Development and psychometric analysis of an instrument for assessing group dynamics during collaborative problem-solving in a university context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63969/fw0gf211Keywords:
Measurement, Group dynamics, Joint problem-solvingAbstract
The present study aimed to design and evaluate an instrument to measure group processes involved in collaborative problem-solving in higher education. The Group Processes in Collaborative Problem-Solving Scale (GROUPS) consists of 24 self-report items distributed across four dimensions: Exploration and Comprehension, Representation and Formulation, Planning and Execution, and Monitoring and Reflection. This instrumental research was conducted in Chile with a sample of 939 university students, who completed the instrument after participating in a three-week collaborative problem-solving task, jointly designed by the research team and faculty. Structural validity analyses showed an adequate fit to the four-factor model (with RMSEA and SRMR indices below .05, and CFI and TLI above .95), in addition to high levels of reliability in all dimensions (ordinal alpha above .80). The identified group processes are described, and the characteristics of the instrument, its main findings, and the implications for strengthening collaborative problem-solving skills in higher education are discussed.
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