Competency in skills associated with collaborative problem solving (CPS) is critical for many contexts, including school, the workplace, and the military. Innovative approaches for assessing individuals' CPS competency are necessary, as traditional assessment types such as multiple-choice items are not well suited for such a process-oriented…

In the human-to-human Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) test, students' problem-solving process reflects the interdependency among partners. The high interdependency in CPS makes it very sensitive to group composition. For example, the group outcome might be driven by a highly competent group member, so it does not reflect all the individual…

Gifted students' often go unchallenged in the classroom, and this lack of tailored instruction can lead to decreased motivation, which, in turn, influences underachievement, which is a significant concern since these children, theoretically, should be our highest achievers. This 4-week (i.e., eight instructional days) semi-randomized,…

This dissertation examines the development of combinatorial reasoning in high school students through an in-depth analysis of a problem-solving session involving the Pizza Problem. The study, part of the long-term Rutgers-Kenilworth longitudinal research project, focuses on four 11th-grade students as they explore and connect concepts related to…

Research shows that though some students can easily find the correct solutions to the problem(s) at hand, the algorithms that these students create are not always ones that would, when implemented, produce the correct solution(s). Towards shedding light on this phenomenon, the present study explicates a mechanism--accounting for features of the…

Middle school students often enter Computer Science (CS) classes without previous CS or Computational Thinking (CT) instruction. This study evaluated how Code.org's block-based programming curriculum affects middle school students' CT skills and attitudes toward CT and CS. Sixteen students participated in the study. This was a mixed methods action…

This paper reviews the literature on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) as an experiential pedagogical methodology in general education. Using VOSviewer, a bibliometric analysis tool, the review explores the evolution, key themes, and prominent research trends within the PjBL field. The analysis identifies influential publications, authors, and…

An in-depth analysis of collaborative problem solving (CPS) patterns contributes to understand team dynamics and effective paths to conflict resolution. However, there remains the lack of a perspective in the field of CPS research that organically combines the cognitive, meta-cognitive, and social-communicative dimensions. Moreover, the analysis…

Background: Maintaining cohesion is critical for teams to achieve shared goals and performance outcomes within a work-integrated learning (WIL) environment. Cohesion is an emergent state that develops over time, representing the synchrony of different behavioural interactions. Cohesive teams will exhibit such phenomena by their temporal…

As Gen Z enters an era of rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, and global challenges, traditional education models must evolve to foster adaptability, autonomy, and resilience. This article explores the role of heutagogy (self-determined learning), internships, and collective action in redefining education to prepare students for an…

Data and computational literacies empower youth to be active participants and future leaders in our increasingly data-driven society. We conducted a design-based research project in which a small group (n = 5) of high school youth from diverse backgrounds learned how to code and create data visualizations and stories with public data about climate…

The study examines the application of the collaborative learning model to improve 21st-century civic skills. The 21st century presents a number of unique challenges in the world of education. Rapid changes in technology, economics, and politics have placed new demands on individual learning and development. One of the key aspects of preparing…

This study aimed to examine the current perceptions of gifted students (n=178) on using collaborative problem solving during projects and to compare their experiences with those of experienced individuals (n=105) on projects. The research method of the study is the quantitative comparative method. Three data collection tools were used: the CPSS…

Background and Context: Productive failure (PF) is a learning paradigm that flips the order of instruction: students work on a problem, then receive a lesson. PF increases learning, but less is known about student emotions and collaboration during PF, particularly in a computer science context. Objective: To provide insight on students' emotions…

Engineering students require nontechnical skill sets to combat the 21st century's complex engineering challenges in addition to possessing technical skills. To provide multidisciplinary experience to undergraduate engineering students and to study the formation of engineers, a research team at West Virginia University offered a multidisciplinary…