ESL Undergraduates’ Views on the Collaborative Learning Approach and Its Relationship with Their Attitudes toward Learning English

In the 21st century, the focus of English language teaching has shifted from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach, including in Asian countries such as Pakistan. The Collaborative Learning Approach (CLA) offers numerous social and academic benefits. However, research on the implementation of CLA in English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts at the university level remains limited. This study aimed to explore ESL undergraduates’ views on CLA and its relationship with their attitudes toward learning English. A survey-based quantitative methodology was employed, using an adapted questionnaire from established instruments used in prior peer-reviewed studies. Data were collected from 250 ESL undergraduates selected through cluster sampling from the English departments of five public universities in Punjab, Pakistan. Findings revealed that students held moderate to high perceptions of the five core elements of CLA in English learning. A weak but positive correlation was identified between students' views on CLA and their attitudes toward English learning. The study highlights that CLA supports both social and academic development, including fostering social relationships, encouraging active participation, promoting problem-solving, enhancing communication, reducing anxiety, and developing higher-order thinking skills. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, educators, students, parents, and textbook boards in designing effective and practical strategies to improve ESL learning outcomes.