Elly Anjarsari, Dwi Juniati, Masriyah
This study examines ninth-grade students' experiences in engaging with Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) activities within a classroom context. The research aims to explore how students interact, collaborate, and jointly construct solutions when confronted with problem-based learning tasks. A qualitative research design was employed to capture students' perspectives in depth. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and students' perspectives in depth. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and students' reflective notes, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of their cognitive and social experiences during CPS activities. The collected data were transcribed verbatim, systematically organized, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and key themes. The finding reveals that effective team interaction plays a central role in the success of collaborative problem solving. Open communication, mutual respect, and active participation among group members were found to foster a supportive learning environment that facilitates meaningful problem-solving processes. Nevertheless, the study also identified several challenges, particularly unequal participation among students, which often hindered optimal collaboration. These challenges underscore the importance of clearly defined roles and responsibilities to ensure balanced contributions within groups. Furthermore, the results indicate that collaborative strategies, such as structured task distribution and coordinated teamwork, significantly enhance group productivity and problem-solving efficiency. Individual factors, including students' learning motivation and self-confidence, were shown to influence their level of engagement in CPS activities. In addition, group dynamics such as trust among members and fair role allocation emerged as critical elements affecting the overall effectiveness of collaboration. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that CPS contributes not only to the development of students' cognitive abilities, including critical thinking and problem analysis, but also to the enhancement of essential social skills, such as interpersonal communication and collaboration. These findings suggest that CPS represents a valuable instructional approach for improving learning quality and supporting students' holistic development, thereby better preparing them to address complex real world challenges. Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Mathematics Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Islam Lamongan, Indonesia
