Group Problem Solving Research Articles

Is Distributed Cognition Group Level Cognition?

This paper shows that recent arguments from group problem solving and task performance to emergent group level cognition that rest on the social parity and related principles are invalid or question begging. The paper shows that standard attributions of problem solving or task performance to groups require only multiple agents of the outcome, not a group agent over and above its members, whether or not any individual member of the group could have accomplished the task independently.

Effectiveness of problem-solving training, exposure therapy, and the combined method on depression, anxiety, and stress in mothers of children with special needs

Aim: This study was designed with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of three methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy, including problem-solving, exposure therapy, and the combined method (the combination of both methods of problem-solving and exposure therapy) on depression, anxiety, and stress in mothers of children with special needs.Methods: Research samples consisted of 44 mothers who had children with special needs and were divided randomly into 4 groups of 11: (1) The problem-solving group, (2) the exposure group, (3) the combined group, and (4) the control group, by the use of an experimental design with pretest and posttest. The measurement tool in this study was Laviband depression, anxiety, and stress questionnaire and the data were analyzed by descriptive statistic methods such as frequency, percentage, and standard deviation; inferential statistics methods such as covariance test and post-hoc test least significant difference (LSD). Results: The results showed that all three methods were effective on improvement of both the general mental health and problems such as depression, anxiety and stress (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Based on this research and previous literature, cognitive-behavioral therapy methods, including problem-solving, exposure therapy, and the combined method were proved to be beneficial for mothers of children with disabilities, retardation, or other disorders, which can affect mental health. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the above-mentioned interventional methods are considered for these mothers.

The Value of TRIZ and its Derivatives for Interdisciplinary Group Problem Solving

The value of TRIZ for technological problem solving is widely recognized. Initially designed for an inventor working (alone) on a technical problem, it is today often used as a tool for group creativity. In this article, we report on a an experiment which was designed in order to investigate the value of concepts and tools of TRIZ and its derivatives like USIT for joint problem identification, modeling and creative problem solving in a non-technological domain by multidisciplinary teams. Further, we briefly discuss the categorization of the outcome of the creative process by a combination of TRIZ and USIT analysis tools.

Search Strategies in Complex and Ambiguous Problem Spaces: Performance Comparisons Across Group Structures Through a Controlled Experiment

The effective use of group problem solving in the search for solutions over ambiguous problem spaces remains a challenge. Through a controlled two-stage experimental design we explore the impact of group structure, problem complexity, and search strategies on problem solving performance. We find support for prior theoretical predictions regarding the impact of problem complexity on the performance among different group structures. Our results also confirm that under certain problem complexity conditions collaborative groups may search more effectively. Through a granular examination, we demonstrate that the number of solutions generated during a search might be an imperfect proxy for performance: it is neither the only predictor of performance (solution space coverage and the distance of search increments matter), nor does it necessarily have a positive impact. Finally, the effects of diverse past solution attempts during search may shape collaborative search effectiveness in non-uniform ways.

Improving your creative potential without awareness: Overinclusive thinking training

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of overinclusive thinking training (OTT) on creativity improvement. In Experiment 1, 40 undergraduates were randomly assigned to the OTT group or the control group. After the training, the participants were required to complete categorization tasks. The results show that the OTT enhanced participants’ ability to engage in overinclusive thinking. In Experiment 2, 42 undergraduates were randomly assigned to the OTT group or the control group. After the training, the participants were required to complete the Creative Thinking Test. The results show that the performance of the OTT group regarding fluency and originality was higher than that of the control group. In Experiment 3, 56 undergraduates were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group, the long-distance semantic OTT group, or the short-distance semantic OTT group. After the training, the participants were required to solve insight problems. The results show that the performance of the long-distance semantic OTT group in insight problem solving was superior to that of the short-distance semantic OTT and the control group. In Experiment 4, 50 undergraduates were randomly assigned to the OTT group or the control group. The Creative Thinking Test was performed 7 days after training. The results show that the training effect on originality remained; however, no training effect was observed on either fluency or flexibility.

Successful lean implementation: Organizational culture and soft lean practices

Lean management (LM) is a managerial approach for improving processes based on a complex system of interrelated socio-technical practices. Recently, debate has centered on the role of organizational culture (OC) in LM. This paper aims to contribute to this debate by examining whether plants that successfully implement LM are characterized by a specific OC profile and extensively adopt soft LM practices. Data were analyzed from the High Performance Manufacturing (HPM) project dataset using a multi-group approach. The results revealed that a specific OC profile characterizes successful lean plants; in particular, when compared to unsuccessful lean plants, they show a higher institutional collectivism, future orientation, a humane orientation, and a lower level of assertiveness. While a high level of institutional collectivism, future orientation, and humane orientation are common features of high performers in general, a low level of assertiveness is typical only of successful lean plants. In addition, successful lean plants use soft LM practices more extensively than unsuccessful lean plants (i.e., lean practices concerning people and relations, such as small group problem solving, employees’ training to perform multiple tasks, supplier partnerships, customer involvement, and continuous improvement), while they do not differ significantly in terms of hard LM practices (i.e., lean technical and analytical tools). For managers, the results indicate that, in order to implement LM successfully, it is fundamental to go beyond LM technicalities by adopting soft practices and nurturing the development of an appropriate OC profile.

Using interactive management to facilitate a student-centred conceptualisation of critical thinking: a case study

Critical thinking (CT) is a metacognitive process, consisting of a number of sub-skills and dispositions, that, when used appropriately, increases the chances of producing a logical solution to a problem or a valid conclusion to an argument. CT has been identified as a fundamental learning objective of third-level education; however, students often report not being given the opportunity to adequately understand and cultivate CT skills. Though most CT interventions are designed based on academic or expert definitions of CT skills, students are rarely, if ever, asked to guide their instruction by describing their perspectives on what constitutes CT. The current case study investigated students’ conceptualisations of what constitutes good CT using a collective intelligence methodology, interactive management. Interactive management (IM) is a computer-assisted process that allows a group to build a structural model describing relations between elements in a system. Though decades of research on group decision-making in educational and social psychology highlight the many limitations associated with group problem solving (e.g. as a result of an over-reliance on heuristics, cognitive biases and ‘groupthink’), a fundamental skill for making decisions and solving problems is the ability to collectively visualise the structure of a shared problem, and use this knowledge to design solutions and strategies for collective action. Results of IM group work from the current case study revealed five core CT skills (clarity of expression, conversational skill, inference, evaluation, and explanation), five CT dispositions (detachment, listening, systematicity, recognising uncertainty, and self-questioning) and fourteen structural relationships among them. The ability to detach, listen and engage in conversation with others, were seen as fundamental drivers of all other competencies in the system. Results are discussed in light of research and theory on CT and best practice for CT instruction.

Secondary implementation of interactive engagement teaching techniques: Choices and challenges in a Gulf Arab context

We report on efforts to design the “Collaborative Workshop Physics” (CWP) instructional strategy to deliver the first interactive engagement (IE) physics course at Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KU), United Arab Emirates (UAE). To our knowledge, this work reports the first calculus-based, introductory mechanics course on the Arabian Peninsula using physics education research (PER)-based instruction. A brief history and present context of general university and STEM teaching in the UAE is given. We present this secondary implementation (SI) as a case study of a novel context and use it to determine if PER-based instruction can be successfully implemented far from the cultural context of the primary developer and, if so, how might such SIs differ from SIs within the United States (U.S.) in terms of criteria for and risks to their success. With these questions in view, a prereform baseline comprised of Maryland Physics Expectations in Physics survey, Force Concept Inventory (FCI), course exam grades, and English language proficiency data are used to design a hybrid implementation of Cooperative Group Problem Solving. We find that for students with high English proficiency, normalized gain on FCI improves substantially, from ⟨g⟩=0.16±0.10 prereform to ⟨g⟩=0.47±0.08 in the CWP pilot (standard errors), indicating a successful SI. However, we also find evidence that normalized gains on FCI are strongly modulated by language proficiency and discuss likely causes. Regardless of language ability, problem-solving skill is also substantially improved and course drop-fail-withdrawal rates are cut from 50% to 24%. In particular, we find evidence in postreform student interviews that prior classroom experiences, and not broader cultural expectations about education, are the more significant cause of expectations that are at odds with the classroom norms of well-functioning PER-based instruction. We present this result as evidence that PER-based innovations can be implemented across great changes in cultural context, provided that the method is thoughtfully adapted in anticipation of context and culture-specific student expectations. This case study should be valuable for future reforms at KU, the broader Gulf region, and other institutions facing similar challenges involving SI of PER-based instruction outside the U.S.Received 18 June 2014DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.10.020123This article is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.Published by the American Physical Society

The Journey of Hope: A Group Work Intervention for Children Who Have Experienced a Collective Trauma

This article presents the Journey of Hope, a school-based group work intervention for children and early adolescents who have experienced a collective trauma such as a natural disaster. This broad-based intervention takes an ecological approach to prevention and treatment and focuses on normalizing emotions and building coping skills after a disaster. Through the use of group work interventions such as use of rituals, group problem solving, and experiential and reflective learning, children and early adolescents work toward enhancing protective factors to help them in their recovery. Considering the short- and long-term emotional strains children may experience after a disaster, such group programs should be more widely accessible in schools.

A randomized controlled trial of illness management and recovery with an active control group.

The purpose of the study was to rigorously test Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) against an active control group in a sample that included veterans. A total of 118 participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 56 of whom were veterans, were recruited from a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center and a community mental health center in the same city and were randomly assigned to an IMR group (N=60) or a weekly problem-solving group intervention (N=58). Groups met weekly for nine months. Blinded assessments were conducted at baseline, nine months, and 18 months on measures of symptoms, functioning, illness self-management, medication adherence, subjective recovery experiences, and service utilization. No significant differences were found between IMR and problem-solving groups. Participants in both groups improved significantly over time in symptom severity, illness management, and quality of life and had fewer emergency department visits. Participation rates in both interventions were low. Only 28% of consumers assigned to IMR and 17% of those assigned to the problem-solving group participated in more than half the scheduled groups, and 23% and 34%, respectively, attended no sessions. This is the first randomized controlled trial of IMR to report negative findings. Given the inclusion of an active control group and the low participation rates, further research is needed to understand factors affecting IMR effectiveness. Increased attention may need to be paid to facilitate more active participation in IMR, such as individual follow-up with consumers and the integration of IMR with ongoing treatment.

Group medical visits in primary care for patients with diabetes and low socioeconomic status: users' perspectives and lessons for practitioners.

This article describes a qualitative research study that examines the encounters by patients of low socioeconomic status with a group medical visit (GMV) program for individuals with or at risk for diabetes. The goal of this study was to generate insights that could be used to guide the development of an inner-city community health centre's GMV services. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 patients who took part in a GMV program that was offered to patients of an inner-city community health centre that serves individuals with low income or homelessness. The interviews addressed barriers to and incentives for attending the GMV program, the GMV program's influence on diabetes-related knowledge and attitudes, and the patients' experience of health and quality of life. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to organize the interview data according to themes and subthemes. Participants described how the GMV program was implemented, the qualities of a good facilitator, diabetes management as a change process, the role of group members in supporting the change process, and provided general feedback and suggestions. This article concludes with a series of considerations for the implementation of GMVs. These considerations address group cohesion, the therapeutic effects of group problem solving and support, and the implementation of behaviour-change interventions in GMVs.

Pembelajaran Kontekstual Untuk Mengembangkan Kemampuan Komunikasi Dan Pemecahan Masalah Matematika Siswa SMP

Subjects in the study were students of class VIII junior secondary school class one experimental and one control class. The instrument used in this study consists of two instruments, namely, (1) test communications and mathematical problem solving that aims to measure communication skills and mathematical problem solving of students after learning, and (2) the scale of attitude that serves to express students' applied learning the class eksperimen.Fromdata analysis in this study, it is concluded that (1) the ability of students in mathematical communication in the group of students that uses contextual learning better than students who studied with conventional learning. (2) The ability of students in mathematical problem solving in student groups that usecontextual learning better than students who studied with conventional learning. (3) There is a very high correlation between communication skills and mathematical problem solving of students. This means that the rank obtained by the students on communication skills with a rating similar to that obtained in mathematical problem solving ability. There are also associations at anatara enough communication skills to solving mathematical problems. This shows that student achievement in communication skills similar to mathematical problem solving ability and vice versa. Correlations and associations found in both groups. 4) the scale of students' attitudes toward learning context shows that the majority of students expressed agreement the learning activities that took place during the study.

MO‐E‐18C‐03: Incorporating Active Learning Into A Traditional Graduate Medical Physics Course

Purpose:To improve the ability of graduate students to learn medical physics concepts through the incorporation of active learning techniques.Methods:A traditional lecture‐based radiological physics course was modified such that: (1) traditional (two‐hour) lectures were provided online for students to watch prior to class, (2) a student was chosen randomly at the start of each class to give a two minute synopsis of the material and its relevance (two‐minute drill), (3) lectures were significantly abbreviated and remaining classroom time used for group problem solving, and (4) videos of the abbreviated lectures were made available online for review. In the transition year, students were surveyed about the perceived effects of these changes on learning. Student performance was evaluated for 3 years prior to and 4 years after modification.Results:The survey tool used a five point scale from 1=Not True to 5=Very True. While nearly all students reviewed written materials prior to class (4.3±0.9), a minority watched the lectures (2.1±1.5). A larger number watched the abbreviated lectures for further clarification (3.6±1.6) and found it helpful in learning the content (4.2±1.0). Most felt that the two‐minute drill helped them get more out of the lecture (3.9±0.8) and the problem solving contributed to their understanding of the content (4.1±0.8). However, no significant improvement in exam scores resulted from the modifications (mean scores well within 1 SD during study period).Conclusion:Students felt that active learning techniques improved their ability to learn the material in what is considered the most difficult course in the program. They valued the ability to review the abbreviated class lecture more than the opportunity to watch traditional lectures prior to class. While no significant changes in student performance were observed, aptitude variations across the student cohorts make it difficult to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of active learning.

The cognitive demands of understanding the sample space

According to our analysis of cognitive demands, the concepts of classification, logical multiplication and ratio provide a basis for understanding sample space. These basic concepts develop during the elementary school years, which suggest that it is possible to teach elementary school children effectively about sample space. This hypothesis was tested in an intervention study, in which Grade 6 children (aged 10–11 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a sample space group (SSG), a problem-solving group, and an unseen comparison group. The SSG showed significantly more progress than both comparison groups in three post-tests, including one given 2 months after the teaching had ended. We conclude that our analysis of the cognitive demands of sample space was supported and discuss the implications for mathematics education.

Using erroneous examples to improve mathematics learning with a web-based tutoring system

This study examines whether asking students to critique incorrect solutions to decimal problems based on common misconceptions can help them learn about decimals better than asking them to solve the same problems and receive feedback. In a web-based tutoring system, 208 middle school students either had to identify, explain, and correct errors made by a fictional student (erroneous examples group) or solve isomorphic versions of the problems with feedback (problem-solving group). Although the two groups did not differ significantly on an immediate posttest, students in the erroneous examples group performed significantly better on a delayed posttest administered one week later (d=.62). Students in the erroneous examples group also were more accurate at judging whether their posttest answers were correct (d=.49). Students in the problem-solving group reported higher satisfaction with the materials than those in the erroneous examples group, indicating that liking instructional materials does not equate to learning from them. Overall, practice in identifying, explaining, and correcting errors may help students process decimal problems at a deeper level, and thereby help them overcome misconceptions and build a lasting understanding of decimals.

전래동화를 활용한 언어표현 교육활동이 만 3세 유아의 사회성 기술에 미치는 효과

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of traditional fairy tales verbal expression education on 3-year-old children's social skills. The subjects of this study were 50 3-year-old children at four different private daycare centers in the Kyungnam province. 25 preschoolers were selected as an experimental group, and the others were selected as a control group. The collected data were analyzed by the statistical package SPSS by t- test, MANOVA and ANOVA. The findings of the study were as follows: First, differences between the experimental group and the control group in social skills were significant. There were differences between the experimental group and the control group in problem solving and self-confidence. There was no difference in emotional expression and sense of order. Second, the Cohen's effect size shows that traditional fairy tales verbal expression education effects children's problem solving and self-confidence.

Intervention for Adolescents With Early-Onset Psychosis and Their Families: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The present study aims to assess the efficacy of a structured psychoeducational group intervention for adolescents with early-onset psychosis and their families. The intervention was implemented in parallel in 2 separate groups by focusing specifically on problem-solving strategies and structured psychosis-related information to manage daily life difficulties associated with the disease, to mitigate crises, and to prevent relapses. We performed a 9-month, randomized, rater-blinded clinical trial involving 55 adolescent patients with early-onset psychosis and either or both of their parents. A psychoeducational problem-solving group intervention (n = 27) was compared with a nonstructured group intervention (n = 28). The primary outcomes were number of hospitalizations, days of hospitalization, and visits to the emergency department. The secondary outcome measures were clinical variables and family environment. Assessments were performed before and after the intervention. At the end of the group intervention, 15% of patients in the psychoeducational group and 39% patients in the nonstructured group had visited the emergency department (χ² = 3.62, df = 1, p = .039). The improvement in negative symptoms was more pronounced in the psychoeducational group (12.84 [7.87]) than in the nonstructured group (15.81 [6.37]) (p = .039). A parallel psychoeducational group intervention providing written instructions in a structured manner could help adolescents with early-onset psychosis and their parents to manage crises by implementing problem-solving strategies within the family, thus reducing the number of visits to the emergency department. Negative symptoms improved in adolescents in the psychoeducational group. Clinical trial registration information--Intervention Module AGES (AGES-CM); http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT02101372. [corrected].

Pain Management for Persons Living With HIV Disease: Experience With Interprofessional Education in Nigeria.

Pain management (PM) has not been routinely incorporated into HIV/AIDS care and treatment in resource-constrained settings. We describe training for multidisciplinary teams tasked with integrating care management into HIV clinics to address pain for persons living with HIV in Nigeria. Education on PM was provided to mixed-disciplinary teams including didactic and iterative sessions following home and hospital visits. Participants identified challenges and performed group problem solving. HIV trainers identified barriers to introducing PM reflecting views of the patient, providers, culture, and the health environment. Implementation strategies included (1) building upon existing relationships; (2) preliminary advocacy; (3) attention to staff needs; and (4) structured data review. Implementing PM in Nigerian HIV clinics requires recognition of cultural beliefs.

Team‐based learning in the gross anatomy lab improves academic performance and student attitudes towards teamwork (721.14)

As the healthcare climate shifts towards increased interdisciplinary patient care, it is essential that students become accomplished at group problem solving and develop positive attitudes towards teamwork. Team‐based learning (TBL) has become a popular approach to medical education because of its ability to promote these factors. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of TBL and perceptions of teamwork among physical therapy students who were exposed to a traditional model of gross anatomy education and those who were involved in a lecture and hybrid lab experience (dissection/TBL). We surveyed students at the beginning and completion of gross anatomy as well as students who had previously completed a traditional anatomy course and found that the inclusion of TBL in the anatomy lab significantly improves student attitudes towards working with peers. Comparison of academic performance between TBL and non‐TBL students revealed that students who participated in TBL scored significantly higher on their first anatomy practical and on their head/neck written exam. When asked to rate their role in a group, a 10.5% increase in the mean rank score for problem solver resulted after the completion of the TBL‐based anatomy course. Our data indicates that TBL is an effective supplement to cadaveric dissection in the laboratory portion of gross anatomy, improving both student grades and perceptions of teamwork.

Individual Preference for Procedural Order and Process Accountability in Group Problem-Solving

An experiment compared interaction process and task performance of groups composed of members with high or low preference for procedural order, assigned to an individual or group process accountability condition. Procedural order preference did not affect the use of procedures nor did procedures affect task performance. Competing hypotheses on the effects of process accountability were tested: One set of hypotheses was based on higher motivation among high order preference groups because accountability amplifies their natural work predispositions; the other set was based on higher motivation among low order preference groups because accountability induces cognitive dissonance in them. Results supported the amplifying hypotheses. High order preference groups exchanged more information, perceived their discussions as more orderly, and produced more feasible task solutions. Compared with group process accountability, individual accountability led to less information exchange in both high and low order preference groups, but low order preference groups under individual accountability produced the least feasible task solutions of all groups. Implications for the match between individual work habit preferences and task context demands are discussed.