Collaboration in the classroom is usually carried out by seating students in groups,
having them discuss given topics, or assigning them joint or shared tasks. However,
research indicates that grouping students to work together does not automatically create
collaboration.This is especially the case when the students have not yet developed effective
communication, cooperation, and problem solving skills. Inquiry-based learning, which
requires students to apply complex cognitive and metacognitive skills to solve problems,
rarely leads to productive learning outcomes without adequate structured support.
Thus, scholars in learning sciences are faced with the challenge of helping students to develop crucial skills to solve problems collaboratively. Such skills include skills to interact, collaborate, represent, and collectively make sense of problems