Exploring Factors that Influence Collaborative Problem Solving Awareness in Science Education

This study designed a science course following collaborative problem solving (CPS) processes, and examined the effect on students’ CPS awareness. The Limnic Eruption CPS course was implemented using a Moodle system in a tenth-grade class. Considering the complex and coordinated nature of CPS, in order to improve CPS skills, it is important to identify what are related with the development of all sub-skills of CPS. Thus this study aimed to determine potential factors that affect the use of CPS skills in students’ motivational and behavioral dimensions. Multiple data sources including learning tests, questionnaire feedback, and learning logs were collected and examined by learning analytics approach. The relationships between students’ CPS awareness with their learning motivation and learning behaviors were explored. The research findings indicated a significant positive correlation between CPS awareness and certain learning motivation factors and learning behavior factors. Considering the students’ individual differences in learning abilities, we also compared the results of high and low performance groups. As a result, low performers’ learning motivation and learning behaviors were correlated with the social domain of CPS awareness, while those of high performers were correlated with their cognitive awareness.