How collaborative problem solving promotes higher-order thinking skills: A systematic review of design features and processes

This community service focused on developing and disseminating a simple fertilizer spreader made of PVC pipes to improve agricultural efficiency in the dryland farming areas of Gilirejo Village, Boyolali. The innovation was designed to be affordable, easy to fabricate, and suitable for local farmers’ needs, especially to reduce labor intensity and optimize fertilizer distribution. The program combined direct training, hands-on demonstrations, and digital communications to enhance farmers’ skills and acceptance. Group empowerment efforts facilitated sustainable management and local production of the tool. Evaluation through focus group discussions highlighted positive impacts on labor efficiency and crop productivity while encouraging collaborative problem-solving for further improvements. This integrated approach of technology and community empowerment demonstrates a replicable model for enhancing productivity and farmer welfare in comparable dryland agricultural settings.

The idea of police public image takes most of the interest in the field of law enforcement. Police public image means that the Philippine National Police (PNP) should be the model of professionalism, trustworthiness, and dedication. They should be seen as protectors of the community, upholding the law with integrity and fairness. The police public image is built by various factors, including their performance in the community, and media representation (Skogan & Frydl, 2004). This research paper investigates the views of informants toward the public image of police and its perceived impact to the community. Conducted in various barangays from the eight (8) Municipalities of Biliran Province, the study utilized a qualitative research design, specifically using thematic and content analyses to analyze the collected data. The respondents are barangay officials, community stakeholders, and drivers of the different barangays in each municipality of Biliran. The results revealed ten emergent themes for the views and impact police public image to the community: Responsiveness and Reliability, Respectful and Fair Treatment, Active Engagement and Presence, Excessive Use of Authority, Perceived Social Alienation Within the Community, Stereotype-Driven Views of Law Enforcement, Community- Oriented Policing Initiatives, Ethical Behavior Strengthens Community Engagement, Reduction in Crime and Disorder, and Collaborative Problem-Solving. These themes highlight the rewarding aspects of the community roles, in collaboration with the police initiatives for public awareness and safety in the community. Conversely, concerns about abuse of authority and media portrayals of police have made a negative impact with the community and affects the community relation between the law enforcement and the community.

This study engages with the ongoing theoretical debate between the technological solutionism prevalent in digital education (Morozov, 2013) and critical pedagogical perspectives that question the socio-technical implications of technology integration (Fenwick et al., 2015). In nursing education, this manifests as a tension between evidence-based advocacy for digital tools, such as instructional videos, and the imperative to foster pedagogical depth that cultivates critical thinking and clinical reasoning. However, scant research has systematically examined how the structured fusion of a robust pedagogical model such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) with video-based scaffolding reconfigures the learning ecology, thereby affecting both procedural competency and learner agency. This article addresses this gap by asking: How does a systematically developed Video-Supported PBL model influence nursing students’ clinical skill acquisition and critical thinking? Using a design-based research (DBR) approach, the study developed, validated, and empirically tested the “MEDIFA” model, integrating expert validation and pretest/posttest analyses with 30 students. The findings demonstrate significant quantitative gains in clinical competency (N-Gain = 0.76) and reveal a qualitative shift toward self-regulated learning, in which students strategically used on-demand videos for mastery while engaging in collaborative problem-solving. The analysis further shows a reconfiguration of the instructor’s role from primary demonstrator to facilitator of reasoning, mediated by the digital scaffold. The article argues that this integration creates a synergistic learning system where cognitive load management via video enables deeper participation in situated, practice-based communities (Lave & Wenger, 1991), thereby bridging a key conceptual divide in the literature. It contributes a validated instructional model and a refined theoretical synthesis, offering a more nuanced framework for designing and evaluating technology-enhanced learning in competency-based professional education.

This article examines the theoretical and practical foundations for fostering giftedness and supporting scientific research activities among students within STEM education. It analyzes factors influencing learning effectiveness, emphasizing the integration of cognitive, technological, and pedagogical components that develop systematic thinking, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary competencies. Special attention is given to semantic networks as tools for structured knowledge representation, enabling students to organize information, enhance analytical and critical thinking, and evaluate research data effectively. A STEM-oriented model for supporting gifted students’ research activities is proposed, including personalized learning trajectories, task adaptation to individual cognitive and motivational characteristics, and integration of modern digital services. The model also emphasizes independent research, collaborative problem-solving, and project-based learning to stimulate creativity and deepen understanding of complex concepts. The research highlights technological approaches and digital tools that engage students with educational objects and research processes, including robotics kits, virtual and augmented laboratories, cloud platforms, IoT sensors, cognitive services, and knowledge graphs. These tools provide handson interaction, support data collection and analysis, and foster autonomous learning and interdisciplinary thinking. Research support tools are designed using semantic networks to model knowledge and research processes, combined with digital technologies promoting self-directed exploration and analytical reasoning. The proposed approaches enhance students’ scientific competence, develop innovative potential, and build transferable skills necessary for addressing complex real-world problems. Overall, the study offers a practical framework for implementing STEMbased strategies that nurture giftedness and research skills, preparing students for academic and professional success in a knowledge-driven society.

ABSTRACT Podcasting has emerged as an accessible and engaging pedagogical tool that promotes flexibility, autonomy, and reflection, which are central principles to student-centered learning. This study examined student perceptions of a podcast-based flipped classroom model implemented in an undergraduate kinesiology course, Medical Aspects of Sport. Seventeen short podcast episodes (M = 7.03 min, SD = 1.53) replaced traditional lectures, while in-class sessions emphasized active, applied learning through peer-led demonstrations, clinical role-plays, case discussions, and collaborative problem solving. Thirty-two students (M age = 20.7 years; 53.1% female) completed an end-of-semester qualitative survey consisting of four open-ended prompts. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to construct four major themes: (1) flexibility and convenience of podcasts, (2) engagement through active and applied learning, (3) motivation and accountability challenges in self-paced formats, and (4) mixed preferences for instructional structure. Students valued the autonomy and mobility provided by podcasts and found in-class activities effective for deepening understanding and translating concepts to professional contexts. However, several reported difficulty maintaining motivation and missed opportunities for real-time instructor feedback. These findings align with self-determination and constructivist learning theories, emphasizing how podcast-based flipped models can enhance autonomy and competence while highlighting the need for structured accountability and relational support. Collectively, this study extends prior research on flipped and audio-based learning by demonstrating how brief, intentionally designed podcasts paired with scaffolded experiential activities can enhance engagement, accessibility, and professional skill development in kinesiology education.

The END Fund's Field Entomology Mentorship Program addresses a critical gap in trained entomologists supporting onchocerciasis elimination in Africa. Unlike conventional training, this hands-on mentorship equips early to mid-career entomologists with technical expertise in critical onchocerciasis blackfly surveillance activities. The three-year program follows a phased approach, gradually increasing mentees' independence while ensuring strong mentorship. In its inaugural year, six mentees engaged in field activities across multiple countries, contributing to the development of elimination strategies, onchocerciasis surveillance, and research projects. Mentees highlight the program's transformative impact, fostering leadership, collaboration, and strategic problem-solving. Their experiences with their mentors have strengthened national program capacity and the program is building a network of skilled experts dedicated to disease elimination. As the program evolves, mentees will take on more independent roles, ensuring sustainable expertise at the country level. This initiative underscores the importance of investing in local entomological capacity to accelerate onchocerciasis elimination efforts across Africa and other endemic countries.

Collaboration and teamwork are essential skills for success in STEM disciplines, yet many classroom practices still rely heavily on individual work that has to be completed outside of class. Recent advances in generative AI tools challenge this traditional approach by enabling students to generate solutions with minimal conceptual engagement, thereby undermining homework's efficacy while highlighting the collaboration skills it often neglects. This study examines the impact of transitioning from traditional individual homework to collaborative, in-class problem-solving as a more authentic approach to improving student learning and performance. Over two consecutive years, the same undergraduate Thermodynamics course was taught using two different pedagogical models. In the first year, students completed homework individually outside of class. In the second year, individual homework assignments were replaced with structured, in-class group work. In this model, students worked in small groups to solve problems and subsequently presented their solutions to the class. The instructor facilitated discussions by guiding problem-solving strategies, checking conceptual understanding, and encouraging student engagement. While both models covered identical content with comparable problem difficulty, students in the collaborative format demonstrated stronger problem-solving skills and achieved approximately 5–10% higher exam scores, along with an overall course grade increase of about 8%. Student feedback consistently reported improved conceptual understanding through peer discussion and greater confidence in applying thermodynamics principles independently. These findings suggest that replacing homework with guided, in-class collaboration creates a more engaging learning environment and better prepares students for the collaborative and problem-solving demands of modern engineering practice, particularly in the AI era.

This study aims to analyze the implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) in forming students’ social attitudes in Social Studies learning at SMPN 1 Gedangan. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews with Social Studies teachers and students, and documentation of learning activities. The research focused on Social Studies learning with the theme of Indonesian Societal Diversity, which was implemented based on the Merdeka Curriculum using teaching modules as the main instructional reference. The findings indicate that the implementation of CTL played an important role in developing students’ social attitudes, including cooperation, responsibility, tolerance, empathy, and self-confidence. These attitudes emerged through learning activities that emphasized real-life contexts, group discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and reflective learning. Students actively participated in learning processes that encouraged interaction and the exchange of ideas, enabling them to internalize social values through meaningful experiences. The formation of students’ social attitudes was influenced by the quality of social interaction, teacher facilitation, and a supportive classroom environment. Learning activities connected to students’ daily lives allowed them to better understand social values and apply them in everyday interactions. The study concludes that Contextual Teaching and Learning is an effective pedagogical approach for integrating academic learning with the development of social attitudes through authentic and interaction-based learning experiences in Social Studies education.

Abstract As a key part of 21st-century skills, collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills have been recognized as critical to both academic achievement and professional success. This paper explores the multifaceted influences on CPS skills among ninth-grade students in Germany and tenth-grade students in China within the context of chemistry education. Methodologically, a chemical assessment tool, CPS-C, was developed based on the CPS framework of PISA 2015, and various factors including cognitive ability, prior knowledge, motivation, mental load, stress, and CPS were measured. Results revealed significant differences between German and Chinese students across these factors, highlighting cultural and educational difference. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis demonstrated the intricate relationships between these factors and CPS performance, underscoring the importance of prior knowledge, cognitive ability, and motivation in enhancing CPS skills while revealing the detrimental effects of stress on performance. Additionally, CPS skills in chemistry exhibited positive correlations with academic performance in Biology, Physics, and Mathematics, indicating the transferability of CPS skills across disciplines. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of CPS in diverse cultural and educational contexts, offering insights for educators and policymakers to design effective instructional strategies for fostering CPS skills in chemistry education.

Purpose Human resource activities are one of the key factors that lead to improved organisational performance. Still, many organisations overlook this primary aspect of performance and focus solely on tangible activities. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) support different activities of human resource management (HRM) and lead to the development of an ecosystem of continuous improvement through collaborative learning and problem solving. But it is imperative to establish the linkage of LSS with HRM, so that the performance of the employee and organisation productivity can be enhanced. For this, the present study aims to review existing studies on LSS within HRM and provide the present status quo. Further, this study also aims to present emerging themes related to LSS-HRM and develop a future reference model that leads to improved organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach This study used bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify and analyse publications in the relevant research area from 2010 to 2024. After identifying an initial set of 323 articles using the SCOPUS database, 47 articles were chosen for additional analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings The present study provides a time-phased thematic evaluation to understand evolving research themes. It also presents the theories, context, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework. Furthermore, this study presents a future research model for integrating LSS within the HRM field, aiming to enhance organisational efficacy and sustainability. Research limitations/implications Despite its valuable contributions, this study is not devoid of constraints. Firstly, as the landscape of LSS within HRM is increasing day by day, and considering this study’s scope up to 2024, there is a possibility that some of the latest articles related to the field may not have been included in this study. Secondly, as the scope of this study is narrow, other quality management methods, such as total quality management (TQM), benchmarking and just-in-time (JIT), especially their linkage with LSS, have not been considered in the study. Thirdly, as most studies related to the considered research field are descriptive, studies on the practical implementation of LSS within HRM can be included to validate the applications of LSS within HRM. Practical implications Practitioners and managers can utilise the various aspects of LSS and HRM presented in the review to enhance their employees’ knowledge base regarding LSS-HRM, thereby improving their abilities and facilitating the effective implementation of LSS within HRM. Further, the future reference model presented in the present study facilitates HR managers at both strategic and tactical levels. LSS reduces waste and fosters a culture of collaboration and ownership, resulting in improved employee retention. At the strategic level, the future reference model developed facilitates that LSS leads to improved training programs, identification of key areas of training and exploration of key performance indicators that lead to improved system capability and performance evaluation system. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is one of the first to provide a TCCM model of LSS and HRM, as well as a future model of integrated LSS and HRM, for improved organisational performance. Furthermore, the study’s uniqueness also lies in a thematic, time-framed evaluation model that facilitates a better understanding of the potential themes within the research realm.

Public service innovation is a strategic issue in public sector management and local government business, especially in the midst of increasing demands for efficiency, responsiveness, and public value creation. However, most studies still position innovation as the result of internal policies of government organizations, while the role of community participation is often treated as a supporting factor, rather than a primary driver of innovation. This research aims to analyze how community participation functions as the main driver of public service innovation in local government institutions, by placing the interaction between public actors and the community as the core of the service value creation process. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study design on the Banjarmasin City Government. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 15 informants consisting of local government officials, community representatives, and public service users, and supported by analysis of policy documents and observation of service processes. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify participation patterns, collaboration mechanisms, and forms of innovation produced. The results of the study show that community participation not only contributes to service improvement, but actively shapes the direction, design, and implementation of public service innovations through feedback mechanisms, community initiatives, and collaborative problem-solving. These findings show that public service innovation is co-productive and depends on the capacity of institutions to strategically manage community participation. This research makes a theoretical contribution by expanding the perspective of public business management through the affirmation of community participation as a source of innovation, as well as practical contributions for local governments in designing sustainable public service innovation models based on public values.

This study explored the relationship between school climate, school heads’ conflict resolution strategies, and teachers’ performance in the Schools Division of Antique during the school year 2025. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, the study aimed to determine the levels of school climate and conflict resolution strategies, assess teachers’ performance, and examine the relationships among these variables. The respondents included 326 teachers from selected public elementary and secondary schools, selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a validated researcher-developed questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and standard deviation, were used to determine variable levels, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and multiple regression analysis were applied to examine relationships and predictive influence. Results showed that school climate was perceived at a high level, particularly in teacher-student relationships, teacher collaboration, supportive environment, and overall school atmosphere. School heads’ conflict resolution strategies were also rated high, with strong performance in communication facilitation, collaborative problem-solving, and timely identification of issues. Teachers’ performance was reported as high, especially in classroom management, instructional delivery, lesson planning, and learner engagement. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships among all three variables. Multiple regression analysis indicated that school climate and conflict resolution strategies jointly predict teachers’ performance, with school climate emerging as the stronger predictor. The study concludes that cultivating a positive school climate alongside effective conflict resolution practices enhances teachers’ instructional performance and contributes to overall school effectiveness.

ABSTRACT We aimed to examine the development of collaborative problem solving (CPS) across multiple time points in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) project-based course, with a focus on the interactions between students’ cognitive and social-emotional CPS behaviors and their teacher’s behaviors. The behaviors of two selected student groups (representing high and low prior knowledge) and their teacher were recorded and transcribed across six class sessions using a researcher-developed CPS coding framework. Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) was adopted to generate detailed developmental network graphs that illustrated the interactions among coded behaviors, the strength of behavioral connections, and the frequency of behaviors. Developmental trends in network centroids and subtractive networks were compared between the high and low prior-knowledge groups over the six sessions. The results show that the STEM teacher was a significant source of shared knowledge and was particularly associated with students’ help-seeking behaviors in CPS. Despite receiving the same STEM instruction, students with different levels of prior knowledge demonstrated distinct cognitive and social-emotional interaction patterns, underscoring the importance of continuous teacher monitoring and support tailored to individual differences throughout the STEM learning process. This paper provides practical suggestions based on these findings.

Although communication quality is widely recognized as a catalyst for workplace innovation, existing research seldom integrates communication quality, trust in leadership, and organizational commitment within a single explanatory framework, particularly in team-based enterprises operating in emerging economies. This study examines how communication quality fosters employee innovation through the sequential mediating roles of trust in leadership and organizational commitment, emphasizing its contribution to sustainable enterprise performance. Rooted in Social Exchange Theory (SET), the study illustrates how transparent, reciprocal, and supportive communication enhances relational trust, strengthens employees’ emotional attachment to their organizations, and creates a climate conducive to creativity and collaborative problem-solving. A quantitative design was employed using data from employees engaged in innovation-driven projects within medium- and large-sized software firms in Turkey’s ICT sector. A total of 339 valid responses were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings demonstrate that communication quality directly promotes employee innovation and indirectly strengthens innovation through trust in leadership and organizational commitment as sequential mediators. Additionally, organizational commitment amplifies the influence of communication quality on innovation, indicating that committed employees more effectively translate constructive communication into innovative behaviors. These results underscore the strategic importance of communicative clarity, relational leadership, and commitment-building practices in shaping resilient, innovation-oriented teams. The study advances SET by identifying trust and commitment as key relational mechanisms through which communication quality drives innovation, offering theoretical enrichment and practical guidance for sustainable human resource management and team-based organizational development.

Today, most primary ESL students are experiencing difficulties trying to learn the vocabulary because of the traditional rote learning practice, which in most cases leads to low motivation and poor retention. The paper dwells on the ways to use digital escape rooms (developed with Genially) in order to enhance vocabulary acquisition among primary ESL students. Qualitative design was embraced where quantitative observations in two target classrooms were conducted; purposive sampling was employed, where ten participants were chosen in two Malaysian primary schools. Students of both lower and upper primary ESL classes were introduced to vocabulary-based digital escape rooms that were expected to encourage active learning with gamified activities and collaborative problem-solving. The findings were that both groups demonstrated great involvement of students and motivation. It was shown that the majority of the participants showed the improvement of focus, active participation, and application of newly learned vocabulary in effective situations. Remarkably, the learners experienced the interactive and immersive property of the escape rooms and indicated that it positively contributed to improving their vocabulary and confidence. The results indicate that Google-based digital escape rooms built in a Genially framework will help higher learning engagement, autonomy as well as language acquisition among pupils in primary schools.

Social collaboration in the digital age is undergoing profound transformations, as online platforms and digital tools are reshaping their forms and underlying mechanisms. Successful digital collaboration relies heavily on peer interaction, yet research on how such interactions facilitate effective problem solving remains insufficient. This study used network analysis to investigate behavioral patterns in computer-based problem solving, thereby addressing this gap. The study analyzed behavioral data from student dyads in an online CPS assessment, constructing interaction networks from coded behavioral sequences. Results revealed three key findings: (1) Groups differed significantly in use of key collaborative behavioral patterns; (2) The networks displayed an interdependent system, with Systematicity as central hubs and Conversational Interaction as crucial bridges between partners, indicating functional complementarity; (3) Successful dyads exhibited stronger, more efficient interaction pathways. Overall, collaborative success depends on peer interdependence, particularly cognitive systematicity, complementary contributions and efficient interaction, offering insights for designing computer-supported collaboration tasks.

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) model in enhancing learning activities and problem-solving skills among students with disabilities in special schools. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest–posttest control group design. The sample consisted of 130 students, divided into an experimental group (n = 65), which received CPS-based instruction, and a control group (n = 65), which received conventional teaching methods. Data collection involved pretests and posttests to assess problem-solving skills, complemented by systematic observations of learning activities. Pretest results indicated no significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p = 0.648), demonstrating comparable initial abilities. Posttest results revealed that the experimental group achieved significantly higher scores (M = 81.54, SD = 6.05) compared to the control group (M = 75.92, SD = 7.65), with a statistically significant difference (t = 4.641, p = 0.000). Observational data further indicated increased student engagement, collaboration, and active participation within the CPS group. The findings suggest that the CPS model is effective in improving learning activities and problem-solving skills among students with disabilities. Implementing CPS as an instructional strategy in special education settings can foster active learning, enhance collaboration, and lead to improved cognitive outcomes. These results support the integration of CPS into teaching practices to promote more inclusive and effective educational environments for students with diverse learning needs.

ABSTRACT Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is increasingly emphasised in education, yet the dialogic nature of collaboration, viewed through a Bakhtinian perspective, remains under-theorised. This article introduces the concept of Dialogic Collaborative Problem Solving (DCPS) as a theoretical framework that applies Bakhtinian dialogism to the context of CPS. DCPS highlights how dialogic interaction—characterised by open exchange of ideas, mutual respect, and a shared dialogic space among learners – can enhance CPS processes and outcomes. We define DCPS and emphasise the dialogic stance as the foundation for its three prerequisites: commensurability, open-mindedness, and equality of voices. We further propose a hierarchy of dialogic engagement to assess the quality of collaborative dialogue. The framework bridges theory and practice: it informs empirical research on classroom dialogue in group problem-solving and offers guidance for educators to foster more productive, dialogic interactions in CPS tasks. An illustrative scenario of three students working together is woven through the paper to demonstrate how the DCPS framework can be used to analyse and improve real-life collaborative dialogues.

Environmental education is a process that aims to form students’ understanding, attitudes, and skills in maintaining the sustainability of the school ecosystem. In this context, the Recycle Craft program is one of the creative approaches that not only focuses on waste management, but also on empowering students as agents of change in the school environment. This research aims to analyze the management of the Recycle Craft program as an effort to empower students in realizing a clean, creative, and sustainable school ecosystem. The research was carried out at the UNESA Lidah Wetan Surabaya Labschool, covering elementary, junior high, and high school levels. The qualitative approach of the case study was used by involving in-depth interviews with the principal, supervisors, program coordinators, and student groups, accompanied by participatory observation and documentation of activities during the program. The results of the thematic analysis show four main findings: (1) structured program management through planning, teacher training, and curriculum integration is able to strengthen program sustainability; (2) student empowerment emerges through active involvement in upcycling activities, group collaboration, and creative problem-solving; (3) the Recycle Craft program has an impact on the formation of environmentally caring habits in daily practice in schools; and (4) sustainability challenges such as limited resources and implementation consistency require coordination between educational units.