How can scientific inquiry groups improve learning performance? ——Analysis based on the combination of NCA and fsQCA

Background

Collaborative problem-solving (CPS) ability is the core quality necessary for students' current study and future work. The performance of CPS in practical teaching contexts is affected by a combination of multiple factors. Revealing the mechanism of complex and diverse group characteristics on CPS level is a breakthrough in current research.

Aims

The paper intends to integrate structural, motivational, and interactive characteristics of groups to explore their synergistic pathways in influencing the effectiveness of CPS within groups.

Sample

Participants were 129 primary school students.

Methods

This study created guided problem-solving scenarios. Students worked in groups of 5–6, conducted two rounds of scientific inquiry activities, and completed a group worksheet and a reflective questionnaire.

Results

This paper found that the learning performance of scientific inquiry groups is the result of the synergistic effect of various group characteristics. Groups with high-quality performance demonstrate three driving patterns: high morale groups riven by high information interaction, heterogeneous groups driven by high motivation and information interaction, and heterogeneous groups driven by interpersonal interaction. Moreover, the characteristics of interpersonal interaction or information interaction are essential to achieve high-quality group performance. High-quality group performance can't be separated from the group characteristics of heterogeneity, learning motivation or self-efficacy.

Conclusions

For cultivating CPS skills., teachers should comprehensively consider multiple group characteristics and create favorable group conditions through group design. They should also promote collaborative communication through value guidance and rule establishment., and enhance the effectiveness of information interaction by designing external learning support, thereby improving group learning performance.