Autonomous 4? Learners’ Collaborative Problem Solving in Chamber Music Rehearsals With and Without a Coach

Computational thinking (CT), which is a cognitive skill used to solve problems with computational solutions, has drawn increasing attention among researchers and practitioners due to the growing recognition of CT competence as a 21st century skill. Collaboration is commonly integrated into CT education to facilitate novice learning, but there is inadequate knowledge regarding the influences of collaboration in CT education. This meta‐analysis examined the overall effects on the cognitive, social and affective competencies of collaborative versus individual problem solving in CT through programming. We identified 33 publications involving 4717 learners, which allowed for 220 effect size comparisons. We found a medium effect size (Hedges' g = 0.562; p < 0.001) in favour of collaborative problem solving on cognitive learning outcomes and a small effect size (Hedges' g = 0.316; p < 0.01) on affective learning outcomes using a random‐effects model. Categorical moderator analysis revealed the moderating effects of educational level, programming environment, study duration, grouping method and group size. The competency model that was generated from the synthesized literature on collaborative computational problem solving yielded insights into the learning design and assessment of relevant activities. Practitioner notes What is already known about the topic? Although professional programming usually requires collaboration to accomplish common goals in the work environment, programming is predominantly taught on an individual basis in educational settings. Some intervention studies have reported inconsistent learning outcomes (positive and negative) from integrating collaborative problem solving (CPS) into programming education. There is a need for further scrutiny and exploration of the role of collaboration in the process of learning to program. What does this paper add? Our meta‐analysis showed that CPS is an effective pedagogical tool for developing students' cognitive, affective and social competencies. The moderator analysis revealed that CPS in programming has cognitive benefits irrespective of grouping method, group size and educational levels; however, there is a need for caution in regard to designing collaborative problem‐solving activities for different programming environments and durations. The model generated from the literature synthesis can yield insights into better assessing and designing collaborative problem‐solving activities. Implications for practice and/or policy? Integrating CPS into programming education can prepare students with 21st century skills. Social and affective competencies are crucial to students' learning capacity, which is an issue that needs to be better assessed. Future studies could look more rigorously into the effects of CPS in visual programming and robotics programming among younger age groups, such as primary or middle school students.

This chapter addresses several key issues, including theory and measurement of collaborative learning and theory and measurement of problem solving. It presents findings based on three relevant studies in which computers were used for administering, scoring, and reporting collaborative problem-solving skills measures. The three studies use the teamwork processes model developed by CRESST researchers for the measurement of collaborative learning processes. The National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) model consists of six skills: adaptability, coordination, decision making, interpersonal, leadership, and communication. Collaborative problem solving has been shown in educational research to enhance students' cognitive development. Collaborative problem solving is first divided into two components: collaborative learning and problem solving. Adaptability refers to the group's ability to monitor the source and nature of problems through an awareness of team activities and factors bearing on the task. CRESST has developed a problem-solving assessment model with three subelements: content understanding, problem-solving strategies, and self-regulation.

Multiscale movement coordination dynamics in collaborative team problem solving

An analysis of student collaborative problem solving activities mediated by collaborative simulations

Conversational agents have been developed to help students learn in computerlearning environments with collaborative reasoning and problem solving. Conversational agents were used in the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) collaborative problem-solving assessments, where a human interacted with one, two or three agents. This chapter reviews advances in conversational agents and how they can help students learn by engaging in collaborative reasoning and problem solving. Using the example of AutoTutor it demonstrates how dialogues can mimic the approaches of expert human tutors. Conversations with intelligent systems are quite different depending on the number of agents involved. A human interacting with only one computer agent during a dialogue needs to continuously participate in the exchange. In trialogues there are two agents, so there are more options available to the human (including social loafing and vicarious observation) and the conversation patterns can be more complex, illustrated by Operation ARIES!, which uses a number of patterns in teaching students the basics of research methodology. Conversational agent systems use online, continuous, formative assessment of human abilities, achievements, and psychological states, tracked during the course of the conversations. Some of these formative assessment approaches are incorporated in the PISA 2015 assessment of collaborative problem solving. However, this chapter focuses on formative assessment in learning environments rather than on summative assessments.

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is widely recognized as a prominent 21st-century skill to be mastered. Until recently, research on CPS has often focused on problem solution by the individual; the interest in investigating how the theorized problem-solving constructs function as broader social units, such as pairs or small groups, is relatively recent. Capturing the complexity of CPS processes in group-level interaction is challenging. Therefore, a method of analysis capturing various layers of CPS was developed that aimed for a deeper understanding of CPS as a small-group enactment. In the study, small groups of teacher education students worked on two variations of open-ended CPS tasks—a technology-enhanced task and a task using physical objects. The method, relying on video data, encompassed triangulation of analysis methods and combined the following: (a) directed content analysis of the actualized CPS in groups, (b) process analysis and visualizations, and (c) qualitative cases. Content analysis did not show a large variation in how CPS was actualized in the groups or tasks for either case, whereas process analysis revealed both group- and task-related differences in accordance with the interchange of CPS elements. The qualitative cases exemplified the interaction diversity in the quality of coordination and students’ equal participation in groups. It was concluded that combining different methods gives access to various layers of CPS; moreover, it can contribute to a deeper articulation of the CPS as a group-level construct, providing divergent ways to understand CPS in this context.

In collaborative problem solving mathematical learning environments, students often use a range of mathematical and non-mathematical forms of language to gain authority. Previous research on student participation defined individual and group authority relations in collaborative mathematical problem solving and their coding. A video text of six groups of Grade 7 middle school students working in groups of four on the task “Xiao Ming’s Apartment” was studied. The study analysed individual authority and group authority relations in high- and low-scoring groups. The findings were drawn from the rise and fall of individual authority, the proposal negotiation units (authority nodes) of group authority relations, and the discourse coverage of students’ different authority relations. It was found that differences in individual authority between high- and low-scoring groups affected how students distributed and shifted group authority relations in collaborative problem solving in middle school mathematics.

Collaborative problem solving can be successful or counterproductive. The performance of collaborative teams depends not only on team members’ abilities, but also on their cognitive styles. Cognitive style measures differences in problem-solving behavior: how people generate solutions, manage structure, and interact. While teamwork and problem solving have been studied separately, their interactions are less understood. This paper introduces the KAI Agent-Based Organizational Optimization Model (KABOOM), the first model to simulate cognitive style in collaborative problem solving. KABOOM simulates the performance of teams of agents with heterogeneous cognitive styles on two contextualized design problems. Results demonstrate that, depending on the problem, certain cognitive styles may be more effective than others. Also, intentionally aligning agents’ cognitive styles with their roles can improve team performance. These experiments demonstrate that KABOOM is a useful tool for studying the effects of cognitive style on collaborative problem solving.

This study was designed to identify correlations between students' awareness of Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) and learning performance and learning behavior in science education. The topic of the course was Genetic Diseases which was implemented in a twelfth-grade class. To assess the effectiveness of this instructional design, and to find out potential factors that affect the using of CPS skills, multiple data sources including learning test scores, questionnaire feedback, and learning logs were analyzed. First, results indicated significant improvements in students' knowledge acquisition and awareness of Participation and Learning and Knowledge Building in CPS during the course. Furthermore, when we investigated the correlations between CPS awareness and learning performance and learning behavior, the findings indicated significant positive correlations between students' learning motivation and their awareness of CPS processes. However, there were negative correlations found between certain learning behavior factors with CPS awareness and learning motivation factors respectively.

iVisit-Collaborate: Collaborative problem-solving in multiuser 360-degree panoramic site visits

Background Collaborative problem-solving (CPS) is an impactful and important pedagogy in mathematics classrooms, but it is rarely used, particularly in the primary classroom. Both collaboration and problem solving have been recognised as crucial twenty-first century skills; CPS is a pedagogy which can potentially contribute to the development of both. Purpose The study reported in this paper sought to address a notable gap in existing research – the use of CPS in primary mathematics classrooms. Focusing on a single school case study in New South Wales, Australia, it traced the journey of one team of mathematics teachers as they implemented CPS pedagogy. Drawing on the teachers’ reflections following participation in two targeted professional learning sessions, the study explored the role of proactive action research and reflective practice in supporting teachers to implement CPS. Method The study explored how the teachers reflected on their CPS implementation using two frameworks: proactive action research and reflective practice. The teachers were asked to use a cyclical process of reflection and action and to record their impressions in reflective diaries. Their data was analysed by the authors to understand their pedagogical decision-making. Findings The data highlights the many pedagogical decisions teachers articulated through ongoing reflection which supported their students’ learning. These included enhancements in teacher confidence, guiding pedagogical decision-making, and fostering inclusive, student-centred learning. Teachers developed deeper insights into student needs while adapting their roles to facilitate group regulation and collaborative engagement. Conclusion This study shows how teachers and researchers can reflect on, learn from, and use action research to better understand the implementation of a new pedagogy. The participating teachers developed in confidence and pedagogical expertise as they implemented through a proactive action research approach. They embraced and reflected on this new pedagogy and experimented with management strategies and facilitation approaches, to build student inclusivity.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify and assess collaborative problem solving (CPS) behaviors in elementary students in science, technology, engineering, arts/humanities and mathematics (STEAM)-related making and to garner students perspectives. We offer a valid way for researchers to understand collaborative processes and for educators to create opportunities for collaboration. Additionally, the feedback from the assessment offers students a way to reflect on their CPS skills.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study evaluated 52 elementary students’ CPS skills using co-measure, a validated rubric assessing students’ CPS when working in STEAM-related makerspace activities. Students worked in collaborative groups to “make” artifacts when solving a problem posed by their teacher. They were assessed using co-measure’s four dimensions: peer interactions, positive communication, inquiry rich/multiple paths and transdisciplinary approaches and scored via each dimension’s associated attributes. Student interviews provided their perspectives on CPS.FindingsA majority of students scored in the acceptable or proficient range in the social dimensions of peer interactions and positive communication. Students scored slightly lower on the cognitive dimensions of inquiry rich/multiple paths and markedly lower on transdisciplinary approaches when collaborating. Findings suggest to increase CPS skills, teachers might develop “making” activities fostering greater inquiry and model ways to strategize and verify information, approach the problem drawing on student interest and prior knowledge and collaboratively use tools, materials and methods that mimic the real world when problem-solving.Originality/valueMuch of the current research on assessing CPS during making is in the early stages of considering appropriate assessment approaches, especially in schools. To expand this literature the study includes elementary students between the ages of 6-10, the focus is on assessing their collaboration using an observational rubric. The authors use preliminary findings from young children’s perspectives on making to position the future work.

The purpose of this study was to analyse secondary school students’ (N = 16) computer-supported collaborative mathematical problem solving. The problem addressed in the study was: What kinds of metacognitive processes appear during computer-supported collaborative learning in mathematics? Another aim of the study was to consider the applicability of networked learning in mathematics. The network-based learning environment Knowledge Forum (KF) was used to support students’ collaborative problem solving. The data consist of 188 posted computer notes, portfolio material such as notebooks, and observations. The computer notes were analysed through three stages of qualitative content analysis. The three stages were content analysis of computer notesin mathematical problem solving, content analysis of mathematical problem solving activity and content analysis of the students’ metacognitive activity. The results of the content analysis illustrate how networked discussions mediated mathematical knowledge and students’ questions, while the mathematical problem solving activity shows that the students co-regulate their thinking. The results of the content analysis of the students’ metacognitive activity revealed that the students use metacognitive knowledge and make metacognitive judgments and perform monitoring during networked discussions. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that working with the networked technology contributes to the students’ use of their mathematical knowledge and stimulates them into making their thinking visible. The findings also show some metacognitive activity in the students’ computer-supported collaborative problem solving in mathematics.

Online learning offers increased flexibility to students but also poses new complexities. For example, there are challenges in digitizing teaching approaches that rely on the co-construction of knowledge through social interaction and collaboration between learners. This study explores a novel pseudo-synchronous approach using 360-degree video to improve access to collaborative mathematical problem solving for online students. We trialed the use of 360-degree video extracts of authentic collaborative problem-solving situations to offer online learners the opportunity to engage with different approaches and methods in various mathematical problem-solving situations. Data were collected through online surveys and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to examine student experiences. The findings suggest students prefer face-to-face collaborative problem solving but see the value of having the 360-degree video as a support when face-to-face interaction is not available or for students choosing to engage in an online environment. The study demonstrates that pseudo-synchronous 360-degree video can provide meaningful collaborative learning experiences for asynchronous online learners.

In today’s digital society, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) and collaborative problem solving (CPS) have received increasing attention. CPS studies have often emphasized outcomes such as skill levels of CPS, whereas the action transitions in the paths to solve the problems related to these outcomes have been scarcely studied. The patterns within action transitions are able to capture the mutual influence of actions conducted by pairs and demonstrate the productivity of students’ CPS. The purpose of the study presented in this paper is to examine Finnish sixth graders’ (N = 166) patterns of action transitions during CPS in a computer-based assessment environment in which the students worked in pairs. We also investigated the relation between patterns of action transitions and students’ social and cognitive skill levels related to CPS. The actions in the sequential processes of computer-based CPS tasks included using a mouse to drag objects and typing texts in chat windows. Applying social network analysis to the log file data generated from the assessment environment, we created transition networks using weighted directed networks (nodes for those actions conducted by paired students and directed links for the transitions between two actions when the first action is followed by the second action in sequence). To represent various patterns of action transitions in each transition network, we calculated the numbers of nodes (numbers of actions conducted), density (average frequency of transitions among actions), degree centralization (the dispersion of attempts given to different actions), reciprocity (the extent to which pairs revisit the previous one action immediately), and numbers of triadic patterns (numbers of different repeating formats within three actions). The results showed that pairs having at least one member with high social and high cognitive CPS skills conducted more actions and demonstrated a higher average frequency of action transitions with a higher tendency to conduct actions for different number of times, implying that they attempted more paths to solve the problem than the other pairs. This could be interpreted as the pairs having at least one student with high social and high cognitive CPS skills exhibiting more productive CPS than the other pairs. However, we did not find a significant difference across the pairs in terms of alternating sequences of two or three actions. Investigating the patterns of action transitions of the dyads in this study deepens our understanding of the mutual influence between the CPS actions occurring within dyads. Regarding pedagogical implication, our results offer empirical evidence recommending greater awareness of the students’ social and cognitive capacities in CPS when assigning them into pairs for computer-based CPS tasks. Further, this study contributes to the methodological development of process-oriented research in CSCL by integrating an analysis of action transition patterns with a skill-based assessment of CPS.