll or collaborative board discussion. 

Pricing: Nearpod has a free plan. There is also an advanced one with more features for collaboration (available upon the call with the sales team).

#22. Kahoot: Platform for gamified quizzes and discussions

Kahoot is learning software that offers exciting features for making quizzes and assessments. Its main goal is to make them more engaged. In this regard, various quizzes and puzzles can be customized with a unique tool. Kahoot also offers features for discussions and video conferencing. Lastly, it has collaboration features for teachers.

Pricing: Individual plans start with Standard Plan for $29/mo. Presenter, Pro, and Pro Max Plans should be paid annually, costing $29/mo, $49/mo, and $79/mo. The Presenter and Pro plans for teams cost $29/mo and $39/mo (paid annually only).

Other collaboration tools for teachers

What about tools that can help teachers and instructors handle collaborative learning programs or provide training? Well, there are powerful solutions that won’t fit into other categories. Why? Some of them are pretty universal, helping with many classroom activities, others would be suitable for certain groups or projects. 

Here is the last part of our list that for sure can help you with your collaborative learning flow:

#23. Microsoft One Note: Universal note-taking tool for class management

Here is one comprehensive collaborative learning software that considerably adds to class management ― Microsoft OneNote. It is a note-taking software that is extremely flexible and collaborative. 

With it, educators can create organized notebooks to share curriculum and assignments and collaborate with students and colleagues. Moreover, it supports sketches and various recordings. 

What about its benefits for students? It is excellent for students’ notetaking, organizing research, or preparing tasks. Due to flexible access management, teachers can view their notes, but students won’t see each other. As a result, this tool brings an effective collaborative environment for both teachers and students and can be greatly paired with Microsoft Teams.

Pricing: free version; some features are paid and available within the Microsoft Office package.

#24. Pear Deck: Exciting tool for schools and higher ed engagement

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Pear Deck is one more exciting collaborative learning software with the support of real-time feedback and discussion. It represents a comprehensive ecosystem of education tools with a focus on gamified experiences, quizzes, polls, and assessments. 

Also, Pear Deck provides great classroom management and engagement apps, while its interactive templates and practice sets integrate with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other software. However, it is rather a solution for big schools and higher ed institutions due to the character of assessments and gamified experience.

Pricing: free plan; pricing starts at $149$/year. 

#25. Quip: Light communication and management tool for ed projects

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Well, Quip is a Salesforce product, but this fact should not scare you. Why? Cause of its light management and communication features. 

They allow teams to work together on documents, share information, and chat in real time. That way, it can be a great option for roadmapping and managing educational projects, sales training, or supporting specific events. 

The powerful collaboration features include real-time document and spreadsheet editing, group chat, and 1-1 messaging. Besides, you can tag peers for feedback. Yet, this collaboration tool for teachers can be quite pricey.

‍Pricing: starts at $10/mo per user if billed annually.

Key Takeaways: Define your need first and answer with an appropriate tool

Understanding which software is right for your online collaborative learning strategies takes a lot of work. You should consider multiple factors, including learning needs, the size of the course and program, and its goals. 

Based on your analysis, you then pick the approach you need for managing the learning workflow:

• Approach #1. Use a flexible platform with features that will suit comprehensive and complex courses.
• Approach #2. Use a suite of online tools based on the collaborative learning need.

Our article defined that the best LMS for collaborative learning is EducateMe. It is flexible and feature-rich, offering proper management and communication tools for managing cohorts and communities. Moreover, it offers decent integration with some of the tools presented here.

Concerning the suite to answer the specific learning needs, some tools certainly deserve your attention: 

• Slack and Zoom for communication;
• Notion and Basecamp for organization and project management;
• Mural or Kahoot for idea-sharing and engagement tools;
• Nuclino or Padlet knowledge sharing or content curation;‍
• OneNote for class management.