Collaborative problem solving can be highly effective, but learning coaches sometimes lack knowledge of how to teach, support and assess the quality of collaborative problem solving. The STEAMS project will deliver a set of metrics, tools and insights to support the assessment and teaching of collaborative problem-solving skills across four real-life use cases in youth education and corporate training.
In society today, effective teamwork is prized in the public and private sectors as well as in education and training. For maximum impacts, the workforce of tomorrow must be proficient in higher-order reasoning, decision-making and social skills – which cannot be automated using artificial intelligence. Despite the clear value of collaborative problem-solving (CPS), teamwork is often frustrating – or even harmful. This may be due to freeloading, a lack of clear roles or collaborative skills, or the unstable dynamics of constantly shifting teams.
There is an urgent need to scientifically investigate how CPS, a key 21st-century competency, can be taught, supported, assessed and optimized. Potential improvements to current practices include applying technologies like IoT and AI to make learning spaces responsive, applying data insights to enhance and better manage CPS, and using storytelling as a powerful pedagogical tool.
The STEAMS project partners will create a scalable, flexible learning platform that blends the physical and digital worlds to deliver effective CPS experiences in educational and corporate contexts. The components of this prototype will cover the entire chain of preparing for, delivering and debriefing a lesson or training course and consist of:
As a result of the project, STEAMS partners will be able to offer new educational formats and content centered around CPS, including digital tools, scenarios, content, learning paths and more. The resulting toolkit will help make CPS manageable and scalable, contributing to more effective group work, higher wellbeing and greater productivity at school and work.
“The STEAMS project will deliver a set of metrics, tools and insights to support the assessment and teaching of collaborative problem-solving skills across four real-life use cases in youth education and corporate training.”