Challenges of Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving

An assessment of Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) proficiency was developed by an expert group for the PISA 2015 international evaluation of student skills and knowledge. The assessment framework defined CPS skills by crossing three major CPS competencies with four problem solving processes that were adopted from PISA 2012 Complex Problem Solving to form a matrix of 12 specific skills. The three CPS competencies are (1) establishing and maintaining shared understanding, (2) taking appropriate action, and (3) establishing and maintaining team organization. For the assessment, computer-based agents provide the means to assess students by varying group composition and discourse across multiple collaborative situations within a short period of time. Student proficiency is then measured by the extent to which students respond to requests and initiate actions or communications to advance the group goals. This chapter identifies considerations and challenges in the design of a collaborative problem solving assessment for large-scale testing.