Problem solving in video-based microworlds: Collaborative and individual outcomes of high-achieving sixth-grade students

The effect of collaboration on problem-solving performance and learning was investigated in the context of a complex, video-based mathematics problem. Ninety-six high-achieving 6th-grade students were randomly assigned to collaborative or individual problem-solving conditions. Two hypotheses were tested: (a) that triads would perform better than individuals when first presented with the problems and (b) that students who had first worked in triads would perform better than students who had worked individually when asked to solve the same problem and a near-transfer problem on their own. Three measures of problem solving and planning were used. Students in the collaborative condition outperformed students in the individual condition on their initial attempt at the problem. In addition, students in the collaborative condition performed better on the mastery and near-transfer problems on 2 out of 3 performance measures.