An intervention framework designed to develop the collaborative problem-solving skills of primary school students

Considerable effort has been invested in innovative learning practices such as collaborative inquiry. Collaborative problem solving is becoming popular in school settings, but there is limited knowledge on how to develop skills crucial in collaborative problem solving in students. Based on the intervention design in social interaction of collaborative learning combined with the work from the cognitive and metacognitive processes of problem solving, we designed and incorporated an intervention framework for a collaborative inquiry project at primary schools in Shanghai. This framework aimed to develop the skills required to execute joint problem-solving tasks in students. Two classes with a total of 59 students participated in this 2-month experiment with an independently varied design. The results indicated that the students who received intervention gained in the main indicators of higher group skills and problem solving skills. The value of preparing group skills for students and the implications of supporting collaborative learning in school settings were discussed.