Ubiquitous learning is the framework where learning can happen in any place at any time. While the idea has been around for a while, its implementation has only been realized with the advancement of technology used in education. Now students can access online media and resources to learn in their own time at their own pace, removing some of the constraints commonly found in a didactic classroom.

One advantage of ubiquitous learning is the potential improvements for collaborative learning. Technologies such as cloud computing allow multiple users to work on the same document in real-time, commenting on or editing each other’s work. These technologies create collaborative workspaces where people can work together on one document, or peer review each other’s work without ever physically meeting or exchanging copies.

Virtual collaborative workspaces such as Google Classroom can make the development process in group projects more efficient and effective. Classically, students would need to meet face-to-face outside of the classroom to work on a group project set by their teacher. This would require the group to find a time where every member is available for their meeting, which tends to be infrequent. Typically, students do not have enough time to complete the group project in these meetings so tasks would be assigned to each member who would then work on them independently. The result can feel disjointed as each member would work in their own style on their task. The teacher would also not be involved in the process until the group submits their work. Therefore, there is a risk that a group veers off course, potentially wasting their time and efforts.

Having the project files accessible through a virtual collaborative workspace allows each member to access them at any time from any place. This means students can work on and peer review all parts of the project as its being developed. This allows for quicker feedback and edits to be made, speeding up the development process and enhancing the communication between each member during the project. The result will feel more like one piece as the styles of each member will have been “averaged out” from the frequent communication and feedback. The teacher can also log in and check up on the group’s progress at any time, giving them instant feedback that can keep the project on track.

Overall, the use of technologies like cloud computing can enhance the collaborative learning experience. It is particularly useful for students to develop their language skills as the frequency of communication between members is increased. Features such as video calls and messaging services also help to develop the students' receptive and productive language skills within the context of the subject. This is something that may not happen as much if the project was carried out in a traditional sense.

https://builtin.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing-and-education

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeOVe2YV2Io

Valunaite Oleskeviciene, Giedre & Mockiene, Liudmila & Mažeikienė, Viktorija. (2021). Technology-Supported Collaborative Learning in Language Teaching. 10.1007/978-3-030-73988-1_31.