Development of an assessment tool for collaborative problem-solving skills in chemistry

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Collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills are recognised as an essential aspect of 21st century skills and STEM education. In the STEM framework, students’ CPS skills in the learning process need to be appropriately monitored, yet assessment tools for students’ CPS skills are currently not widely developed in chemistry. This study aimed to develop and validate the assessment tool for measuring high school students’ collaborative problem-solving skills in chemistry (CPS-C). Fifty-two students participated in the assessment, which included tasks on Coke Titration, Fruit Battery, and Soap Making. The data were analyzed using Multidimensional Item Response Theory (MIRT) models and the Generalized Partial Credit Model (GPCM). The results indicated that the CPS-C tool showed good internal consistency and item fit. Additionally, ten students were interviewed, and the interview content was analyzed using MAXQDA, emphasizing the importance of providing clear and concise instructions, reducing the number of tasks, and offering meaningful and relevant options. Moreover, this study also validated the reliability of cognitive ability tests, mental load and effort tests, and interest and motivation tests. The results showed satisfactory reliability for all tests except for the mental load and effort tests, which had a lower reliability coefficient of 0.68. Despite some limitations, the CPS-C tool showed great potential for effectively assessing CPS skills. Further research is needed to validate the tool’s effectiveness and reliability across larger, more diverse samples and different cultural contexts.