A Collaborative Problem-solving Process Through Environmental Field Studies

Abstract

This study explored and documented students' responses to opportunities for collective knowledge building and collaboration in a problem-solving process within complex environmental challenges and pressing issues with various dimensions of knowledge and skills. Middle-school students (n = 16; age 14) and high-school students (n = 16; age 17) from two Singapore public institutions participated in an environmental science field study to experience knowledge integration and a decision-making process. Students worked on six research topics to understand the characteristics of an organic farm and plan for building an ecological village. Students collected and analysed data from the field and shared their findings. Their field work and discussions were video-recorded, and their reflective notes and final reports were collected for data coding and interpretation. The results revealed that throughout the study, students experienced the needs and development of integrated knowledge, encountered the challenges of knowledge sharing and communication during their collaboration, and learned how to cope with the difficulties. Based on research findings, this study further discusses students' learning through a collaborative problem-solving process, including the interdependence of knowledge and the development of mutual relationships such as respect and care for others' knowledge and learning.

Keywords:

• Collaboration
• Group work
• Environmental problem solving
• Interdependence
• Knowledge integration

Notes

The terms interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary are often used interchangeably without definite distinction among researchers (Collin, 2009; Scott & Hofmeyer, 2007; Zierhofer & Burger, 2007). However, some researchers have made a distinction between these two approaches, explaining that an interdisciplinary approach is implemented in the same discipline field to create the synthesis of knowledge whereas a transdisciplinary approach combines knowledge and thoughts of different disciplines (Klein, 2004; Ramadier, 2004) in order to readjust the different levels of realities. Some view that a transdisciplinary approach embraces interdisciplinary aspects, going beyond the boundaries of different disciplines (Stokols, 2006; Stokols et al., 2003; Zierhofer & Burger, 2007). Despite those distinctions, the two inevitably embrace knowledge integration among different disciplines and collaborative interactions among members. In this work, we use the term interdisciplinary in the broad context of knowledge integration and interplay amongst different domains of knowledge (e.g. cognitive and social), disciplines (e.g. sciences, social sciences, humanities, etc.), and human actors.