How are Students’ Critical Thinking Skills When Solving Problems Collaboratively?

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35763/aiem27.5669

Keywords:

Critical thinking skills, Collaborative problem solving, Mathematics, Collaborative learning
Supporting Agencies
Indonesian Education Financing Service Center (PUSLAPDIK); the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP); the State University of Surabaya; and the University of Muhammadiyah Malang

Abstract

Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory states that interaction with peers will expand students’ Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to think critically. Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is an activity that requires interaction between team members, and several studies state that CPS has an impact on increasing students’ critical thinking abilities. This study describes students’ critical thinking skills when solving collaborative math problems. Students’ critical thinking skills when solving problems collaboratively appear in two conditions: when working independently (individual space) and when interacting with other team members (collaborative space). Students’ critical thinking skills are triggered by the problems given in the individual space. In collaborative space, students’ critical thinking skills emerge more because they are triggered by two things, namely the problem given and responses from other group members. A description of how students’ critical thinking skills work when solving problems collaboratively is explained in more detail in the research results section.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aldossari, A. T., & Moh’d Ali Abu Jadou, M. (2021). The common thinking styles based on the mental self‐government theory among Saudi university students according to gender, academic achievement and extracurricular activities. In-ternational Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(6). https://doi.org/10.26803/IJLTER.20.6.14

Arisoy, B., & Aybek, B. (2021). The effects of subject‐based critical thinking educa-tion in mathematics on students’ critical thinking skills and virtues. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 2021(92). https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2021.92.6

Bell, E. T., & Polya, G. (1945). How to solve it: A new aspect of mathematical meth-od. The American Mathematical Monthly, 52(10). https://doi.org/10.2307/2306109

Bezanilla, M. J., Galindo‐Domínguez, H., & Poblete, M. (2021). Importance of teach-ing critical thinking in higher education and existing difficulties according to teacher’s views. Multidisciplinary Journal of Educational Research, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.447/remie.2021.6159

Dewey, J. (1910). How we think. D.C. Headh & Co. https://doi.org/10.1037/10903-000

Ebiendele, E. P. (2012). Critical thinking: Essence for teaching mathematics and mathematics problem solving skills. African Journal of Mathematics and Com-puter Science Research, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.5897/ajmcsr11.161

Ennis, R. H. (2016). Critical thinking across the curriculum: A vision. Topoi, 37(1), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-016-9401-4

Facione, P., & Gittens, C. A. (2016). Think Critically (3rd ed.). Pearson.

Fung, D., & Howe, C. (2012). Liberal studies in Hong Kong: A new perspective on critical thinking through group work. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2012.04.002

Graesser, A. C., Fiore, S. M., Greiff, S., Andrews‐Todd, J., Foltz, P. W., & Hesse, F. W. (2018). Advancing the science of collaborative problem solving. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618808244

Graesser, A., Kuo, B. C., & Liao, C. H. (2017). Complex problem solving in assess-ments of collaborative problem solving. Journal of Intelligence, 5(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence5020010

Hagemann, V., & Kluge, A. (2017). Complex problem solving in teams: The impact of collective orientation on team process demands. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(SEP). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01730

Häkkinen, P., Järvelä, S., Mäkitalo‐Siegl, K., Ahonen, A., Näykki, P., & Valtonen, T. (2017). Preparing teacher‐students for twenty‐first‐century learning practices (PREP 21): A framework for enhancing collaborative problem‐solving and strategic learning skills. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2016.1203772

Hesse, F., Care, E., Buder, J., Sassenberg, K., & Griffin, P. (2015). A framework for teachable collaborative problem solving skills. In P. Griffin & E. Care (Eds.), Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills: Methods and Approaches (pp. 37–56). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9395-7_2

Jacob, S. M., & Sam, H. K. (2010). Perspectives on critical thinking through online discussion forums in engineering mathematics. In Technological Developments in Networking, Education and Automation (Conference paper, pp. 121-126). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9151-2_21

Ketabi, S., Zabihi, R., & Ghadiri, M. (2013). Critical thinking across the ELT curricu-lum: A mixed methods approach to analyzing L2 teachers’ attitudes towards critical thinking instruction. International Journal of Research Studies in Educa-tion, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2012.189

Laal, M., & Ghodsi, S. M. (2012). Benefits of collaborative learning. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.091

Lester, F. K. (2013). Thoughts about research on mathematical problem‐solving in-struction. Mathematics Enthusiast, 10(1–2). https://doi.org/10.54870/1551-3440.1267

Lou, J. (2018). Improvement in university students’ critical thinking following a strategic thinking training program. NeuroQuantology, 16(5). https://doi.org/10.14704/nq.2018.16.5.1310

Maričić, S., Špijunović, K., & Lazić, B. (2016). The influence of content on the devel-opment of students’ critical thinking in the initial teaching of mathematics. Croatian Journal of Education, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v18i1.1325

Meissner, H. (1986). Cognitive conflicts in mathematics learning. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03172566

Mendezabal, M. J. N., & Tindowen, D. J. C. (2018). Improving students’ attitude, conceptual understanding and procedural skills in differential calculus through Microsoft Mathematics. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.356

Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Im-plementation (4th Ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Niu, L., Behar‐Horenstein, L. S., & Garvan, C. W. (2013). Do instructional interven-tions influence college students’ critical thinking skills? A meta‐analysis. Educational Research Review, 9, pp. 114-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2012.12.002

Palinussa, A. L. (2013). Students’ critical mathematical thinking skills and charac-ter: Experiments for junior high school students through realistic mathemat-ics education culture‐based. Journal on Mathematics Education, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.4.1.566.75-94

Reynders, G., Lantz, J., Ruder, S. M., Stanford, C. L., & Cole, R. S. (2020). Rubrics to assess critical thinking and information processing in undergraduate STEM courses. International Journal of STEM Education, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-00208-5

Salminen‐Saari, J. F. A., Garcia Moreno‐Esteva, E., Haataja, E., Toivanen, M., Han-nula, M. S., & Laine, A. (2021). Phases of collaborative mathematical problem solving and joint attention: A case study utilizing mobile gaze tracking. ZDM – Mathematics Education, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01280-z

Schindler, M., & Lilienthal, A. J. (2022). Students’ collaborative creative process and its phases in mathematics: An explorative study using dual eye tracking and stimulated recall interviews. ZDM – Mathematics Education, 54(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-022-01327-9

Schoenfeld, A. H. (2016). Learning to think mathematically: Problem solving, meta-cognition, and sense making in mathematics (Reprint). Journal of Education, 196(2), 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/002205741619600202

Setiana, D. S., Purwoko, R. Y., & Sugiman. (2021). The application of mathematics learning model to stimulate mathematical critical thinking skills of senior high school students. European Journal of Educational Research, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.12973/EU-JER.10.1.509

Sofroniou, A., & Poutos, K. (2016). Investigating the effectiveness of group work in mathematics. Education Sciences, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci6030030

Sun, C., Shute, V. J., Stewart, A., Yonehiro, J., Duran, N., & D’Mello, S. (2020). To-wards a generalized competency model of collaborative problem solving. Computers and Education, 143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103672

Sutama, S., Fuadi, D., Narimo, S., Hafida, S. H. N., Novitasari, M., Anif, S., Prayitno, H. J., Sunanih, S., & Adnan, M. (2022). Collaborative mathematics learning management: Critical thinking skills in problem solving. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 11(3), 1015–1027. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v11i3.22193

Tang, T., Vezzani, V., & Eriksson, V. (2020). Developing critical thinking, collective creativity skills and problem solving through playful design jams. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100696

Ugale, B. K., & Shingan, G. G. (2018). A novel approach to improve logical and criti-cal thinking through collaborative learning and using visualization tools. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 2018(Special Issue). https://doi.org/10.16920/jeet/2018/v0i0/120933

Ulfiana, E., Mardiyana, & Triyanto. (2019). The students’ mathematical critical thinking skill ability in solving mathematical problems. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1180(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1180/1/012015

Wass, R., Harland, T., & Mercer, A. (2011). Scaffolding critical thinking in the zone of proximal development. Higher Education Research and Development, 30(3), 317–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.489237

Westermann, K., & Rummel, N. (2012). Delaying instruction: Evidence from a study in a university relearning setting. Instructional Science, 40(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-012-9207-8

Xu, E., Wang, W., & Wang, Q. (2023). The effectiveness of collaborative problem solving in promoting students’ critical thinking: A meta‐analysis based on empirical literature. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01508-1

Yang, Y. T. C., Newby, T., & Bill, R. (2008). Facilitating interactions through struc-tured web‐based bulletin boards: A quasi‐experimental study on promoting learners’ critical thinking skills. Computers and Education, 50(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2007.04.006

Yin, K. Y., Abdullah, A. G. K., & Alazidiyeen, N. J. (2011). Collaborative problem solv-ing methods towards critical thinking. International Education Studies, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v4n2p58

Yu, K. C., Lin, K. Y., & Fan, S. C. (2015). An exploratory study on the application of conceptual knowledge and critical thinking to technological issues. Interna-tional Journal of Technology and Design Education, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-014-9289-5

Zorica, I. M., & Cindrić, M. (2012). Advantages of discussion and cognitive conflict as an instructional method in contemporary teaching of mathematics. Zbornik Instituta Za Pedagoska Istrazivanja, 44(1). https://doi.org/10.2298/ZIPI1201092M

Downloads

Published

2025-05-02

How to Cite

Khusna, A. H., Siswono, T. Y. E., & Wijayanti, P. (2025). How are Students’ Critical Thinking Skills When Solving Problems Collaboratively?. Advances of Research in Mathematics Education, (27), 21–41. https://doi.org/10.35763/aiem27.5669

Issue

Section

Artículos

Funding data