Collaborative Problem-Solving in Primary Technology Education

An Interactional Analysis of Model Construction Tasks Across Cognitive Load

Abstract

This study examined collaborative problem-solving among primary school students during hands-on activities in technology education. Participants were 24 students from two Australian primary schools, all operating within Piaget’s concrete operational stage of cognitive development, who worked in small groups to construct one of three mechanical models: a windmill (low cognitive load), a tower crane (moderate cognitive load), or a boat (high cognitive load). These model construction tasks required students to engage in group work involving shared planning, coordination of actions, and negotiation of responsibilities.

Adopting a qualitative observational design informed by interactional analysis, the study examined students’ interaction patterns as they engaged with technological materials and processes. Group interactions were video-recorded and analysed using Rusk and Rønning’s Joint–Individual and Open–Closed analytical framework to examine how students balanced joint decision-making with individual contributions during collaborative problem-solving. Analysis also examined how task structure shaped participation and how student roles emerged and shifted throughout the construction process.

Findings showed that students assumed a range of fluid student roles, including builder, organiser, guide, leader, and bystander, often transitioning between roles in response to task demands and peer interactions. While all groups demonstrated moments of effective group work, recurring challenges constrained collaborative problem-solving, including unequal participation, dominance by more confident students, difficulties articulating ideas, and limited strategies for negotiating disagreement. Task characteristics significantly influenced these patterns. The open-ended, high-load task supported creativity and exploration but increased the likelihood of fragmented efforts, whereas the closed, low-load task promoted focus and task completion while limiting opportunities for joint decision-making.

Overall, the study highlights how task design shapes collaborative problem-solving, student roles, and group work in primary school technology education, offering insights for the design of hands-on model construction activities that better support equitable participation and coordinated collaboration.