Analysis of Group Processes and the Impact of Role Assignment on Participant Interactions in a Collaborative Web-Based Training

The present study investigates how group interaction processes contribute to learning in a collaborative web-based training designed to enhance “problem-solving” skills in older adults. This thesis is part of a broader research project, in which the main hypothesis is that a positive communication climate and collaborative interactions significantly improve problem-solving abilities of both individual participants and the group as a whole. Particularly, this thesis aims to provide insights into how specific types of interactions can facilitate or hinder “collaborative problem-solving” and enhance group effectiveness in older adults. Furthermore, the focus is placed on understanding how interactions change depending on the rotation of the assigned “pilot player” role during sessions. Particular attention is given to whether stable communicative patterns emerge across sessions, independently of role assignment. Data on group interactions were collected using the Interaction Process Analysis (IPA) method developed by Robert F. Bales, with a particular focus on the frequency of “task-oriented attempted answers” categories. The ten training sessions of one group were analysed in order to assess the evolution of communicative patterns over time.