This exploratory pilot at Harris Academy, Battersea, looks at the use of dictaphones and transcripts to improve pupils’ collaborative problem-solving discussions.

Key findings

Teachers found transcriptions of pupil discussions a useful tool for improving practice, especially on pupils working together and solving problems collaboratively.

Teachers found it harder than expected to fit even a relatively modest 15 minutes of weekly collaborative problem-solving into their lessons.

• Teachers found the experiment a useful way to reflect upon some of the challenges and opportunities in designing, structuring and facilitating problem-solving activities to ensure meaningful collaboration to take place

​Our Solved! report showed that the ability to solve problems with others (collaborative problem-solving) is more important than ever for future work, and helps kids succeed in the classroom now. It also showed that, despite its promise, it features little in UK school life.

That’s why we’re running a series of experiments to learn more about how educators can do this better. This report is the first of these experiments which look at improving collaborative problem-solving practice both in and out of the classroom.

It tests the use of dictaphones and transcripts as a way to improve pupils’ problem-solving discussions and presents teacher led feedback into using CPS in the classroom.