Volume 4, 2026 – Issue 3
Perceptions of Collaborative Learning among Moroccan EFL Students: Examining Gender Differences
Mohamed Choujaa 
1 *, Nadia Hellalet 2, and Mouhssine Echcharfy 3
1 Department of English, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco
2 National School of Commerce and Management, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco
3 Higher School of Education and Training, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco
* Corresponding author: choujaa.mohamed@ucd.ac.ma
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23784969
Abstract
Several studies have explored university students’ perceptions of collaboration and the influence of gender on those perceptions. However, little is known about students’ collaborative learning (CL) perceptions and gender differences among English as a foreign language (EFL) high school students, especially in the Moroccan context. Therefore, while exploring Moroccan EFL high school students’ perceptions of collaboration, the current study also examines the extent to which gender differences exist in their overall perceptions. To achieve these objectives, the study adopts a comparative cross-sectional survey research design and uses a questionnaire to collect data from 150 public high school second-baccalaureate science students in Casablanca using convenience sampling. Analyses were performed through descriptive and inferential statistics, revealing that participants hold a generally positive perception toward collaboration. No statistically significant difference was observed in this sample between the perceptions of male and female students, and a small effect size was found. These results suggest that collaborative work is a valuable pedagogy among both male and female students in the Moroccan EFL high school setting. Several implications for students, teachers, and policymakers are discussed.
Keywords: collaborative learning, Moroccan EFL students, perceptions, gender differences, public high school
Published
2026/10/31
—
Section
Research Papers
How to Cite (APA)
Download Citation: EndNote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
References
Abdeta, M. T., Olamo, T. G., & Woldeyes, K. M. (2026). Effects of collaborative writing on EFL learners’ writing accuracy, fluency, and complexity: Secondary school in focus. SAGE Open, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251413940
Abulhassan, A. B. A., & Hamid, F. I. E. (2021). Perception and interest of English language learners (ELL) toward collaborative teaching: Evaluation towards group activities. English Language Teaching, 14(5), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v14n5p1
Ait Hattani, H. (2024). Investigating the role of cooperative learning in fostering Moroccan ESP students’ learning attitudes. Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics, 9(1), 83–94. https://doi.org/10.21462/jeltl.v9i1.1286
Al-Buraiki, S. A. (2026). Peer collaborative dialogues: Perceptions and attitudes of EFL students and teachers. World Journal of English Language, 16(2), 180–194. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v16n2p180
Ali, W. T. (2017). Students’ attitudes towards cooperative learning (CL) in EFL writing class. Arabic Language, Literature & Culture, 2(3), 60–68. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170203.12
Al-Malki, E. A. A., Gulnaz, F., Javid, C. Z., & Chaudhry, M. Z. (2022). An empirical investigation of the EFL learners attitudes toward the effectiveness of cooperative learning. SAGE Open, 12(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221141699
Almashour, M., & Davies, A. (2023). Exploring learning strategies used by Jordanian university EFL learners in argumentative writing tasks: The role of gender and proficiency. Frontiers in Education, 8, Article 1237719. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1237719
Alrayes, L. A. (2024). Gender differences in Saudi EFL undergraduate students’ perceptions toward the impact of collaborative writing. Journal Corner of Education, Linguistics, and Literature, 4(2), 243–261. https://doi.org/10.54012/jcell.v4i2.340
As Sabiq, A. H., Arwi, S. H., Khusna, A., Adifia, D. U. S., & Nada, D. Z. Q. (2021). Investigating gender differences on students’ attitudes and motivation toward English learning. English Franca: Academic Journal of English Language and Education, 5(2), 233–258. https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v5i2.2704
Aswad, M. (2022). The impact of gender on language learning motivation and attitudes. Transformational Language, Literature and Technology Overview in Learning (TRANSTOOL), 1(3), 30–36. https://doi.org/10.55047/transtool.v1i3.1361
Baena-Morales, S., Jerez-Mayorga, D., Fernández-González, F. T., & López-Morales, J. (2020). The use of a cooperative-learning activity with university students: A gender experience. Sustainability, 12(21), Article 9292. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219292
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.
Benattabou, D., Kanoubi, M., Bouih, A., Nadif, B., & Benhima, M. (2021). Male-female differences in EFL learning and achievement in Morocco: Evidence from Beni Mellal. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 3(3), 82–108. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlls.v2i3.671
Benlaghrissi, H., & Ouahidi, L. M. (2024). The impact of mobile-assisted project-based learning on developing EFL students’ speaking skills. Smart Learning Environments, 11, Article 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00303-y
Chan, S., Maneewan, S., & Koul, R. (2024). Cooperative learning in teacher education: A means to foster learning motivation and academic engagement among EFL pre-service teachers. European Journal of Teacher Education, 47(4), 658–675. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2022.2117026
Choujaa, M., Hellalet, N., & Echcharfy, M. (2026). Moroccan EFL Students’ Attitudes toward Collaborative Learning in Argumentative Writing. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 8(2), 248–260. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlls.v8i2.2562
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Deveci, T. (2018). Student perceptions on collaborative writing in a project-based course. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(4), 721–732. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2018.060415
Eagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2016). Social role theory of sex differences. In A. Wong, M. Wickramasinghe, R. Hoogland, & N. A. Naples (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell encyclopedia of gender and sexuality studies. John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118663219.wbegss183
Effendi, T. S., & Wijirahayu, S. (2024). The vocational high school students’ perceptions of collaborative learning in reading. Journal of English Teaching, Literature, and Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 162–184. https://doi.org/10.30587/jetlal.v8i2.8001
El Baghdadi, S. Y., Latif, H., & Madaoui, R. (2024). Teaching EFL listening in Moroccan public high schools. European Journal of Foreign Language Education, 8(3), 75–97. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v8i3.5640
Ertugruloglu, E., Mearns, T., & Admiraal, W. (2023). Scaffolding what, why and how? A critical thematic review study of descriptions, goals, and means of language scaffolding in bilingual education contexts. Educational Research Review, 40, 100550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100550
Eslami, R., Saeidi, M., & Ahour, T. (2024). Iranian TEFL students’ perceptions and challenges in collaborative content learning across gender. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Applied Literature: Dynamics and Advances, 12(1), 63–86. https://doi.org/10.22049/jalda.2024.27975.1456
Esmaeil Nejad, M., Izadpanah, S., Namaziandost, E., & Rahbar, B. (2022). The mediating role of critical thinking abilities in the relationship between English as a Foreign Language learners’ writing performance and their language learning strategies. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 746445. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.746445
Feng, Q., Luo, H., Li, W., Chen, T., & Song, N. (2023). Effects of gender diversity on college students’ collaborative learning: From individual gender to gender pairing. Heliyon, 9(6), e16237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16237
Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development. Harvard University Press.
Güngör, F., Altunbaşak, İ., Aydın, A. T., Kaya, M., & Erdem, C. (2026). A second-order meta-analysis on the effects of cooperative learning on students’ academic achievement, higher-order thinking, and affective behaviors. Current Psychology, 45, Article 552. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-08943-0
Halpern, D. F. (2000). Sex differences in cognitive abilities. Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410605290
He, S., Shi, X., Choi, T.-H., & Zhai, J. (2023). How do students’ roles in collaborative learning affect collaborative problem-solving competency? A systematic review of research. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 50, 101423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101423
Hsu, N., Badura, K. L., Newman, D. A., & Speach, M. E. P. (2021). Gender, “masculinity,” and “femininity”: A meta-analytic review of gender differences in agency and communion. Psychological Bulletin, 147(10), 987–1011. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000343
Jalbani, A. N., Ahmad, A., & Maitlo, S. K. (2023). A comparative study to evaluate ESL learners’ proficiency and attitudes towards English language. Global Language Review, 8(2), 446–455. https://doi.org/10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-II).36
Khamouja, A. (2025). The impact of collaborative writing strategy on EFL students’ writing skills through adopting a process-based approach. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 7(3), 169–179. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlls.v7i3.2137
Laachir, A. (2019). The implementation of collaborative learning via virtual communities in Moroccan higher education: A case study of undergraduate EFL students. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 1(2), 60–73. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlls.v1i2.28
McLeish, K. (2009). Attitude of students towards collaborative learning methods at Knox Community College: A descriptive study (Master’s thesis, University of Technology, Jamaica). ERIC (ED506779).
Meisani, D. R., & Hidayati, L. (2025). Students’ perceptions of collaborative learning in English for Medical Purposes (EMP) course. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching, 16(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.15642/NOBEL.2025.16.1.1-16
Normawati, A., Susanto, A. I. F., Febrianto, A. R., & Farikah, F. (2023). EFL students’ attitude toward learning English by using collaborative learning. Acitya: Journal of Teaching and Education, 5(2), 262–272. https://doi.org/10.30650/ajte.v5i2.3646
Ooi, S. X., & Cortina, K. S. (2023). Cooperative and competitive school climate: Their impact on sense of belonging across cultures. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1113996
Pajarillo-Aquino, I. (2019). Classroom collaborative learning approach: The students’ standpoint. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 8(2), 189–199. https://indianjournals.com/article/ijarmss-8-2-010
Peng, C. X., & Storch, N. (2025). From receiving to engaging: Collaborative oral languaging of teacher versus peer feedback by secondary school EFL learners. The Modern Language Journal, 109, 915–934. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.70003
Piaget, J. (1959). The language and thought of the child (3rd ed.). Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Puiggalí, J., Tesouro, M., Cañabate, D., & Colomer, J. (2023). Fostering perceptions of gender through cooperative learning. Education Sciences, 13(10), Article 976. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13100976
Ro, H., & Choi, Y. (2011). Student Team Project: Gender Differences in Team Project Experience and Attitudes toward Team-Based Work. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 11(2), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313220.2011.575022
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2020). Motivation and social cognitive theory. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 60, 101832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101832
Setia, M. S. (2023). Cross-sectional studies. In A. L. Nichols & J. Edlund (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of research methods and statistics for the social and behavioral sciences (pp. 269–291). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009010054.014
Slavin, R. E. (2014). Cooperative learning and academic achievement: Why does group work work? Anales de Psicología, 30(3), 785–791. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.201201
Spadaro, G., Jin, S., & Balliet, D. (2023). Gender differences in cooperation across 20 societies: A meta-analysis. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 378(1868), Article 20210438. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0438
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (n.d.). Learning ecosystems. https://www.uil.unesco.org/en/learning-ecosystems
Vygotsky, L. S., Cole, M., John-Steiner, V., Scribner, S., & Souberman, E. (Eds.). (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4
Wang, M., Alavi, M., & Izadpanah, S. (2023). The impact of jigsaw cooperative learning on academic motivation, academic hardiness, and self-efficacy of English foreign language learners. Learning and Motivation, 84, 101940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2023.101940
Weinberger, Y., & Shonfeld, M. (2020). Students’ willingness to practice collaborative learning. Teaching Education, 31(2), 127–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2018.1508280
Xu, E., Wang, W., & Wang, Q. (2023). The effectiveness of collaborative problem solving in promoting students’ critical thinking: A meta-analysis based on empirical literature. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 10, Article 16. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01508-1
Yang, X. (2023). A historical review of collaborative learning and cooperative learning. TechTrends, 67(4), 718–728. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00823-9
Yu, X. (2025). Gender Differences in Students’ Attitudes toward English Language Learning. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media, 94(1), 120–125. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2025.CB24366
About the authors
- Mohamed Choujaa is a third-year doctoral student at the Applied Language and Culture Studies Laboratory, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Chouaib Doukali University, Morocco. Currently, he is an EFL teacher at a public high school with nearly five years of experience. His research interests include applied linguistics and English language teaching.
choujaa.mohamed@ucd.ac.ma
↩︎ - Nadia Hellalet is an Associate Professor at the National School of Commerce and Management, Chouaib Doukkali University, where she teaches business English. She earned a PhD in education from the Faculty of Education, Mohammed V University, in Rabat, Morocco. Her main research interests include discourse analysis, applied linguistics, language education, and teaching writing.
hellalat.n@ucd.ac.ma
↩︎ - Mouhssine Echcharfy is an Associate Professor at the Higher School of Education and Training, Chouaib Doukkali University. He earned his PhD from the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, Morocco. His research interests are applied linguistics, intercultural education and English language teaching.
echcharfy@ucd.ac.ma
↩︎
