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• Published: 11 January 2023

The effectiveness of collaborative problem solving in promoting students’ critical thinking: A meta-analysis based on empirical literature

• Enwei Xu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6424-8169 1 ,
• Wei Wang 1 &
• Qingxia Wang 1  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  10 , Article number:  16 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Collaborative problem-solving has been widely embraced in the classroom instruction of critical thinking, which is regarded as the core of curriculum reform based on key competencies in the field of education as well as a key competence for learners in the 21st century. However, the effectiveness of collaborative problem-solving in promoting students’ critical thinking remains uncertain. This current research presents the major findings of a meta-analysis of 36 pieces of the literature revealed in worldwide educational periodicals during the 21st century to identify the effectiveness of collaborative problem-solving in promoting students’ critical thinking and to determine, based on evidence, whether and to what extent collaborative problem solving can result in a rise or decrease in critical thinking. The findings show that (1) collaborative problem solving is an effective teaching approach to foster students’ critical thinking, with a significant overall effect size (ES = 0.82, z  = 12.78, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.69, 0.95]); (2) in respect to the dimensions of critical thinking, collaborative problem solving can significantly and successfully enhance students’ attitudinal tendencies (ES = 1.17, z  = 7.62, P  < 0.01, 95% CI[0.87, 1.47]); nevertheless, it falls short in terms of improving students’ cognitive skills, having only an upper-middle impact (ES = 0.70, z  = 11.55, P  < 0.01, 95% CI[0.58, 0.82]); and (3) the teaching type (chi 2  = 7.20, P  < 0.05), intervention duration (chi 2  = 12.18, P  < 0.01), subject area (chi 2  = 13.36, P  < 0.05), group size (chi 2  = 8.77, P  < 0.05), and learning scaffold (chi 2  = 9.03, P  < 0.01) all have an impact on critical thinking, and they can be viewed as important moderating factors that affect how critical thinking develops. On the basis of these results, recommendations are made for further study and instruction to better support students’ critical thinking in the context of collaborative problem-solving.

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Introduction.

Although critical thinking has a long history in research, the concept of critical thinking, which is regarded as an essential competence for learners in the 21st century, has recently attracted more attention from researchers and teaching practitioners (National Research Council, 2012 ). Critical thinking should be the core of curriculum reform based on key competencies in the field of education (Peng and Deng, 2017 ) because students with critical thinking can not only understand the meaning of knowledge but also effectively solve practical problems in real life even after knowledge is forgotten (Kek and Huijser, 2011 ). The definition of critical thinking is not universal (Ennis, 1989 ; Castle, 2009 ; Niu et al., 2013 ). In general, the definition of critical thinking is a self-aware and self-regulated thought process (Facione, 1990 ; Niu et al., 2013 ). It refers to the cognitive skills needed to interpret, analyze, synthesize, reason, and evaluate information as well as the attitudinal tendency to apply these abilities (Halpern, 2001 ). The view that critical thinking can be taught and learned through curriculum teaching has been widely supported by many researchers (e.g., Kuncel, 2011 ; Leng and Lu, 2020 ), leading to educators’ efforts to foster it among students. In the field of teaching practice, there are three types of courses for teaching critical thinking (Ennis, 1989 ). The first is an independent curriculum in which critical thinking is taught and cultivated without involving the knowledge of specific disciplines; the second is an integrated curriculum in which critical thinking is integrated into the teaching of other disciplines as a clear teaching goal; and the third is a mixed curriculum in which critical thinking is taught in parallel to the teaching of other disciplines for mixed teaching training. Furthermore, numerous measuring tools have been developed by researchers and educators to measure critical thinking in the context of teaching practice. These include standardized measurement tools, such as WGCTA, CCTST, CCTT, and CCTDI, which have been verified by repeated experiments and are considered effective and reliable by international scholars (Facione and Facione, 1992 ). In short, descriptions of critical thinking, including its two dimensions of attitudinal tendency and cognitive skills, different types of teaching courses, and standardized measurement tools provide a complex normative framework for understanding, teaching, and evaluating critical thinking.

Cultivating critical thinking in curriculum teaching can start with a problem, and one of the most popular critical thinking instructional approaches is problem-based learning (Liu et al., 2020 ). Duch et al. ( 2001 ) noted that problem-based learning in group collaboration is progressive active learning, which can improve students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Collaborative problem-solving is the organic integration of collaborative learning and problem-based learning, which takes learners as the center of the learning process and uses problems with poor structure in real-world situations as the starting point for the learning process (Liang et al., 2017 ). Students learn the knowledge needed to solve problems in a collaborative group, reach a consensus on problems in the field, and form solutions through social cooperation methods, such as dialogue, interpretation, questioning, debate, negotiation, and reflection, thus promoting the development of learners’ domain knowledge and critical thinking (Cindy, 2004 ; Liang et al., 2017 ).

Collaborative problem-solving has been widely used in the teaching practice of critical thinking, and several studies have attempted to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical literature on critical thinking from various perspectives. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of collaborative problem-solving on critical thinking. Therefore, the best approach for developing and enhancing critical thinking throughout collaborative problem-solving is to examine how to implement critical thinking instruction; however, this issue is still unexplored, which means that many teachers are incapable of better instructing critical thinking (Leng and Lu, 2020 ; Niu et al., 2013 ). For example, Huber ( 2016 ) provided the meta-analysis findings of 71 publications on gaining critical thinking over various time frames in college with the aim of determining whether critical thinking was truly teachable. These authors found that learners significantly improve their critical thinking while in college and that critical thinking differs with factors such as teaching strategies, intervention duration, subject area, and teaching type. The usefulness of collaborative problem-solving in fostering students’ critical thinking, however, was not determined by this study, nor did it reveal whether there existed significant variations among the different elements. A meta-analysis of 31 pieces of educational literature was conducted by Liu et al. ( 2020 ) to assess the impact of problem-solving on college students’ critical thinking. These authors found that problem-solving could promote the development of critical thinking among college students and proposed establishing a reasonable group structure for problem-solving in a follow-up study to improve students’ critical thinking. Additionally, previous empirical studies have reached inconclusive and even contradictory conclusions about whether and to what extent collaborative problem-solving increases or decreases critical thinking levels. As an illustration, Yang et al. ( 2008 ) carried out an experiment on the integrated curriculum teaching of college students based on a web bulletin board with the goal of fostering participants’ critical thinking in the context of collaborative problem-solving. These authors’ research revealed that through sharing, debating, examining, and reflecting on various experiences and ideas, collaborative problem-solving can considerably enhance students’ critical thinking in real-life problem situations. In contrast, collaborative problem-solving had a positive impact on learners’ interaction and could improve learning interest and motivation but could not significantly improve students’ critical thinking when compared to traditional classroom teaching, according to research by Naber and Wyatt ( 2014 ) and Sendag and Odabasi ( 2009 ) on undergraduate and high school students, respectively.

The above studies show that there is inconsistency regarding the effectiveness of collaborative problem-solving in promoting students’ critical thinking. Therefore, it is essential to conduct a thorough and trustworthy review to detect and decide whether and to what degree collaborative problem-solving can result in a rise or decrease in critical thinking. Meta-analysis is a quantitative analysis approach that is utilized to examine quantitative data from various separate studies that are all focused on the same research topic. This approach characterizes the effectiveness of its impact by averaging the effect sizes of numerous qualitative studies in an effort to reduce the uncertainty brought on by independent research and produce more conclusive findings (Lipsey and Wilson, 2001 ).

This paper used a meta-analytic approach and carried out a meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of collaborative problem-solving in promoting students’ critical thinking in order to make a contribution to both research and practice. The following research questions were addressed by this meta-analysis:

What is the overall effect size of collaborative problem-solving in promoting students’ critical thinking and its impact on the two dimensions of critical thinking (i.e., attitudinal tendency and cognitive skills)?

How are the disparities between the study conclusions impacted by various moderating variables if the impacts of various experimental designs in the included studies are heterogeneous?

This research followed the strict procedures (e.g., database searching, identification, screening, eligibility, merging, duplicate removal, and analysis of included studies) of Cooper’s ( 2010 ) proposed meta-analysis approach for examining quantitative data from various separate studies that are all focused on the same research topic. The relevant empirical research that appeared in worldwide educational periodicals within the 21st century was subjected to this meta-analysis using Rev-Man 5.4. The consistency of the data extracted separately by two researchers was tested using Cohen’s kappa coefficient, and a publication bias test and a heterogeneity test were run on the sample data to ascertain the quality of this meta-analysis.

Data sources and search strategies

There were three stages to the data collection process for this meta-analysis, as shown in Fig. 1 , which shows the number of articles included and eliminated during the selection process based on the statement and study eligibility criteria.

This flowchart shows the number of records identified, included and excluded in the article.

First, the databases used to systematically search for relevant articles were the journal papers of the Web of Science Core Collection and the Chinese Core source journal, as well as the Chinese Social Science Citation Index (CSSCI) source journal papers included in CNKI. These databases were selected because they are credible platforms that are sources of scholarly and peer-reviewed information with advanced search tools and contain literature relevant to the subject of our topic from reliable researchers and experts. The search string with the Boolean operator used in the Web of Science was “TS = (((“critical thinking” or “ct” and “pretest” or “posttest”) or (“critical thinking” or “ct” and “control group” or “quasi experiment” or “experiment”)) and (“collaboration” or “collaborative learning” or “CSCL”) and (“problem solving” or “problem-based learning” or “PBL”))”. The research area was “Education Educational Research”, and the search period was “January 1, 2000, to December 30, 2021”. A total of 412 papers were obtained. The search string with the Boolean operator used in the CNKI was “SU = (‘critical thinking’*‘collaboration’ + ‘critical thinking’*‘collaborative learning’ + ‘critical thinking’*‘CSCL’ + ‘critical thinking’*‘problem solving’ + ‘critical thinking’*‘problem-based learning’ + ‘critical thinking’*‘PBL’ + ‘critical thinking’*‘problem oriented’) AND FT = (‘experiment’ + ‘quasi experiment’ + ‘pretest’ + ‘posttest’ + ‘empirical study’)” (translated into Chinese when searching). A total of 56 studies were found throughout the search period of “January 2000 to December 2021”. From the databases, all duplicates and retractions were eliminated before exporting the references into Endnote, a program for managing bibliographic references. In all, 466 studies were found.

Second, the studies that matched the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the meta-analysis were chosen by two researchers after they had reviewed the abstracts and titles of the gathered articles, yielding a total of 126 studies.

Third, two researchers thoroughly reviewed each included article’s whole text in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meanwhile, a snowball search was performed using the references and citations of the included articles to ensure complete coverage of the articles. Ultimately, 36 articles were kept.

Two researchers worked together to carry out this entire process, and a consensus rate of almost 94.7% was reached after discussion and negotiation to clarify any emerging differences.

Eligibility criteria

Since not all the retrieved studies matched the criteria for this meta-analysis, eligibility criteria for both inclusion and exclusion were developed as follows:

The publication language of the included studies was limited to English and Chinese, and the full text could be obtained. Articles that did not meet the publication language and articles not published between 2000 and 2021 were excluded.

The research design of the included studies must be empirical and quantitative studies that can assess the effect of collaborative problem-solving on the development of critical thinking. Articles that could not identify the causal mechanisms by which collaborative problem-solving affects critical thinking, such as review articles and theoretical articles, were excluded.

The research method of the included studies must feature a randomized control experiment or a quasi-experiment, or a natural experiment, which have a higher degree of internal validity with strong experimental designs and can all plausibly provide evidence that critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving are causally related. Articles with non-experimental research methods, such as purely correlational or observational studies, were excluded.

The participants of the included studies were only students in school, including K-12 students and college students. Articles in which the participants were non-school students, such as social workers or adult learners, were excluded.

The research results of the included studies must mention definite signs that may be utilized to gauge critical thinking’s impact (e.g., sample size, mean value, or standard deviation). Articles that lacked specific measurement indicators for critical thinking and could not calculate the effect size were excluded.

Data coding design

In order to perform a meta-analysis, it is necessary to collect the most important information from the articles, codify that information’s properties, and convert descriptive data into quantitative data. Therefore, this study designed a data coding template (see Table 1 ). Ultimately, 16 coding fields were retained.

The designed data-coding template consisted of three pieces of information. Basic information about the papers was included in the descriptive information: the publishing year, author, serial number, and title of the paper.

The variable information for the experimental design had three variables: the independent variable (instruction method), the dependent variable (critical thinking), and the moderating variable (learning stage, teaching type, intervention duration, learning scaffold, group size, measuring tool, and subject area). Depending on the topic of this study, the intervention strategy, as the independent variable, was coded into collaborative and non-collaborative problem-solving. The dependent variable, critical thinking, was coded as a cognitive skill and an attitudinal tendency. And seven moderating variables were created by grouping and combining the experimental design variables discovered within the 36 studies (see Table 1 ), where learning stages were encoded as higher education, high school, middle school, and primary school or lower; teaching types were encoded as mixed courses, integrated courses, and independent courses; intervention durations were encoded as 0–1 weeks, 1–4 weeks, 4–12 weeks, and more than 12 weeks; group sizes were encoded as 2–3 persons, 4–6 persons, 7–10 persons, and more than 10 persons; learning scaffolds were encoded as teacher-supported learning scaffold, technique-supported learning scaffold, and resource-supported learning scaffold; measuring tools were encoded as standardized measurement tools (e.g., WGCTA, CCTT, CCTST, and CCTDI) and self-adapting measurement tools (e.g., modified or made by researchers); and subject areas were encoded according to the specific subjects used in the 36 included studies.

The data information contained three metrics for measuring critical thinking: sample size, average value, and standard deviation. It is vital to remember that studies with various experimental designs frequently adopt various formulas to determine the effect size. And this paper used Morris’ proposed standardized mean difference (SMD) calculation formula ( 2008 , p. 369; see Supplementary Table S3 ).

Procedure for extracting and coding data

According to the data coding template (see Table 1 ), the 36 papers’ information was retrieved by two researchers, who then entered them into Excel (see Supplementary Table S1 ). The results of each study were extracted separately in the data extraction procedure if an article contained numerous studies on critical thinking, or if a study assessed different critical thinking dimensions. For instance, Tiwari et al. ( 2010 ) used four time points, which were viewed as numerous different studies, to examine the outcomes of critical thinking, and Chen ( 2013 ) included the two outcome variables of attitudinal tendency and cognitive skills, which were regarded as two studies. After discussion and negotiation during data extraction, the two researchers’ consistency test coefficients were roughly 93.27%. Supplementary Table S2 details the key characteristics of the 36 included articles with 79 effect quantities, including descriptive information (e.g., the publishing year, author, serial number, and title of the paper), variable information (e.g., independent variables, dependent variables, and moderating variables), and data information (e.g., mean values, standard deviations, and sample size). Following that, testing for publication bias and heterogeneity was done on the sample data using the Rev-Man 5.4 software, and then the test results were used to conduct a meta-analysis.

Publication bias test

When the sample of studies included in a meta-analysis does not accurately reflect the general status of research on the relevant subject, publication bias is said to be exhibited in this research. The reliability and accuracy of the meta-analysis may be impacted by publication bias. Due to this, the meta-analysis needs to check the sample data for publication bias (Stewart et al., 2006 ). A popular method to check for publication bias is the funnel plot; and it is unlikely that there will be publishing bias when the data are equally dispersed on either side of the average effect size and targeted within the higher region. The data are equally dispersed within the higher portion of the efficient zone, consistent with the funnel plot connected with this analysis (see Fig. 2 ), indicating that publication bias is unlikely in this situation.

This funnel plot shows the result of publication bias of 79 effect quantities across 36 studies.

Heterogeneity test

To select the appropriate effect models for the meta-analysis, one might use the results of a heterogeneity test on the data effect sizes. In a meta-analysis, it is common practice to gauge the degree of data heterogeneity using the I 2 value, and I 2  ≥ 50% is typically understood to denote medium-high heterogeneity, which calls for the adoption of a random effect model; if not, a fixed effect model ought to be applied (Lipsey and Wilson, 2001 ). The findings of the heterogeneity test in this paper (see Table 2 ) revealed that I 2 was 86% and displayed significant heterogeneity ( P  < 0.01). To ensure accuracy and reliability, the overall effect size ought to be calculated utilizing the random effect model.

The analysis of the overall effect size

This meta-analysis utilized a random effect model to examine 79 effect quantities from 36 studies after eliminating heterogeneity. In accordance with Cohen’s criterion (Cohen, 1992 ), it is abundantly clear from the analysis results, which are shown in the forest plot of the overall effect (see Fig. 3 ), that the cumulative impact size of cooperative problem-solving is 0.82, which is statistically significant ( z  = 12.78, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.69, 0.95]), and can encourage learners to practice critical thinking.

This forest plot shows the analysis result of the overall effect size across 36 studies.

In addition, this study examined two distinct dimensions of critical thinking to better understand the precise contributions that collaborative problem-solving makes to the growth of critical thinking. The findings (see Table 3 ) indicate that collaborative problem-solving improves cognitive skills (ES = 0.70) and attitudinal tendency (ES = 1.17), with significant intergroup differences (chi 2  = 7.95, P  < 0.01). Although collaborative problem-solving improves both dimensions of critical thinking, it is essential to point out that the improvements in students’ attitudinal tendency are much more pronounced and have a significant comprehensive effect (ES = 1.17, z  = 7.62, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.87, 1.47]), whereas gains in learners’ cognitive skill are slightly improved and are just above average. (ES = 0.70, z  = 11.55, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.58, 0.82]).

The analysis of moderator effect size

The whole forest plot’s 79 effect quantities underwent a two-tailed test, which revealed significant heterogeneity ( I 2  = 86%, z  = 12.78, P  < 0.01), indicating differences between various effect sizes that may have been influenced by moderating factors other than sampling error. Therefore, exploring possible moderating factors that might produce considerable heterogeneity was done using subgroup analysis, such as the learning stage, learning scaffold, teaching type, group size, duration of the intervention, measuring tool, and the subject area included in the 36 experimental designs, in order to further explore the key factors that influence critical thinking. The findings (see Table 4 ) indicate that various moderating factors have advantageous effects on critical thinking. In this situation, the subject area (chi 2  = 13.36, P  < 0.05), group size (chi 2  = 8.77, P  < 0.05), intervention duration (chi 2  = 12.18, P  < 0.01), learning scaffold (chi 2  = 9.03, P  < 0.01), and teaching type (chi 2  = 7.20, P  < 0.05) are all significant moderators that can be applied to support the cultivation of critical thinking. However, since the learning stage and the measuring tools did not significantly differ among intergroup (chi 2  = 3.15, P  = 0.21 > 0.05, and chi 2  = 0.08, P  = 0.78 > 0.05), we are unable to explain why these two factors are crucial in supporting the cultivation of critical thinking in the context of collaborative problem-solving. These are the precise outcomes, as follows:

Various learning stages influenced critical thinking positively, without significant intergroup differences (chi 2  = 3.15, P  = 0.21 > 0.05). High school was first on the list of effect sizes (ES = 1.36, P  < 0.01), then higher education (ES = 0.78, P  < 0.01), and middle school (ES = 0.73, P  < 0.01). These results show that, despite the learning stage’s beneficial influence on cultivating learners’ critical thinking, we are unable to explain why it is essential for cultivating critical thinking in the context of collaborative problem-solving.

Different teaching types had varying degrees of positive impact on critical thinking, with significant intergroup differences (chi 2  = 7.20, P  < 0.05). The effect size was ranked as follows: mixed courses (ES = 1.34, P  < 0.01), integrated courses (ES = 0.81, P  < 0.01), and independent courses (ES = 0.27, P  < 0.01). These results indicate that the most effective approach to cultivate critical thinking utilizing collaborative problem solving is through the teaching type of mixed courses.

Various intervention durations significantly improved critical thinking, and there were significant intergroup differences (chi 2  = 12.18, P  < 0.01). The effect sizes related to this variable showed a tendency to increase with longer intervention durations. The improvement in critical thinking reached a significant level (ES = 0.85, P  < 0.01) after more than 12 weeks of training. These findings indicate that the intervention duration and critical thinking’s impact are positively correlated, with a longer intervention duration having a greater effect.

Different learning scaffolds influenced critical thinking positively, with significant intergroup differences (chi 2  = 9.03, P  < 0.01). The resource-supported learning scaffold (ES = 0.69, P  < 0.01) acquired a medium-to-higher level of impact, the technique-supported learning scaffold (ES = 0.63, P  < 0.01) also attained a medium-to-higher level of impact, and the teacher-supported learning scaffold (ES = 0.92, P  < 0.01) displayed a high level of significant impact. These results show that the learning scaffold with teacher support has the greatest impact on cultivating critical thinking.

Various group sizes influenced critical thinking positively, and the intergroup differences were statistically significant (chi 2  = 8.77, P  < 0.05). Critical thinking showed a general declining trend with increasing group size. The overall effect size of 2–3 people in this situation was the biggest (ES = 0.99, P  < 0.01), and when the group size was greater than 7 people, the improvement in critical thinking was at the lower-middle level (ES < 0.5, P  < 0.01). These results show that the impact on critical thinking is positively connected with group size, and as group size grows, so does the overall impact.

Various measuring tools influenced critical thinking positively, with significant intergroup differences (chi 2  = 0.08, P  = 0.78 > 0.05). In this situation, the self-adapting measurement tools obtained an upper-medium level of effect (ES = 0.78), whereas the complete effect size of the standardized measurement tools was the largest, achieving a significant level of effect (ES = 0.84, P  < 0.01). These results show that, despite the beneficial influence of the measuring tool on cultivating critical thinking, we are unable to explain why it is crucial in fostering the growth of critical thinking by utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving.

Different subject areas had a greater impact on critical thinking, and the intergroup differences were statistically significant (chi 2  = 13.36, P  < 0.05). Mathematics had the greatest overall impact, achieving a significant level of effect (ES = 1.68, P  < 0.01), followed by science (ES = 1.25, P  < 0.01) and medical science (ES = 0.87, P  < 0.01), both of which also achieved a significant level of effect. Programming technology was the least effective (ES = 0.39, P  < 0.01), only having a medium-low degree of effect compared to education (ES = 0.72, P  < 0.01) and other fields (such as language, art, and social sciences) (ES = 0.58, P  < 0.01). These results suggest that scientific fields (e.g., mathematics, science) may be the most effective subject areas for cultivating critical thinking utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving.

The effectiveness of collaborative problem solving with regard to teaching critical thinking

According to this meta-analysis, using collaborative problem-solving as an intervention strategy in critical thinking teaching has a considerable amount of impact on cultivating learners’ critical thinking as a whole and has a favorable promotional effect on the two dimensions of critical thinking. According to certain studies, collaborative problem solving, the most frequently used critical thinking teaching strategy in curriculum instruction can considerably enhance students’ critical thinking (e.g., Liang et al., 2017 ; Liu et al., 2020 ; Cindy, 2004 ). This meta-analysis provides convergent data support for the above research views. Thus, the findings of this meta-analysis not only effectively address the first research query regarding the overall effect of cultivating critical thinking and its impact on the two dimensions of critical thinking (i.e., attitudinal tendency and cognitive skills) utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving, but also enhance our confidence in cultivating critical thinking by using collaborative problem-solving intervention approach in the context of classroom teaching.

Furthermore, the associated improvements in attitudinal tendency are much stronger, but the corresponding improvements in cognitive skill are only marginally better. According to certain studies, cognitive skill differs from the attitudinal tendency in classroom instruction; the cultivation and development of the former as a key ability is a process of gradual accumulation, while the latter as an attitude is affected by the context of the teaching situation (e.g., a novel and exciting teaching approach, challenging and rewarding tasks) (Halpern, 2001 ; Wei and Hong, 2022 ). Collaborative problem-solving as a teaching approach is exciting and interesting, as well as rewarding and challenging; because it takes the learners as the focus and examines problems with poor structure in real situations, and it can inspire students to fully realize their potential for problem-solving, which will significantly improve their attitudinal tendency toward solving problems (Liu et al., 2020 ). Similar to how collaborative problem-solving influences attitudinal tendency, attitudinal tendency impacts cognitive skill when attempting to solve a problem (Liu et al., 2020 ; Zhang et al., 2022 ), and stronger attitudinal tendencies are associated with improved learning achievement and cognitive ability in students (Sison, 2008 ; Zhang et al., 2022 ). It can be seen that the two specific dimensions of critical thinking as well as critical thinking as a whole are affected by collaborative problem-solving, and this study illuminates the nuanced links between cognitive skills and attitudinal tendencies with regard to these two dimensions of critical thinking. To fully develop students’ capacity for critical thinking, future empirical research should pay closer attention to cognitive skills.

The moderating effects of collaborative problem solving with regard to teaching critical thinking

In order to further explore the key factors that influence critical thinking, exploring possible moderating effects that might produce considerable heterogeneity was done using subgroup analysis. The findings show that the moderating factors, such as the teaching type, learning stage, group size, learning scaffold, duration of the intervention, measuring tool, and the subject area included in the 36 experimental designs, could all support the cultivation of collaborative problem-solving in critical thinking. Among them, the effect size differences between the learning stage and measuring tool are not significant, which does not explain why these two factors are crucial in supporting the cultivation of critical thinking utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving.

In terms of the learning stage, various learning stages influenced critical thinking positively without significant intergroup differences, indicating that we are unable to explain why it is crucial in fostering the growth of critical thinking.

Although high education accounts for 70.89% of all empirical studies performed by researchers, high school may be the appropriate learning stage to foster students’ critical thinking by utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving since it has the largest overall effect size. This phenomenon may be related to student’s cognitive development, which needs to be further studied in follow-up research.

With regard to teaching type, mixed course teaching may be the best teaching method to cultivate students’ critical thinking. Relevant studies have shown that in the actual teaching process if students are trained in thinking methods alone, the methods they learn are isolated and divorced from subject knowledge, which is not conducive to their transfer of thinking methods; therefore, if students’ thinking is trained only in subject teaching without systematic method training, it is challenging to apply to real-world circumstances (Ruggiero, 2012 ; Hu and Liu, 2015 ). Teaching critical thinking as mixed course teaching in parallel to other subject teachings can achieve the best effect on learners’ critical thinking, and explicit critical thinking instruction is more effective than less explicit critical thinking instruction (Bensley and Spero, 2014 ).

In terms of the intervention duration, with longer intervention times, the overall effect size shows an upward tendency. Thus, the intervention duration and critical thinking’s impact are positively correlated. Critical thinking, as a key competency for students in the 21st century, is difficult to get a meaningful improvement in a brief intervention duration. Instead, it could be developed over a lengthy period of time through consistent teaching and the progressive accumulation of knowledge (Halpern, 2001 ; Hu and Liu, 2015 ). Therefore, future empirical studies ought to take these restrictions into account throughout a longer period of critical thinking instruction.

With regard to group size, a group size of 2–3 persons has the highest effect size, and the comprehensive effect size decreases with increasing group size in general. This outcome is in line with some research findings; as an example, a group composed of two to four members is most appropriate for collaborative learning (Schellens and Valcke, 2006 ). However, the meta-analysis results also indicate that once the group size exceeds 7 people, small groups cannot produce better interaction and performance than large groups. This may be because the learning scaffolds of technique support, resource support, and teacher support improve the frequency and effectiveness of interaction among group members, and a collaborative group with more members may increase the diversity of views, which is helpful to cultivate critical thinking utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving.

With regard to the learning scaffold, the three different kinds of learning scaffolds can all enhance critical thinking. Among them, the teacher-supported learning scaffold has the largest overall effect size, demonstrating the interdependence of effective learning scaffolds and collaborative problem-solving. This outcome is in line with some research findings; as an example, a successful strategy is to encourage learners to collaborate, come up with solutions, and develop critical thinking skills by using learning scaffolds (Reiser, 2004 ; Xu et al., 2022 ); learning scaffolds can lower task complexity and unpleasant feelings while also enticing students to engage in learning activities (Wood et al., 2006 ); learning scaffolds are designed to assist students in using learning approaches more successfully to adapt the collaborative problem-solving process, and the teacher-supported learning scaffolds have the greatest influence on critical thinking in this process because they are more targeted, informative, and timely (Xu et al., 2022 ).

With respect to the measuring tool, despite the fact that standardized measurement tools (such as the WGCTA, CCTT, and CCTST) have been acknowledged as trustworthy and effective by worldwide experts, only 54.43% of the research included in this meta-analysis adopted them for assessment, and the results indicated no intergroup differences. These results suggest that not all teaching circumstances are appropriate for measuring critical thinking using standardized measurement tools. “The measuring tools for measuring thinking ability have limits in assessing learners in educational situations and should be adapted appropriately to accurately assess the changes in learners’ critical thinking.”, according to Simpson and Courtney ( 2002 , p. 91). As a result, in order to more fully and precisely gauge how learners’ critical thinking has evolved, we must properly modify standardized measuring tools based on collaborative problem-solving learning contexts.

With regard to the subject area, the comprehensive effect size of science departments (e.g., mathematics, science, medical science) is larger than that of language arts and social sciences. Some recent international education reforms have noted that critical thinking is a basic part of scientific literacy. Students with scientific literacy can prove the rationality of their judgment according to accurate evidence and reasonable standards when they face challenges or poorly structured problems (Kyndt et al., 2013 ), which makes critical thinking crucial for developing scientific understanding and applying this understanding to practical problem solving for problems related to science, technology, and society (Yore et al., 2007 ).

Suggestions for critical thinking teaching

Other than those stated in the discussion above, the following suggestions are offered for critical thinking instruction utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving.

First, teachers should put a special emphasis on the two core elements, which are collaboration and problem-solving, to design real problems based on collaborative situations. This meta-analysis provides evidence to support the view that collaborative problem-solving has a strong synergistic effect on promoting students’ critical thinking. Asking questions about real situations and allowing learners to take part in critical discussions on real problems during class instruction are key ways to teach critical thinking rather than simply reading speculative articles without practice (Mulnix, 2012 ). Furthermore, the improvement of students’ critical thinking is realized through cognitive conflict with other learners in the problem situation (Yang et al., 2008 ). Consequently, it is essential for teachers to put a special emphasis on the two core elements, which are collaboration and problem-solving, and design real problems and encourage students to discuss, negotiate, and argue based on collaborative problem-solving situations.

Second, teachers should design and implement mixed courses to cultivate learners’ critical thinking, utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving. Critical thinking can be taught through curriculum instruction (Kuncel, 2011 ; Leng and Lu, 2020 ), with the goal of cultivating learners’ critical thinking for flexible transfer and application in real problem-solving situations. This meta-analysis shows that mixed course teaching has a highly substantial impact on the cultivation and promotion of learners’ critical thinking. Therefore, teachers should design and implement mixed course teaching with real collaborative problem-solving situations in combination with the knowledge content of specific disciplines in conventional teaching, teach methods and strategies of critical thinking based on poorly structured problems to help students master critical thinking, and provide practical activities in which students can interact with each other to develop knowledge construction and critical thinking utilizing the approach of collaborative problem-solving.

Third, teachers should be more trained in critical thinking, particularly preservice teachers, and they also should be conscious of the ways in which teachers’ support for learning scaffolds can promote critical thinking. The learning scaffold supported by teachers had the greatest impact on learners’ critical thinking, in addition to being more directive, targeted, and timely (Wood et al., 2006 ). Critical thinking can only be effectively taught when teachers recognize the significance of critical thinking for students’ growth and use the proper approaches while designing instructional activities (Forawi, 2016 ). Therefore, with the intention of enabling teachers to create learning scaffolds to cultivate learners’ critical thinking utilizing the approach of collaborative problem solving, it is essential to concentrate on the teacher-supported learning scaffolds and enhance the instruction for teaching critical thinking to teachers, especially preservice teachers.

Implications and limitations

There are certain limitations in this meta-analysis, but future research can correct them. First, the search languages were restricted to English and Chinese, so it is possible that pertinent studies that were written in other languages were overlooked, resulting in an inadequate number of articles for review. Second, these data provided by the included studies are partially missing, such as whether teachers were trained in the theory and practice of critical thinking, the average age and gender of learners, and the differences in critical thinking among learners of various ages and genders. Third, as is typical for review articles, more studies were released while this meta-analysis was being done; therefore, it had a time limit. With the development of relevant research, future studies focusing on these issues are highly relevant and needed.

Conclusions

The subject of the magnitude of collaborative problem-solving’s impact on fostering students’ critical thinking, which received scant attention from other studies, was successfully addressed by this study. The question of the effectiveness of collaborative problem-solving in promoting students’ critical thinking was addressed in this study, which addressed a topic that had gotten little attention in earlier research. The following conclusions can be made:

Regarding the results obtained, collaborative problem solving is an effective teaching approach to foster learners’ critical thinking, with a significant overall effect size (ES = 0.82, z  = 12.78, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.69, 0.95]). With respect to the dimensions of critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving can significantly and effectively improve students’ attitudinal tendency, and the comprehensive effect is significant (ES = 1.17, z  = 7.62, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.87, 1.47]); nevertheless, it falls short in terms of improving students’ cognitive skills, having only an upper-middle impact (ES = 0.70, z  = 11.55, P  < 0.01, 95% CI [0.58, 0.82]).

As demonstrated by both the results and the discussion, there are varying degrees of beneficial effects on students’ critical thinking from all seven moderating factors, which were found across 36 studies. In this context, the teaching type (chi 2  = 7.20, P  < 0.05), intervention duration (chi 2  = 12.18, P  < 0.01), subject area (chi 2  = 13.36, P  < 0.05), group size (chi 2  = 8.77, P  < 0.05), and learning scaffold (chi 2  = 9.03, P  < 0.01) all have a positive impact on critical thinking, and they can be viewed as important moderating factors that affect how critical thinking develops. Since the learning stage (chi 2  = 3.15, P  = 0.21 > 0.05) and measuring tools (chi 2  = 0.08, P  = 0.78 > 0.05) did not demonstrate any significant intergroup differences, we are unable to explain why these two factors are crucial in supporting the cultivation of critical thinking in the context of collaborative problem-solving.

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included within the article and its supplementary information files, and the supplementary information files are available in the Dataverse repository: https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/IPFJO6 .

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the graduate scientific research and innovation project of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region named “Research on in-depth learning of high school information technology courses for the cultivation of computing thinking” (No. XJ2022G190) and the independent innovation fund project for doctoral students of the College of Educational Science of Xinjiang Normal University named “Research on project-based teaching of high school information technology courses from the perspective of discipline core literacy” (No. XJNUJKYA2003).

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Xu, E., Wang, W. & Wang, Q. The effectiveness of collaborative problem solving in promoting students’ critical thinking: A meta-analysis based on empirical literature. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 10 , 16 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01508-1

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Collaborative Problem Solving: What It Is and How to Do It

What is collaborative problem solving, how to solve problems as a team, celebrating success as a team.

Problems arise. That's a well-known fact of life and business. When they do, it may seem more straightforward to take individual ownership of the problem and immediately run with trying to solve it. However, the most effective problem-solving solutions often come through collaborative problem solving.

As defined by Webster's Dictionary , the word collaborate is to work jointly with others or together, especially in an intellectual endeavor. Therefore, collaborative problem solving (CPS) is essentially solving problems by working together as a team. While problems can and are solved individually, CPS often brings about the best resolution to a problem while also developing a team atmosphere and encouraging creative thinking.

Because collaborative problem solving involves multiple people and ideas, there are some techniques that can help you stay on track, engage efficiently, and communicate effectively during collaboration.

• Set Expectations. From the very beginning, expectations for openness and respect must be established for CPS to be effective. Everyone participating should feel that their ideas will be heard and valued.
• Provide Variety. Another way of providing variety can be by eliciting individuals outside the organization but affected by the problem. This may mean involving various levels of leadership from the ground floor to the top of the organization. It may be that you involve someone from bookkeeping in a marketing problem-solving session. A perspective from someone not involved in the day-to-day of the problem can often provide valuable insight.
• Communicate Clearly.  If the problem is not well-defined, the solution can't be. By clearly defining the problem, the framework for collaborative problem solving is narrowed and more effective.
• Expand the Possibilities.  Think beyond what is offered. Take a discarded idea and expand upon it. Turn it upside down and inside out. What is good about it? What needs improvement? Sometimes the best ideas are those that have been discarded rather than reworked.
• Encourage Creativity.  Out-of-the-box thinking is one of the great benefits of collaborative problem-solving. This may mean that solutions are proposed that have no way of working, but a small nugget makes its way from that creative thought to evolution into the perfect solution.
• Provide Positive Feedback. There are many reasons participants may hold back in a collaborative problem-solving meeting. Fear of performance evaluation, lack of confidence, lack of clarity, and hierarchy concerns are just a few of the reasons people may not initially participate in a meeting. Positive public feedback early on in the meeting will eliminate some of these concerns and create more participation and more possible solutions.
• Consider Solutions. Once several possible ideas have been identified, discuss the advantages and drawbacks of each one until a consensus is made.
• Assign Tasks.  A problem identified and a solution selected is not a problem solved. Once a solution is determined, assign tasks to work towards a resolution. A team that has been invested in the creation of the solution will be invested in its resolution. The best time to act is now.
• Evaluate the Solution. Reconnect as a team once the solution is implemented and the problem is solved. What went well? What didn't? Why? Collaboration doesn't necessarily end when the problem is solved. The solution to the problem is often the next step towards a new collaboration.

The burden that is lifted when a problem is solved is enough victory for some. However, a team that plays together should celebrate together. It's not only collaboration that brings unity to a team. It's also the combined celebration of a unified victory—the moment you look around and realize the collectiveness of your success.

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Collaborative problem solvers are made not born – here’s what you need to know

Professor of Cognitive Sciences, University of Central Florida

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Stephen M. Fiore has received funding from federal agencies such as NASA, ONR, DARPA, and the NSF to study collaborative problem solving and teamwork. He is past president of the Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research, currently a board member of the International Network for the Science of Team Science, and a member of DARPA's Information Science and Technology working group.

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Challenges are a fact of life. Whether it’s a high-tech company figuring out how to shrink its carbon footprint, or a local community trying to identify new revenue sources, people are continually dealing with problems that require input from others. In the modern world, we face problems that are broad in scope and great in scale of impact – think of trying to understand and identify potential solutions related to climate change, cybersecurity or authoritarian leaders.

But people usually aren’t born competent in collaborative problem-solving. In fact, a famous turn of phrase about teams is that a team of experts does not make an expert team . Just as troubling, the evidence suggests that, for the most part, people aren’t being taught this skill either. A 2012 survey by the American Management Association found that higher level managers believed recent college graduates lack collaboration abilities .

Maybe even worse, college grads seem to overestimate their own competence. One 2015 survey found nearly two-thirds of recent graduates believed they can effectively work in a team, but only one-third of managers agreed . The tragic irony is that the less competent you are, the less accurate is your self-assessment of your own competence. It seems that this infamous Dunning-Kruger effect can also occur for teamwork.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that in a 2015 international assessment of hundreds of thousands of students, less than 10% performed at the highest level of collaboration . For example, the vast majority of students could not overcome teamwork obstacles or resolve conflict. They were not able to monitor group dynamics or to engage in the kind of actions needed to make sure the team interacted according to their roles. Given that all these students have had group learning opportunities in and out of school over many years, this points to a global deficit in the acquisition of collaboration skills.

How can this deficiency be addressed? What makes one team effective while another fails? How can educators improve training and testing of collaborative problem-solving? Drawing from disciplines that study cognition, collaboration and learning, my colleagues and I have been studying teamwork processes. Based on this research, we have three key recommendations.

How it should work

At the most general level, collaborative problem-solving requires team members to establish and maintain a shared understanding of the situation they’re facing and any relevant problem elements they’ve identified. At the start, there’s typically an uneven distribution of knowledge on a team. Members must maintain communication to help each other know who knows what, as well as help each other interpret elements of the problem and which expertise should be applied.

Then the team can get to work, laying out subtasks based upon member roles, or creating mechanisms to coordinate member actions. They’ll critique possible solutions to identify the most appropriate path forward.

Finally, at a higher level, collaborative problem-solving requires keeping the team organized – for example, by monitoring interactions and providing feedback to each other. Team members need, at least, basic interpersonal competencies that help them manage relationships within the team (like encouraging participation) and communication (like listening to learn). Even better is the more sophisticated ability to take others’ perspectives, in order to consider alternative views of problem elements.

Whether it is a team of professionals in an organization or a team of scientists solving complex scientific problems , communicating clearly, managing conflict, understanding roles on a team, and knowing who knows what – all are collaboration skills related to effective teamwork.

What’s going wrong in the classroom?

When so many students are continually engaged in group projects, or collaborative learning, why are they not learning about teamwork? There are interrelated factors that may be creating graduates who collaborate poorly but who think they are quite good at teamwork.

I suggest students vastly overestimate their collaboration skills due to the dangerous combination of a lack of systematic instruction coupled with inadequate feedback. On the one hand, students engage in a great deal of group work in high school and college. On the other hand, students rarely receive meaningful instruction, modeling and feedback on collaboration . Decades of research on learning show that explicit instruction and feedback are crucial for mastery .

Although classes that implement collaborative problem-solving do provide some instruction and feedback, it’s not necessarily about their teamwork. Students are learning about concepts in classes; they are acquiring knowledge about a domain. What is missing is something that forces them to explicitly reflect on their ability to work with others.

When students process feedback on how well they learned something, or whether they solved a problem, they mistakenly think this is also indicative of effective teamwork. I hypothesize that students come to conflate learning course content material in any group context with collaboration competency.

A prescription for better collaborators

Now that we’ve defined the problem, what can be done? A century of research on team training , combined with decades of research on group learning in the classroom , points the way forward. My colleagues and I have distilled some core elements from this literature to suggest improvements for collaborative learning .

First, most pressing is to get training on teamwork into the world’s classrooms. At a minimum, this needs to happen during college undergraduate education, but even better would be starting in high school or earlier. Research has demonstrated it’s possible to teach collaboration competencies such as dealing with conflict and communicating to learn. Researchers and educators need, themselves, to collaborate to adapt these methods for the classroom.

Secondly, students need opportunities for practice. Although most already have experience working in groups, this needs to move beyond science and engineering classes. Students need to learn to work across disciplines so after graduation they can work across professions on solving complex societal problems.

Third, any systematic instruction and practice setting needs to include feedback. This is not simply feedback on whether they solved the problem or did well on learning course content. Rather, it needs to be feedback on interpersonal competencies that drive successful collaboration. Instructors should assess students on teamwork processes like relationship management, where they encourage participation from each other, as well as skills in communication where they actively listen to their teammates.

Even better would be feedback telling students how well they were able to take on the perspective of a teammate from another discipline. For example, was the engineering student able to take the view of a student in law and understand the legal ramifications of a new technology’s implementation?

My colleagues and I believe that explicit instruction on how to collaborate, opportunities for practice, and feedback about collaboration processes will better prepare today’s students to work together to solve tomorrow’s problems.

• Decision making
• Cooperation
• Problem solving
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• Wicked problems
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• College graduates
• 21st century skills
• Group decision making
• Collaborative problem solving

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15 Problem-Solving Strategies for Projects and Teams

In project management and team collaboration, problem-solving is the process of identifying and resolving issues that arise during a project. It is a crucial skill that helps fix broken processes, improve performance, and identify opportunities. Problem-solving enables project managers and team leaders to overcome challenges and achieve success.

In this blog article, we will explore 15 problem-solving strategies that can revolutionize your approach and help you achieve success. From effective communication techniques to fostering collaboration, these strategies are designed to tackle the most common obstacles encountered in project management. Get ready to unlock the potential of your projects and teams with these tried-and-tested problem-solving strategies!

The 5 Whys Analysis

This problem-solving technique aims to uncover a problem's underlying cause by repeatedly asking the question, "Why?". The goal is to dig deep and identify the root cause rather than addressing surface-level symptoms. By asking "Why?" five times or more, depending on the complexity of the problem, you and your team members can gain valuable insights into the chain of events or processes that led to the issue. This method helps expose weaknesses, improve processes, and achieve project goals.

SWOT Analysis in Project Management

A SWOT analysis is a valuable tool in project management that helps identify and evaluate the internal pros and cons, weaknesses and strengths, and the external impacts that can threaten your project. By examining these factors, project managers can better understand the project's current state and potential risks.

SWOT analysis provides insights that help decision-making, resource allocation, and risk mitigation strategies. It allows project teams to counter threats, address weaknesses, and capitalize on strengths, ultimately enhancing project success.

Bring in a Facilitator

A skilled facilitator can provide objective guidance, ensure everyone's participation, and create a safe space for open discussions. They can help the project team effectively identify and evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Additionally, a facilitator can assist in summarizing and documenting the analysis, ensuring clarity and alignment among team members. Bringing in a facilitator enhances quality and efficiency, leading to better project outcomes.

Root Cause Analysis

Root Cause Analysis is a systematic approach used to identify the underlying causes of problems or incidents. It involves investigating the factors contributing to an issue rather than just addressing the symptoms.

By understanding the root causes, organizations can develop effective solutions to prevent similar problems from recurring in the future. This analysis helps improve processes, enhance quality, and reduce risks, ultimately leading to better outcomes and customer satisfaction.

Kipling Method

Also known as the 6 W's, this technique is used to gather information and comprehensively understand a situation. It involves asking and answering six key questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. Addressing these questions helps team members and leaders analyze and evaluate a problem or decision from various angles, ensuring a thorough examination of the topic at hand. This method is widely used in journalism, problem-solving, and decision-making processes.

Work Backward

Working backward is a problem-solving approach where you start with the desired outcome and then identify the steps needed to achieve it. This method allows you to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable tasks.

By starting with the end goal in mind, you can create a clear roadmap and prioritize actions accordingly. Working backward helps ensure that your efforts are focused and aligned with the desired outcome, leading to more efficient and effective problem-solving.

Trial and Error

Trial and Error is a problem-solving approach that involves trying different solutions and learning from the outcomes. It is a standard method used to discover what works and what doesn't in various situations. By systematically testing different options, you can identify the most effective solution through a process of elimination.

Trial and Error allow team members flexibility and adaptability, as it encourages learning from mistakes and refining strategies based on feedback. This approach can be beneficial when dealing with complex or ambiguous problems that require experimentation.

Risk Analysis and Mitigation within Teams

Risk analysis and mitigation play a crucial role in project management. By identifying and planning for potential risks, teams can prevent problems. One effective way to facilitate this process is by utilizing project management software.

Project management software such as ActiveCollab provides a centralized platform where teams can document and track risks throughout the project lifecycle. This software often includes features such as risk registers , where risks can be identified, categorized, and assigned to team members for mitigation. Additionally, the software may offer risk assessment tools that help teams evaluate the impact and likelihood of each risk.

With ActiveCollab, teams can collaborate in real time, ensuring all members can access the latest risk information. This promotes transparency and allows immediate communication and decision-making regarding risk mitigation strategies.

Using project management software for risk analysis and mitigation, your team members can proactively address potential challenges, minimize project disruptions, and improve project success rates.

Implementing Conflict Resolution Techniques

Conflict resolution techniques are essential for maintaining healthy relationships and fostering a positive work environment. Some effective methods include active listening, communication skills training, mediation, negotiation, and compromise. Conflicts can be understood and resolved more effectively by actively listening to all parties involved and encouraging open and honest communication.

Mediation allows a neutral third party to facilitate discussions, while negotiation and compromise help find mutually agreeable solutions. These techniques promote understanding, empathy, and collaboration, improving relationships and increasing productivity.

Scenario Planning and Forecasting

Scenario planning and forecasting are essential tools used by organizations to anticipate and prepare for future uncertainties. Scenario planning involves creating multiple plausible narratives or scenarios to explore possible futures, allowing decision-makers to identify risks and opportunities. Forecasting, on the other hand, uses historical data and statistical models to project future outcomes.

Combining these approaches allows businesses to develop robust strategies and make informed decisions in an ever-changing and unpredictable environment. This proactive approach helps organizations adapt, minimize risks, and seize opportunities, ensuring long-term success and resilience in an uncertain world.

Brainstorming and Ideation Sessions

Brainstorming and ideation sessions are great for generating creative ideas and solutions. You can bring together a diverse group of individuals while these sessions help them with collaboration and free thinking. Participants in brainstorming sessions are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas without judgment, allowing for a wide range of possibilities to be explored.

The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, with the understanding that quantity leads to quality. Through active listening and open-mindedness, participants can build upon each other's ideas and spark new insights. This collaborative process fosters innovation and can lead to breakthrough solutions to complex problems.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that emphasizes empathy, creativity, and collaboration. It involves understanding the needs and experiences of users, generating a wide range of ideas, prototyping, testing solutions, and iterating based on feedback.

It encourages a human-centered and iterative mindset, which leads to exploring multiple possibilities before arriving at a final solution. Design Thinking enables teams to approach challenges with an open mind, fostering innovation and driving meaningful change. By putting people at the heart of the process, Design Thinking helps create solutions that meet their needs and aspirations.

Creating a Feedback Loop with Team Members

Creating a feedback loop with team members leads to a culture of continuous improvement. Regularly soliciting positive and constructive feedback allows open communication, builds trust, and enhances teamwork. Encourage team members to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

Actively listen to their feedback, acknowledge their contributions, and provide actionable insights to help them grow professionally. Remember, a well-functioning feedback loop promotes collaboration, boosts morale, and ultimately leads to better outcomes for the entire team.

Agile Principles for Efficient Problem-Solving (Enhance Flexibility and Responsiveness)

Agile principles are values and practices that enhance flexibility and responsiveness in problem-solving. These principles prioritize individuals and interactions, working solutions, customer collaboration, and responding to change.

Agile principles promote a more efficient problem-solving process by encouraging frequent communication and collaboration. Iterative development, continuous feedback, and adaptive planning are key components of agile problem-solving, allowing teams to adapt and respond to changing requirements quickly. Focusing on delivering value to the customer and embracing change enables organizations to address problems efficiently and effectively.

Importance of Effective Problem-Solving

Effective problem-solving is crucial in project management as it ensures that issues are identified, analyzed, and resolved promptly and efficiently. By integrating problem-solving strategies with project management software like ActiveCollab, teams can enhance collaboration and streamline workflow.

Integrating problem-solving strategies with project management software allows for better communication and coordination among team members. It enables teams to track the progress of problem-solving activities, assign tasks, and monitor deadlines, ensuring everyone is on the same page. This integration also facilitates the sharing of information and knowledge, enabling teams to leverage their collective expertise and experience.

Moreover, project management software such as ActiveCollab provides a centralized platform where team members can document and access relevant information, making it easier to analyze problems and make informed decisions. It also allows the implementation of feedback loops, enabling continuous improvement and learning from past experiences.

In conclusion, integrating problem-solving strategies with ActiveCollab enhances teamwork, improves communication, and facilitates the efficient resolution of issues. This integration ultimately contributes to the successful execution of projects and achieving desired outcomes.

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• Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools »

Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools

Collaborative Problem Solving ® (CPS) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed practice that helps students meet expectations, reduces concerning behavior, builds students’ skills, and strengthens their relationships with educators.

Collaborative Problem Solving is designed to meet the needs of all children, including those with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. It promotes the understanding that students who have trouble meeting expectations or managing their behavior lack the skill—not the will—to do so. These students struggle with skills related to problem-solving, flexibility, and frustration tolerance. Collaborative Problem Solving has been shown to help build these skills.

Collaborative Problem Solving avoids using power, control, and motivational procedures. Instead, it focuses on collaborating with students to solve the problems leading to them not meeting expectations and displaying concerning behavior. This trauma-informed approach provides staff with actionable strategies for trauma-sensitive education and aims to mitigate implicit bias’s impact on school discipline . It integrates with MTSS frameworks, PBIS, restorative practices, and SEL approaches, such as RULER. Collaborative Problem Solving reduces challenging behavior and teacher stress while building future-ready skills and relationships between educators and students.

Transform School Discipline

Traditional school discipline is broken, it doesn’t result in improved behavior or improved relationships between educators and students. In addition, it has been shown to be disproportionately applied to students of color. The Collaborative Problem Solving approach is an equitable and effective form of relational discipline that reduces concerning behavior and teacher stress while building skills and relationships between educators and students. Learn more >>

A Client’s Story

Collaborative Problem Solving and SEL

Collaborative Problem Solving aligns with CASEL’s five core competencies by building relationships between teachers and students using everyday situations. Students develop the skills they need to prepare for the real world, including problem-solving, collaboration and communication, flexibility, perspective-taking, and empathy. Collaborative Problem Solving makes social-emotional learning actionable.

Collaborative Problem Solving and MTSS

The Collaborative Problem Solving approach integrates with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in educational settings. CPS benefits all students and can be implemented across the three tiers of support within an MTSS framework to effectively identify and meet the diverse social emotional and behavioral needs of students in schools. Learn More >>

The Results

Our research has shown that the Collaborative Problem Solving approach helps kids and adults build crucial social-emotional skills and leads to dramatic decreases in behavior problems across various settings. Results in schools include remarkable reductions in time spent out of class, detentions, suspensions, injuries, teacher stress, and alternative placements as well as increases in emotional safety, attendance, academic growth, and family participation.

Educators, join us in this introductory course and develop your behavioral growth mindset!

This 2-hour, self-paced course introduces the principles of Collaborative Problem Solving ®  while outlining how the approach is uniquely suited to the needs of today's educators and students. Tuition: $39 Enroll Now

Bring CPS to Your School

We can help you bring a more accurate, compassionate, and effective approach to working with children to your school or district.

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How to Solve Problems

To bring the best ideas forward, teams must build psychological safety. by Laura Amico

Teams today aren’t just asked to execute tasks: They’re called upon to solve problems. You’d think that many brains working together would mean better solutions, but the reality is that too often problem-solving teams fall victim to inefficiency, conflict, and cautious conclusions. The two charts below will help your team think about how to collaborate better and come up with the best solutions for the thorniest challenges.

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Collaborative problem solving: Overcome challenges with effective solutions & techniques

Learn the most effective solutions and techniques for teamwork and collaboration.

Supriya Sarkar

Problem-solving

Promoting collaborative problem-solving is a fundamental imperative for any organization. The conventional approach to problem-solving, which often places an undue burden on a single individual, is not without its drawbacks. These include a heightened risk of errors, underutilization of the diverse talent pool, and the constraining nature of this approach.

On the contrary, when embracing problem-solving through team collaboration, organizations stand to gain a significant boost in productivity and overall performance. This approach leverages collective intelligence, creativity, and skills, leading to more effective and innovative solutions.

Can collaborative problem-solving fail?

A collaborative problem-solving approach undoubtedly offers numerous advantages, yet it is not free from challenges. Collaboration issues frequently stem from factors like inadequate communication, limited diversity of thought, lack of trust, and interpersonal conflicts. Regrettably, organizations often overlook these challenges. This leads to detrimental impacts on project timelines, budget efficiency, and even on the project success.

How can you solve collaboration challenges?

Clear communication.

Poor communication stands out as a predominant cause for the failure of numerous collaboration efforts. When team members lack clarity about the problem at hand, their designated roles, shared objectives, or the processes, collaboration initiatives are prone to falter. In order to ensure the success of collaborative endeavors, it is essential to communicate the following key aspects explicitly:

• Define the problem and establish clear goals.
• Allocate roles and responsibilities within the team.
• Set realistic timelines for the project.
• Identify the methods and tools in use.

Furthermore, fostering an environment that encourages team members to contribute suggestions and ideas is paramount. Implementing a feedback mechanism facilitates a two-way communication flow, allowing for valuable insights, the development of empathy, and the cultivation of trust. 

Build Trust

Trust is the crucial element in any collaborative effort. When team members trust one another, it creates an environment where ideas, opinions, and alternative solutions can flow freely without fear of being judged or criticized. For leaders, the imperative of nurturing trust within their teams cannot be over-emphasized. Trust is the catalyst that allows team members to open up about their challenges and concerns without hesitation. Building trust also improves accountability, team alignment, and satisfaction. 

Open communication plays a pivotal role in cultivating and cementing trust. Regular, transparent, and honest communication becomes the bridge that solidifies the bonds of trust within the team, creating an atmosphere where collaboration and shared success thrive.

Appreciation

Appreciation plays a pivotal role in maintaining team motivation. While constructive feedback helps refine and optimize workflow, acknowledging and celebrating team members’ contributions goes a step further by instilling confidence and trust. Recognizing the efforts and achievements of your team not only uplifts morale but also reinforces the belief that their work is valued and significant. Appreciating team members will create a more positive and motivated work environment, leading to better collaborative effort for the team's success and cohesion.

Workplace Diversity

Diversity involves welcoming individuals from different backgrounds, encompassing diverse experiences, skills, cultures, lifestyles, and education. It is a valuable asset in the workplace as it broadens perspectives and enhances collaborative problem-solving. Workplace diversity fosters creativity, encourages fresh approaches, and sparks innovation. On the contrary, a team lacking diversity may find itself constrained by a narrow outlook, resulting in conventional and less effective solutions. In essence, embracing diversity leads to a rich and more dynamic environment that fuels innovation and success.

Continuous Learning

Learning is the cornerstone of growth for individuals, teams, leaders, and companies. Prioritizing learning and upskilling within your team doesn't just boost efficiency and effectiveness; it injects fresh, advanced problem-solving approaches.

However, it's not just successes but also failures that hold significant value. Failure often provides insights and lessons that no formal course can offer. It is essential for a team to examine past mistakes and learn from them. This process fosters personal and collective development, sparks innovation, and safeguards against the recurrence of prior errors.

Recognizing and reflecting as a team should become a routine practice. Capture and document important lessons, data, and insights from failures and utilize this knowledge to tackle future challenges more effectively.

Making collaborative communication engaging will help you get the best out of the team. Below are a few helpful techniques that you can put into action.

Helpful techniques to make collaborative communication engaging

1- build on ideas.

Encourage a culture of collaboration by building on each other's ideas rather than resorting to an either/or mentality. Embrace team members' suggestions as opportunities for growth and innovation. Acknowledging and incorporating their input fosters a more inclusive and dynamic environment.

2- SWOT Analysis

Utilize a SWOT analysis technique to analyze proposed ideas critically. Evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This structured approach allows for a more comprehensive examination before accepting or rejecting suggestions, leading to well-informed decisions.

3- Incorporate New Possibilities

Keep an open mind and explore how to integrate new possibilities into existing ideas. By synergizing innovative concepts with established ones, you can enhance the effectiveness of your solutions. This approach promotes adaptability and continuous improvement.

4- Win-Win Approach

Embrace a "win-win" philosophy when communicating with your team. Foster a collective mindset, shifting from "you vs. me" to "we." This mindset encourages cooperation, shared responsibility, and a sense of unity. Collaborative problem-solving is most effective when team members are aligned on their objectives and work together harmoniously.

Collaborative problem-solving capitalizes on the collective talents of your team. Creative minds, combined with positive and open communication, can yield innovative solutions that an individual may not discover. To maximize the potential of the team members, nurture a culture of collaboration and open dialogue.

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How to Use Collaborative Problem-Solving to Get to the Right Answers--Quickly

Making critical decisions alone in a tumultuous economy isn't just difficult--it's also inadvisable. you need to tap the knowledge in your team through rapid collaboration..

Faced with a tough decision that needs to be made quickly, most leaders' command-and- control instincts kick in. They are often wrong. In a world changing at an extraordinary pace, expecting a leader under pressure to make the call alone is to overlook the talent in the team.

The better answer is quick-fire collaboration. Today's economy demands that value be extracted from the interdependencies within a team. The real challenge of rapid decision-making is to adopt behaviors and practices that accelerate team collaboration .

Rapid, collaborative decision-making is at the heart of the principle I call co-elevation . By definition, co-elevation happens when a team is committed to the growth of the business-- and one another. They go higher, together. They don't just co-exist. When team members merely co-exist, and collaboration is the exception rather than the rule, attitudes of resistance and resentment often take hold. Co-elevating teams prosper because they share the weight of the toughest decisions. (You can find tools and resources at coelevation.com .)

Collaborative Problem-Solving

One symptom of a team struggling to collaborate is meetings being used for report-outs. If your best people meet to read out reports rather than to solve problems, you are wasting the most valuable resource you have. Collaborative problem-solving (CPS) changes that by breaking down group conflict avoidance and encouraging candor.

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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5 Tips to Make Collaborative Problem Solving Work for Your Team

January 25, 2021 - 5 min read

For project managers, the art of problem solving lies in getting people together who all have their own areas of expertise and then finding the most effective and efficient way to move forward. This can be a complicated, painstaking process, and it's often easy to lose sight of the big picture along the way. Still, by taking on collaborative problem solving with clear goals, leaders are more likely to discover smart, creative solutions to help the team progress in its mission.

Here are five tips that can make the difference in coming up with powerful, collaborative problem solving techniques that work for your unique projects:

1. Bring the Right Attitude to the Table

A collaborative problem solving approach starts with setting everyone's expectations appropriately and coming in to a meeting ready to hear and discuss many different viewpoints . Working together means presenting a variety of ideas and finding useful ways to draw connections instead of treating the project as a competition. That doesn't mean every suggestion is going to be a good one or practical with the available time and budget, but sometimes even noting the drawbacks to a particular proposal can come to inspire a productive new line of thinking. If you say you're collaborating, make sure everyone's attitude is to reflect what you say in your actions. Check out this video for some examples.

2. Individual Problem Solving is Essential to Collaborative Problem Solving

Though fresh perspectives are helpful, connecting with the group is often not the best starting point for working through complex issues. Before following a collaborative problem solving model to pull team members together, it's important to let individuals have some time to develop ideas on their own . Too much discussion during this phase can end up stifling creativity, discouraging team members from following lines of independent thinking that often lead to the very best solutions.

3. Split up into Smaller Groups

When the time does come to bring people together for collaborative problem solving, keeping the sizes of groups under control will help everyone get more done. Staying connected and getting assistance from across the team can help a great deal during the information-gathering phase, but breaking off into smaller groups will generate more effective problem solving activities. These focused clusters will come up with a wider range of theories and potential answers that can then be evaluated and implemented among the larger team.

4. Allow Space for Innovation and Conflict

Group discussions yield the best results when leaders allow some room for flexibility and let the conversation go down some unexpected paths. Keep these guidelines in mind as you lead team meetings:

• Leaders should strive to create a space where talented people are free to voice their ideas.
• For collaborative problem solving to work, team members need to feel like even thoughts that may be a little unusual or difficult to understand at first are welcomed in the room.
• At the same time, the group should be comfortable expressing disagreement and pointing out problems.

With supportive leadership, this kind of open exchange reveals what concepts have the best chance of success. An idea grows into a plan of action when the members of the team bring their best suggestions and then ask tough questions and challenge one another.

5. Make Communication and Progress Transparent

As a project goes forward, leaders must keep the lines of communication among the team members open. Every individual taking part should understand how each assigned task is related and how they ultimately contribute to the overall goals. That's where a solution like Wrike comes in handy, offering the tools for managing workloads , monitoring timelines and sharing drafts.

Solving tricky business problems takes teamwork. Good leaders learn how to use the right strategies and tools to draw out great ideas from each worker and collaborate with the whole group to put them into action.

Occasionally we write blog posts where multiple people contribute. Since our idea of having a gladiator arena where contributors would fight to the death to win total authorship wasn’t approved by HR, this was the compromise.

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How to reach better collaborative solutions in less time.

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Everyone knows cross-group collaboration doesn’t happen nearly enough in most organizations. Though for many companies, it has been the holy grail. It’s been understood as a vital approach to problem-solving as companies grow larger and more become global. Collaborative problem-solving is essential to avoid critical mistakes in decision making and to facilitate greater engagement. Yet there are plenty of reasons why it doesn’t happen as much as it should.

For one thing, group leaders and their teams may not admit to the limits of their knowledge. They imagine that their problem-solving and planning don't require input from other groups.

For some, it’s arrogance. Others may feel threatened by having to partner with another function.

And for others, it’s a blind spot. Whatever the reason, unlike those who are attuned to reading the wider field to acquire greater understanding, they may be overconfident about what they know and presume they can solve a challenge or complete a task on their own. Unfortunately, their decision making isn’t likely to lead to innovative solutions without input from others who have different knowledge and perspectives and may fail in the execution phase down the road, especially for those the change affects who weren’t included.

Groupthink Challenges

Yet inviting others to collaborate is often the cause of another problem. It’s been said that the first casualty of collaboration is the loss of divergent thinking. It’s ironic but true.

More and different views may not be voiced or heard. When you’ve collaborated with others, you’ve likely experienced many instances where everyone in the group follows the views of the person who spoke first. Or they may follow the longest-serving employee, the most senior or the rock star with a stellar track record for getting it right. Although people across groups may think differently, the group may not be receiving the full advantage of diverse group membership. A group can acquire the bad habit of encouraging different viewpoints and discussion to focus on what everybody knows already, overlooking the critical information that one or more may have.

This is why affinity among group members over time is a double-edged sword. It enables trust, but it also establishes routine, and with that, the comfort that’s been created often leads to the avoidance of risk-taking and the disruption of established group norms.

Intermittent Collaboration Wins

I was happy to see that social science research has discovered what some of us have observed in our work – that intermittent collaboration can be the ideal condition to work through complex problem-solving and produce higher-than-expected quality solutions. It offers the best of both worlds by offering the best solutions while avoiding groupthink.

In the study “ How intermittent breaks in interaction improve collective intelligence ,” researchers compared the solutions of group members working on their own to those who were in constant contact and also those groups that collaborated intermittently. The intermittent, collaborative group whose members also worked on their own generated the best solutions individually and as a group.

Perhaps that surprises you. These groups did as well as the constantly interacting groups to produce high-quality solutions on average without the benefit of more time together. The constant collaborators did not find the very best solutions as often. Just as interesting is the finding that there was greater learning among people of different performance levels when the group interacted intermittently than when they worked constantly because they weren’t as constrained by the group’s influence.

Cross-Group Collaboration

The implications can offer us a positive way forward. Whereas it’s a commonly held view that groups that work together closely are more likely to be high-performing groups, these findings urge us to take another look at our presumption and challenge it.

The findings are also encouraging. Whenever we bring leaders across the organization or a sector who aren’t part of each other’s operational networks and don’t work together, we can have more confidence in the quality of their solutions.

As the creator of a cross-group problem-solving program for leaders that produces greater organizational coherence, I often hear participating leaders remark that the solutions provided are at a surprisingly high level.

It also means that we have discovered a useful strategy that could make a meaningful contribution to solving for collaborative overload. Instead of burdening people and taking up their time by asking them to join your committee, it could be more productive for everyone involved to engage select individuals in intermittent exchanges.

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Collaborative Problem Solving: A Resource Guide for Counselors Addressing Family Issues

Idaho Youth Ranch May 4, 2023 10:12:47 PM

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is an evidence-based approach that focuses on understanding and addressing the root causes of challenging behavior in children and adolescents. Developed by Dr. Ross Greene, CPS aims to foster empathy, communication, and collaboration between parents, children, and professionals, ultimately leading to more effective and lasting solutions for family issues. This resource guide provides an overview of the CPS model, outlines the key principles and steps involved, and offers practical tips and strategies for counselors working with families.  

The Collaborative Problem Solving Model 

1. Understanding the CPS Philosophy

CPS is grounded in the belief that children do well if they can. The approach posits that challenging behavior is not due to a lack of motivation, attention-seeking, or manipulation but rather a result of lagging skills and unsolved problems. By understanding and addressing these underlying factors, counselors can help families develop more effective, compassionate, and sustainable solutions.  

2. Key Principles of CPS 

Empathy: The foundation of the CPS model is empathic understanding, which involves recognizing and validating the feelings and perspectives of all family members.  

Collaboration: CPS emphasizes the importance of working together rather than relying on unilateral decision-making or power-based approaches.  

Skill-building: The approach focuses on identifying and addressing lagging skills, such as emotion regulation, problem-solving, and communication, to promote lasting change.  

Implementing the Collaborative Problem Solving Process 

The first step in the CPS process is to identify the specific skills that a child may be struggling with. This can be done through a combination of observation, interviews, and assessments. Some common lagging skills include:  

Emotional regulation  

Flexibility  

Impulse control  

Problem-solving  

Communication  

Once lagging skills have been identified, the next step is to determine the specific situations or problems that are causing difficulties for the child and family. Unsolved problems are often characterized by predictability and can be uncovered through discussions with family members and the child.  

3. The Three Steps of Collaborative Problem Solving

The CPS process involves three primary steps, which can be adapted and tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of each family.  

• Step 1: Empathy

Begin by gathering information and understanding the child’s perspective on the problem. This step involves active listening, validating emotions, and demonstrating genuine curiosity.  

• Step 2: Define Adult Concerns

Clearly articulate the parent or caregiver’s concerns and needs regarding the situation. This step promotes mutual understanding and acknowledges the importance of addressing both the child’s and the adult’s concerns.  

• Step 3: Invitation to Collaborate 

Invite the child and parent to brainstorm possible solutions together. Encourage them to consider a range of ideas and evaluate each option based on its feasibility and effectiveness in addressing both the child’s and the adult’s concerns.  

Tips and Strategies for Counselors 

1. Build Rapport and Establish Trust 

Establishing a strong therapeutic alliance with both the child and the parent is essential for the success of CPS. Be patient, empathetic, and transparent in your approach in order to foster trust and cooperation.  

2. Use Reflective Listening and Validation 

Active listening and validation are crucial tools in the CPS process. Reflect back the emotions and concerns of family members to ensure they feel heard and understood.  

3. Encourage Open Communication 

Create a safe and non-judgmental environment that encourages open communication and allows family members to express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns without fear of criticism or rejection.  

4. Be Flexible and Adaptable 

Each family is unique, and the CPS process may need to be adapted to suit their specific needs and circumstances. Be prepared to modify your approach, pacing, and techniques as needed to best support the family.  

5. Provide Support and Guidance  

As a counselor, your role is to facilitate the CPS process and provide guidance and support to the family throughout. Offer suggestions, ask probing questions, and share relevant resources to help family members develop their problem-solving skills.  

6. Monitor Progress and Adjust 

Regularly assess the family’s progress and the effectiveness of the solutions they’ve implemented. Be prepared to revisit and adjust the problem-solving process as needed, based on the family’s evolving needs and circumstances.  

7. Encourage Skill-Building 

As part of the CPS process, help family members develop and practice the skills necessary to address their unsolved problems effectively. This may include offering resources, psychoeducation, or skill-building exercises to support growth in areas such as emotion regulation, communication, and flexibility.  

Collaborative Problem Solving offers a compassionate and effective approach to addressing challenging behaviors and family issues. By understanding the underlying causes of these difficulties and engaging in a collaborative, empathic problem-solving process, counselors can help families develop lasting solutions and strengthen their relationships. By following the principles and steps outlined in this resource guide and adapting your approach to meet the unique needs of each family, you can support families in achieving positive, sustainable change.  

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS)

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Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS)

Introduction

The Collaborative Problem Solving model (CPS) was developed by Dr. Ross Greene and his colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry. The model was created as a reconceptualization of the factors that lead to challenging or oppositional behaviors, and a shift in the targets of intervention for these behaviors. Dr. Greene published the book The Explosive Child in 1998, which was the first detailed description of CPS. Multiple research studies (detailed below) have followed in the time since the book’s publication.

In the subsequent years there was a split between Dr. Greene and Massachusetts General Hospital. Massachusetts General Hospital has continued its work on CPS via the “Think:Kids” program under the direction of Dr. Stuart Ablon, who had previously collaborated with Dr. Greene. Dr. Greene has founded a nonprofit organization called “Lives in the Balance” to further his work on CPS, which...

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Becker, K., Chorpita, D., & Daleiden, B. (2011). Improvement in symptoms versus functioning: How do our best treatments measure up? Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 38 (6), 440–458.

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Greene, R. (2010). Collaborative problem solving. In Clinical handbook of assessing and treating conduct problems in youth (1st ed., pp. 193–220). New York: Springer.

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Greene, R., & Winkler, J. (2019). Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS): A review of research findings in families, schools, and treatment facilities. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 22 (4), 549–561.

Greene, R. W., Ablon, J. S., Goring, J. C., Raezer-Blakely, L., Markey, J., Monuteaux, M. C., Henin, A., Edwards, G., & Rabbitt, S. (2004). Effectiveness of collaborative problem solving in affectively Dysregulated children with oppositional-defiant disorder: Initial findings. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72 (6), 1157–1164.

Ollendick, T. H., Greene, R. W., Austin, K. E., Fraire, M. G., Halldorsdottir, T., Allen, K. B., Jarret, M. A., Lewis, K. M., Smith, M. W., Cunningham, N. R., Noguchi, R. J. P., Canavera, K., & Wolff, J. (2016). Parent management training and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: A randomized control trial for oppositional youth. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 45 (5), 591–604.

Pollastri, A., Epstein, L., Heath, G., & Ablon, J. (2013). The collaborative problem solving approach: Outcomes across settings. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 21 (4), 188–199.

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Rosen, B. (2020). Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS). In: Lebow, J., Chambers, A., Breunlin, D.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_1160-1

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Collaborative Learning Strategies for Better Classroom Interaction

Collaborative learning is all about students working together to achieve shared goals. It’s not just about group work—it’s about meaningful interaction that helps students learn better. When students collaborate effectively, they engage more with the material and with each other, which leads to better outcomes for everyone. This guide will show you how to use collaborative learning strategies to improve classroom interaction and make learning more engaging and effective.

What is Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is a teaching method where students work together in small groups to achieve a common goal. Instead of learning individually, students actively share ideas, discuss concepts, and support each other’s understanding of the material. This approach emphasizes teamwork and student participation, moving away from traditional teacher-centered instruction.

In collaborative learning, students are often grouped in pairs or small teams. They engage in joint intellectual efforts, whether searching for solutions, exploring new ideas, or creating projects. These activities focus on students interacting with the course material in a hands-on way, rather than just passively listening to lectures.

This method represents a shift from the conventional model where the teacher is the central source of knowledge and students primarily listen and take notes. Instead, teachers adopting collaborative learning approaches act more as facilitators or coaches. They design engaging and interactive learning experiences, guiding students through their exploration and application of the material. This encourages deeper understanding and more active involvement in the learning process.

Key Principles of Collaborative Learning

• Shared responsibility: In collaborative learning, every student in the group is responsible for contributing to the task. This creates a sense of accountability and encourages students to work together effectively.
• Active engagement: Students are actively involved in their learning. They ask questions, explain their thinking, and engage in discussions with their peers, which helps deepen their understanding of the subject.
• Diverse perspectives: Collaboration brings together different viewpoints. When students work in groups, they learn to consider ideas that may be different from their own, leading to a richer learning experience.
• Communication and interaction: Collaborative learning promotes strong communication skills. Students must articulate their thoughts clearly, listen to others, and build on each other’s ideas to solve problems or complete tasks.

Why Use Collaborative Learning?

Collaborative learning is used because it helps students learn better by working together. When students share ideas and help each other, they can understand the material more deeply. This method also builds important skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, which are useful in real life.

By discussing and explaining things to each other, students can see different viewpoints and clear up any confusion they might have. Working in groups also makes learning more enjoyable and engaging, as students are more involved in the process. Instead of just listening to the teacher, they take an active role in their own learning.

What Are Collaborative Learning Strategies?

Collaborative learning strategies are methods or approaches used by educators to help students work together in groups to achieve common learning goals. These strategies are designed to encourage interaction, teamwork, and the sharing of ideas among students. The focus is on learning as a collective process, where students help each other understand concepts and solve problems, rather than just working individually.

Key Components of Collaborative Learning Strategies

• Group work: Students are divided into small groups to work on tasks or projects together. The size of the group can vary, but it’s usually kept small enough to ensure that everyone participates.
• Shared goals: Each group is given a clear, common goal that they need to achieve together. This could be completing a project, solving a problem, or understanding a specific concept.
• Interdependence: Students rely on each other to succeed. Each member of the group has a role or responsibility, and their contributions are crucial to the group’s overall success. This creates a sense of accountability within the group.
• Active participation: Collaborative learning strategies require all students to be actively involved. Whether it’s discussing ideas, solving problems, or presenting their work, everyone has a role to play.
• Teacher as a facilitator: The teacher guides the learning process, providing support and direction when needed, but allowing students to take the lead. The teacher’s role is to encourage collaboration and ensure that the group is working effectively.

Benefits of Collaborative Learning Strategies in the Classroom

Collaborative learning strategies offer several benefits in the classroom. By working together, students not only improve their understanding of the material but also develop important social and critical thinking skills.

Improved understanding

Collaborative learning helps students understand material better. When they work together, they explain concepts to each other, which reinforces their own knowledge. This shared learning experience often leads to a deeper grasp of the subject matter.

Enhanced critical thinking

Working in groups encourages students to think critically. They must analyze different viewpoints, discuss various solutions, and evaluate ideas together. This process helps them develop stronger problem-solving skills and a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Stronger social skills

Collaborative learning builds important social skills. Students practice communicating clearly, listening to others, and working as a team. These skills are valuable not only in school but also in future careers and everyday life.

Increased engagement

Group activities make learning more interactive and fun. Students are more likely to be engaged and motivated when they are actively participating and working with their peers. This increased engagement can lead to better retention of information and a more enjoyable learning experience.

Greater accountability

In a collaborative setting, each student has a role to play and is responsible for their part of the work. This shared responsibility encourages students to stay on task and contribute to the group’s success, fostering a sense of accountability and teamwork.

12 Collaborative Learning Strategies to Foster Stronger Teamwork

To build stronger teamwork in the classroom, various collaborative learning strategies can be used. These methods encourage students to work together, share ideas, and support each other in achieving common goals.

1. Group discussions

Group discussions involve students talking about a topic or question in small groups. This technique allows students to share their ideas, listen to others, and build a collective understanding of the subject. It helps students articulate their thoughts and learn from diverse perspectives.

How to use it

• Form groups - Divide the class into small groups, typically with 3-5 students each. Make sure the groups are balanced in terms of skills and abilities.
• Assign a topic or question - Provide each group with a topic or question related to the lesson. Make sure it is clear and relevant to what they are learning.
• Set guidelines - Explain how the discussion should be conducted. Encourage students to listen to each other, share their ideas, and build on what others say.
• Monitor progress - Walk around the classroom to listen to the discussions and offer guidance if needed. Ensure that all students are participating and staying on topic.
• Share findings - After the discussion, have each group share their main points or conclusions with the class. This allows students to learn from other groups and see different perspectives.
• Reflect and summarize - End the discussion by summarizing the key points and connecting them to the lesson. Encourage students to reflect on what they learned from the group discussion.
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2. Role assignments

Role assignments mean giving each student a specific job or responsibility within the group, such as a leader, recorder, or presenter. By clearly defining roles, each student knows what they are responsible for, which helps the group stay organized and ensures everyone contributes.

• Define roles - Decide on the roles needed for the group task. Common roles include leader, note-taker, timekeeper, and presenter. Clearly explain what each role involves.
• Assign roles - Assign a role to each student in the group. Ensure that each student understands their responsibilities and how they contribute to the group’s success.
• Provide guidance - Give students instructions on how to fulfill their roles. For example, the leader might organize the group’s activities, while the note-taker records important points.
• Encourage collaboration - Have students work together, with each member fulfilling their role. Encourage them to support one another and communicate effectively.
• Monitor and support - Observe the groups to ensure that everyone is participating and that the roles are being carried out effectively. Offer help if needed.
• Review roles - After the activity, review how well the roles worked. Discuss with the group what went well and what could be improved for next time.

3. Peer teaching

Peer teaching involves students explaining concepts or lessons to each other. After learning a topic, students take turns teaching their peers about different aspects. This method reinforces their own understanding and builds their communication and teaching skills.

• Divide the material - Break the lesson into sections or topics. Each section should be manageable and relevant to the overall lesson.
• Assign topics - Assign each student or pair of students a different section of the material to learn and teach to their peers.
• Prepare to teach - Give students time to study their assigned section and prepare how they will explain it to others. They can use notes, visual aids, or examples.
• Teach peers - Have students present their section to the rest of the class. They should explain the material clearly and answer any questions from their peers.
• Encourage interaction - After each presentation, allow time for questions and discussion. This helps ensure that all students understand the material.
• Provide feedback - Offer feedback on both the teaching process and the content covered. Praise effective explanations and suggest improvements if needed.
• Reflect on learning - After all sections have been taught, review the key points as a class. Discuss what was learned and how peer teaching helped understand the material better.

Read more about different types of graphic organizers for reading, writing, teaching, learning and brainstorming.

4. Project-based learning

Project-based learning requires students to work together on a project that involves creating a final product, such as a presentation, report, or model. This strategy encourages collaboration as students must plan, research, and work together to complete the project, helping them develop teamwork and problem-solving skills.

• Choose a project - Select a project that relates to the lesson and requires students to use what they’ve learned. The project should be engaging and challenging but achievable.
• Form groups - Divide students into small groups. Each group will work together on the project, so make sure they are balanced in skills and abilities.
• Define roles and tasks - Assign roles within each group, such as researcher, writer, designer, or presenter. Clearly outline the tasks each role will handle to ensure everyone knows their responsibilities.
• Set goals and deadlines - Establish clear goals for the project and set deadlines for each phase. This helps groups stay on track and manage their time effectively.
• Provide resources and support - Give students the resources they need, such as materials, information, and tools. Offer support and guidance as they work on their project.
• Monitor progress - Check in with each group regularly to see how they are progressing. Offer feedback and help if they encounter any problems.
• Present the projects - Have each group present their project to the class. This allows students to share their work and learn from each other’s projects.
• Reflect and evaluate - After the presentations, reflect on the project process with the class. Discuss what worked well and what could be improved. Provide feedback on both the process and the final product.

5. Think-pair-share

Think-pair-share is a technique where students first think about a question or problem individually. They then pair up with a classmate to discuss their ideas before sharing their thoughts with the whole class. This approach promotes individual thinking, peer interaction, and class-wide sharing of ideas.

• Pose a question - Start by asking a clear and relevant question related to the lesson. Make sure it’s something that requires thoughtful consideration.
• Think individually - Give students a few moments to think about their answer or ideas on their own. This allows them to formulate their thoughts without immediate influence from others.
• Pair up - Have students pair up with a classmate. They should share their thoughts and discuss their answers with each other. This step helps them clarify their ideas and hear different perspectives.
• Share with the class - After discussing in pairs, invite pairs to share their ideas or answers with the whole class. This provides an opportunity for students to learn from each other and see a range of viewpoints.
• Facilitate discussion - Encourage a class discussion based on the shared ideas. Ask follow-up questions to deepen the conversation and connect it to the lesson.
• Reflect - Conclude by summarizing the main points and discussing how they relate to the lesson. Encourage students to reflect on what they learned from both their partner and the class discussion.

6. Jigsaw technique

The jigsaw technique divides a topic into several sections. Each student is assigned a different section to learn and then teach to their group. Once each student has taught their part, the group pieces together the complete topic. This method helps students become experts in their section and supports collaborative learning as they share their knowledge.

• Divide the topic - Break the topic into several sections or parts. Each section should cover a different aspect of the overall subject.
• Form expert groups - Create small groups where each group is assigned one section of the topic. These groups, called “expert groups,” focus on learning their specific section.
• Research and learn - Have the expert groups study their assigned section. They can use textbooks, articles, or other resources to become knowledgeable about their part of the topic.
• Reform groups - After learning their sections, reform new groups where each member represents a different expert group. These new groups will now have members who are experts on different sections of the topic.
• Share knowledge - In the new groups, each student teaches the other members about their section. This way, all group members learn about each part of the topic from their peers.
• Discuss and integrate - Encourage the new groups to discuss the information and put together the complete picture of the topic. This helps them understand how each part connects to the others.
• Present findings - Have each group present what they’ve learned to the class. This allows everyone to hear about each section and understand the entire topic.
• Reflect - After presentations, discuss the topic as a class. Reflect on what was learned and how the different sections fit together.

7. Collaborative problem-solving

Collaborative problem-solving involves presenting a problem or challenge for the group to solve together. Students discuss and brainstorm possible solutions, working together to reach a consensus. This strategy encourages critical thinking, teamwork, and the application of problem-solving skills.

• Present a problem - Start by giving the class a clear, engaging problem or challenge related to the lesson. The problem should be open-ended and require thoughtful discussion.
• Form groups - Divide the students into small groups. Each group will work together to find a solution to the problem.
• Discuss and brainstorm - Have each group discuss the problem and brainstorm possible solutions. Encourage them to consider different approaches and ideas.
• Develop a solution - Ask the groups to choose the best solution from their brainstormed ideas and develop a plan to address the problem. They should outline their reasoning and how their solution will work.
• Present solutions - Have each group present their solution to the class. They should explain their approach and how they arrived at their answer.
• Evaluate and discuss - After all groups have presented, discuss the different solutions as a class. Compare the approaches and consider the strengths and weaknesses of each solution.
• Reflect on the process - Reflect on the collaborative process. Discuss what worked well in the group discussions and what could be improved for future problem-solving activities.

8.Group brainstorming

Group brainstorming is a technique where students generate ideas on a topic together. Students contribute their thoughts and build on each other’s ideas to come up with a variety of solutions or approaches. This method promotes creativity and helps students consider different perspectives.

Explore more group brainstorming strategies to drive innovation.

• Introduce the topic - Start by presenting a clear and relevant topic or question for the brainstorming session. Make sure it’s something that encourages creative thinking.
• Form groups - Divide the class into small groups, ideally 3-5 students per group. Each group will brainstorm ideas together.
• Set guidelines - Explain the rules for brainstorming: encourage all ideas, avoid criticism, and build on each other’s thoughts. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible.
• Brainstorm ideas - Give groups time to discuss and list their ideas. They can use a whiteboard or paper to write down their thoughts as they come up.
• Share ideas - After brainstorming, have each group share their ideas with the class. This allows everyone to see the range of ideas generated and contributes to the overall discussion.
• Discuss and refine - Discuss the ideas as a class. Identify the most promising ones and explore how they can be developed or combined.
• Reflect on the process - Reflect on the brainstorming session. Discuss what worked well and how the group process helped in generating ideas.

Learn more about how to brainstorm effectively with our brainstorming guide .

Debates involve students preparing arguments for or against a particular issue. They work in teams to research and develop their positions before presenting their arguments to the class. This technique enhances teamwork, encourages critical thinking, and improves public speaking skills.

• Choose a topic - Select a relevant and engaging topic for the debate. It should be something with clear sides or viewpoints, and relevant to the lesson.
• Divide into teams - Split the class into two or more teams, each representing a different side of the issue. Assign each team a position to argue for or against.
• Research and prepare - Give each team time to research their assigned position. They should gather evidence and prepare arguments to support their side of the debate.
• Set up the debate - Arrange a time for each team to present their arguments. Establish ground rules, such as time limits for speaking and guidelines for respectful communication.
• Hold the debate - Allow each team to present their arguments and respond to opposing points. Encourage students to listen carefully and engage with each other’s ideas.
• Facilitate discussion - After the debate, facilitate a class discussion about the arguments presented. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each side and any new insights gained.
• Reflect on the experience - Reflect on the debate process with the class. Talk about what was learned, how the debate helped in understanding the topic, and what could be improved.

10. Peer review

Peer review requires students to evaluate and provide feedback on each other’s work. After completing an assignment, students review their peers' work and offer constructive criticism. This method helps students improve their work through feedback and fosters a collaborative learning environment.

• Set clear guidelines - Explain what students should look for when reviewing their peers' work, such as clarity, accuracy, and completeness. Provide a checklist or rubric if needed.
• Pair up students - Assign each student a peer to review. Ensure that everyone knows who they will be reviewing and who will be reviewing their work.
• Review work - Have students read and evaluate their peer’s work based on the guidelines provided. They should note strengths and areas for improvement.
• Give feedback - Ask students to provide constructive feedback to their peers. They should offer specific suggestions for how to improve and highlight what was done well.
• Discuss feedback - Allow time for students to discuss the feedback they received and give. This can be done in pairs or small groups, focusing on understanding and applying the feedback.
• Revise and improve - Encourage students to use the feedback to revise and improve their own work. They should consider the suggestions and make changes as needed.
• Reflect on the process - After the peer review, discuss what students learned from giving and receiving feedback. Reflect on how the feedback helped them improve their work and how they can use it in future assignments.

Team building activities

Team building activities are exercises designed to strengthen relationships and improve teamwork among students. Activities such as trust exercises or group games help students build trust, improve communication, and work together more effectively.

• Choose an activity - Pick a team-building activity that fits the class size, age, and objectives. Activities should be fun and encourage cooperation, such as problem-solving tasks, games, or challenges.
• Explain the purpose - Start by explaining the goal of the activity. Let students know that the purpose is to improve teamwork and communication, not just to have fun.
• Divide into teams - Split the class into small teams. Make sure the teams are balanced in terms of skills and abilities to ensure everyone can contribute.
• Set up the activity - Provide clear instructions on how the activity will be conducted. Explain the rules and any materials needed.
• Participate and facilitate - Have students complete the activity while you observe and facilitate. Offer guidance and support if needed, but let students take the lead in working together.
• Debrief and discuss - After the activity, gather the class and discuss what happened. Ask students to reflect on how they worked together and what they learned about teamwork.
• Apply lessons learned - Encourage students to apply the teamwork skills they practiced in the activity to their regular classwork. Reinforce the importance of collaboration in achieving common goals.

Collaborative technology tools

Collaborative technology tools include digital platforms like shared documents, online whiteboards, or group chat applications. These tools allow students to work together in real-time or remotely, making it easier to collaborate on projects, share ideas, and provide feedback.

• Choose the right tool - Select a collaborative tool that fits your classroom needs. Popular options include online whiteboards, shared document editors, and communication platforms.
• Introduce the tool - Show students how to use the tool. Explain its features and how it can help them work together on tasks or projects.
• Set clear goals - Define what you want students to achieve using the tool. Set clear objectives for how the tool should be used in their collaborative work.
• Form groups - Divide students into small groups, if needed. Each group will use the tool to collaborate on their tasks or projects.
• Provide guidance - Offer support as students begin using the tool. Help them with any technical issues and remind them of best practices for online collaboration, such as clear communication and respecting others’ contributions.
• Monitor progress - Keep track of how students are using the tool. Check in regularly to see how they are collaborating and if they need any help.
• Review and reflect - After the task or project is complete, review how the tool helped with the collaboration. Discuss what worked well and what could be improved for future use.
• Encourage feedback - Ask students to provide feedback on their experience using the tool. This helps in understanding their needs and making improvements.

Best Practices for Implementing Collaborative Learning Strategies

Implementing collaborative learning strategies effectively involves careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to ensure success:

• Clearly define objectives - Set clear goals for what you want to achieve with collaborative learning. Ensure that the objectives align with your lesson plans and learning outcomes.
• Choose appropriate strategies - Select collaborative learning strategies that fit your classroom’s needs and the specific goals of the lesson. Consider the students’ age, skill level, and the subject matter.
• Organize groups effectively - Form groups that are balanced in terms of skills and abilities. Mix students with different strengths to promote diverse perspectives and equitable participation.
• Provide clear instructions - Explain the tasks and expectations to students clearly. Make sure they understand their roles, responsibilities, and the purpose of the collaborative activity.
• Foster a positive environment - Create a supportive classroom atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas and collaborating with others. Encourage respectful communication and teamwork.
• Monitor and support - Observe group interactions and offer support as needed. Provide guidance to help students stay on track and address any challenges they may encounter.
• Use technology effectively - Incorporate collaborative technology tools that enhance group work. Ensure that students are familiar with the tools and can use them effectively.
• Encourage reflection - After collaborative activities, have students reflect on their experience. Discuss what worked well, what could be improved, and how they can apply their learning to future group work.
• Assess and evaluate - Evaluate both the process and the outcomes of the collaborative activities. Use assessments to gauge individual contributions and group effectiveness.
• Provide feedback - Offer constructive feedback on the collaborative process and the results. Recognize achievements and provide suggestions for improvement.

Using Creately for Enhancing Collaborative Learning in the Classroom

Creately is a visual collaboration tool that helps make collaborative learning easier and more effective. Using Creately in the classroom helps students work together more efficiently, share ideas clearly, and manage projects effectively. It makes collaborative learning more interactive and productive.

Interactive Diagrams

Creately allows students to create and edit diagrams together in real-time. They can work on flowcharts, mind maps, and other visual aids, making it easier to brainstorm and organize ideas collectively.

Shared Workspaces

Students can collaborate in shared workspaces, where they can see and edit the same document or diagram simultaneously. This feature ensures everyone is on the same page and can contribute to the project.

Commenting and Feedback

Students and teachers can leave comments on specific parts of the work. This feature helps in providing instant feedback, asking questions, and discussing ideas directly on the document.

Templates and Examples

Creately offers a range of templates for different types of projects, like project planning or SWOT analysis and graphic organizers for writing, reading, note-taking and much more. These templates help students start their work quickly and stay organized.

Easy Integration

Creately integrates with other tools like Google Drive and Microsoft Teams. This makes it easy for students to share their work and collaborate across different platforms.

Real-Time Collaboration

With real-time updates, students can see changes made by their peers immediately. This keeps everyone synchronized and helps in making quick adjustments.

Visual Communication

Creately’s visual tools help in presenting ideas clearly. Students can use charts, diagrams, and other visuals to explain complex concepts more effectively.

Access Control

Teachers can control who can view or edit the documents. This ensures that only authorized members of the group can make changes and helps in managing group work securely.

Collaborative learning strategies can greatly enhance the classroom experience by encouraging teamwork and active participation. Techniques like group discussions, peer teaching, and project-based learning help students learn from each other and build important skills.

To make these strategies effective, set clear goals, choose the right methods, and support students throughout the process. This approach not only improves learning but also helps students develop skills they’ll need in the real world, such as communication and problem-solving. Embracing collaborative learning creates a more engaging and successful educational experience for everyone.

Smith, B., Macgregor, J., Goodsell, A., Maher, M. and Tinto, V. (1992). What is collaborative learning? Washington center for improving the quality of undergraduate education what is collaborative learning? *. [online] Available at: https://teach.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/WhatisCollaborativeLearning.pdf .

Cornell University (2022). Collaborative learning. [online] Center for Teaching Innovation. Available at: https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/active-collaborative-learning/collaborative-learning .

Laal, M. and Ghodsi, S.M. (2011). Benefits of Collaborative Learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, [online] 31(31), pp.486–490. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.091 .

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FAQs About Collaborative Learning Strategies

What are the key features of collaborative learning, how does collaborative learning work.

• Group assignments: The teacher assigns a task that requires teamwork, such as a project, problem-solving activity, or discussion. Each group works together to complete the task.
• Roles and responsibilities: In some cases, students may be assigned specific roles within the group (e.g., leader, note-taker, presenter). This ensures that everyone contributes and the group stays organized.
• Guidance and support: The teacher acts as a facilitator, providing guidance and support when needed, but allowing students to take charge of their learning. The goal is to encourage independence and collaboration among the students.

What is the difference between cooperative vs collaborative learning?

• Cooperative Learning: Involves students working together on a specific task, with each member contributing to achieve a common goal. It often involves structured roles and tasks.
• Collaborative Learning: Focuses on the process of working together to build knowledge and understanding through shared interaction and discussion. It emphasizes mutual learning and shared responsibility.

What is the role of the teacher in collaborative learning?

The teacher’s role in collaborative learning includes:

• Facilitator: Guiding and supporting groups as they work together, ensuring that they stay on task and communicate effectively.
• Planner: Designing and structuring collaborative activities that align with learning objectives.
• Monitor: Observing group interactions and providing feedback to enhance the learning process.
• Mediator: Resolving any conflicts or issues that arise during group work.
• Evaluator: Assessing both the process and the outcomes of collaborative activities to ensure that students meet learning goals.

What are the benefits of collaborative learning?

• Enhances critical thinking: Students discuss various viewpoints, deepening their understanding.
• Improves communication skills: Students practice clear expression and active listening.
• Fosters teamwork: Group work teaches effective collaboration and shared responsibility.
• Builds social skills: Encourages positive interactions and skills like empathy and conflict resolution.
• Increases engagement: Makes learning more dynamic and motivates active participation.
• Enhances problem-solving skills: Promotes creative and strategic thinking through group problem-solving.
• Supports diverse perspectives: Brings together different viewpoints, enriching the learning experience.

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Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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The CPS Model

Collaborative & Proactive Solutions  (CPS) is recognized as an empirically-supported, evidence-based treatment by the  California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare  (CEBC). Here’s an overview of its basic tenets:

When kids have difficulty meeting certain expectations, they become frustrated. Some kids are lacking the skills — flexibility, frustration tolerance, emotion regulation, and problem solving — to handle that frustration adaptively. And that’s when they exhibit concerning behaviors. In other words, concerning behavior is simply the way in which some kids communicate that there are expectations they are having difficulty meeting. In the CPS model, those “unmet” expectations are called “unsolved problems.” The emphasis of the CPS model isn’t on modifying the concerning behavior by imposing consequences. Rather the model focuses on identifying unsolved problems and then engaging kids in solving them. Solved problems don’t cause concerning behavior; only unsolved problems do. Consequences don’t solve problems.

In the CPS model, the problem solving is of the  collaborative  and  proactive  variety. This is in contrast to many of the interventions that are commonly applied to kids, which are of the unilateral and emergent variety. As such, the CPS model is non-punitive and non-adversarial, decreases the likelihood of conflict, enhances relationships, improves communication, and helps kids and adults learn and display skills on the more positive side of human nature:  empathy, appreciating how one’s behavior is affecting others, resolving disagreements in ways that do not involve conflict, taking another’s perspective, and honesty.

How do you identify a kid’s lagging skills and unsolved problems? By completing the Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems (ALSUP). And how do you solve those problems? By doing Plan B, which involves three basic ingredients. The first ingredient – called the Empathy step – involves gathering information so as to achieve the clearest understanding of what’s making it hard for a kid to meet a particular expectation. The second ingredient (called the Define the Problem step) involves entering the adult’s concern or perspective into consideration (i.e., why it’s important that the expectation be met). The third ingredient (called the Invitation step) involves having adults and kids brainstorm solutions so as to arrive at a plan of action that is both realistic and mutually satisfactory…in other words, a solution that addresses both concerns and that both parties can actually do.

In countless families, schools, inpatient psychiatry units, group homes, residential facilities, and juvenile detention facilities, the CPS model has been shown to be an effective way to solve problems, reduce conflict, improve behavior, and enhance the skills kids need to function adaptively in the real world.

You can learn more about the CPS model on the website of the non-profit  Lives in the Balance , where you’ll find vast free resources to help you use the model, including streaming video, a listening library, and lots more.  Various books, CDs, and DVDs describing the model are available in the  CPS Store  on this website, and training options can be found on the Workshops/Training  page.

Is there a one-page description of the model that I can download?

Sure thing! Just  click here to view and print it.  

Didn’t Dr. Greene originally refer to his model by the name Collaborative Problem Solving?

Yes, you can read more about the name change  here . It’s not a pretty tale…

Collaborative and Proactive Solutions™

Save your virtual seat at our annual, free Children’s Mental Health Advocacy Conference on September 27th… REGISTER HERE !

To end punitive, exclusionary discipline, we’re going to need new lenses, practices, and policies. you’re in the right place..

We are in the midst of a societal and public health crisis. We are losing our most vulnerable kids, largely due to perspectives that are outdated and counterproductive, and disciplinary practices that are punitive and exclusionary.

With each time-out, detention, suspension, expulsion, paddling, restraint, seclusion, and arrest at school, there are children who aren’t getting the help they need and are being pushed away from caregivers who could instead be helping them.

The cost to all of us is profound. Overwhelmed, discouraged educators. Frustrated, desperate parents. Expensive placements. Disenfranchised, marginalized, alienated kids. A pipeline to prison.

It doesn’t have to be this way. That’s why Lives in the Balance offers a wide array of training options and free resources on Dr. Ross Greene’s evidence-based Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model…right here on this website. And why we advocate for change all over the world.

If you’re ready to start learning about the CPS model right now, click on the button below that best describes you to head straight to our Guided Tour. And if you want to learn about how we advocate for change, keep scrolling down this page.

physically restrained or secluded in US schools annually

expelled from US schools annually

corporally punished in US schools annually

arrested in US schools annually

referred to law enforcement from US schools annually

5 million +

suspended in and out of US schools annually

COMPASSION SHOULD BE THE STANDARD, NOT THE EXCEPTION

Doing things differently requires a major paradigm shift for many caregivers. Kids with concerning behaviors aren’t lacking motivation, they’re lacking skills, especially those related to flexibility, adaptability, emotion regulation, frustration tolerance, and problem solving. They aren’t attention-seeking, manipulative, coercive, or unmotivated. They don’t need more time-outs, detentions, suspensions, expulsions, paddling, restraints, seclusions, or police referrals. Those interventions just push them out and away. They do need adults who know how to collaborate with them on solving the problems that are causing their concerning behaviors.

That’s why we’re here. Lives in the Balance advocates for our most vulnerable kids, and helps caregivers see them through more accurate, productive lenses and intervene in evidence-based ways that are collaborative, proactive, non-punitive, non-exclusionary, and effective. Our free resources, trainings, and outreach and advocacy efforts are driving the paradigm shift all over the world. Read our recent op-ed in The Oklahoman .

We invite you to become part of the effort.

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New lenses and new practices, collaborative & proactive solutions, what you need to know, it doesn’t have to be this way , we're here for you, connect with our community, advocate for change, be part of the solution.

“ Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. ” - Maya Angelou

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Our lens-changing and life-changing work to ensure that kids are treated in ways that are compassionate and effective — and to end the use of harsh, punitive, exclusionary discipline — is made possible by the generosity of our donors. Your donation is much-needed and much-appreciated.

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