Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education
This study examines the impact of gender dynamics and team composition on collective intelligence (CI) in STEM higher education, addressing performance variability in individual and collaborative tasks. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, quantitative data from 102 students were ana...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2439655 |
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| author | Francisca Beroíza-Valenzuela Natalia Salas-Guzmán David Huepe |
| author_facet | Francisca Beroíza-Valenzuela Natalia Salas-Guzmán David Huepe |
| author_sort | Francisca Beroíza-Valenzuela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines the impact of gender dynamics and team composition on collective intelligence (CI) in STEM higher education, addressing performance variability in individual and collaborative tasks. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, quantitative data from 102 students were analyzed utilizing non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon rank-sum, Kruskal–Wallis, and Dunn's test for post-hoc comparisons), whereas qualitative analyses, including content analysis of video-recorded triads, provided insights into interaction patterns and gender roles. The quantitative findings demonstrated significant sex and gender-based differences in individual performance (p < 0.05), but no significant differences in collaborative performance (p > 0.05), indicating that teamwork mitigates individual disparities. Teams with a majority of men achieved higher average scores (M = 79.5) but exhibited greater variability compared to those with a majority of women (M = 77.1). Qualitative findings revealed that teams with a majority of women prioritized inclusivity and consensus, whereas those with a majority of men demonstrated negotiation-driven interactions and greater variability in participation. Although collaboration enhances group performance, gendered interaction patterns continue to influence team dynamics. These results underscore the necessity for interventions to foster equitable and inclusive teamwork in STEM, highlighting the pivotal role of collective intelligence in addressing performance disparities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-334d56e59f6d4feebdea9ebb42a2c820 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2331-186X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-334d56e59f6d4feebdea9ebb42a2c8202025-01-08T15:40:41ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2024.2439655Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM educationFrancisca Beroíza-Valenzuela0Natalia Salas-Guzmán1David Huepe2Programa Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Educación (PIIE), Santiago de Chile, ChileCentro de Investigación en Psicología, Educación y Familia (CIPEF), Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago de Chile, ChileCenter for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Peñalolén, ChileThis study examines the impact of gender dynamics and team composition on collective intelligence (CI) in STEM higher education, addressing performance variability in individual and collaborative tasks. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, quantitative data from 102 students were analyzed utilizing non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon rank-sum, Kruskal–Wallis, and Dunn's test for post-hoc comparisons), whereas qualitative analyses, including content analysis of video-recorded triads, provided insights into interaction patterns and gender roles. The quantitative findings demonstrated significant sex and gender-based differences in individual performance (p < 0.05), but no significant differences in collaborative performance (p > 0.05), indicating that teamwork mitigates individual disparities. Teams with a majority of men achieved higher average scores (M = 79.5) but exhibited greater variability compared to those with a majority of women (M = 77.1). Qualitative findings revealed that teams with a majority of women prioritized inclusivity and consensus, whereas those with a majority of men demonstrated negotiation-driven interactions and greater variability in participation. Although collaboration enhances group performance, gendered interaction patterns continue to influence team dynamics. These results underscore the necessity for interventions to foster equitable and inclusive teamwork in STEM, highlighting the pivotal role of collective intelligence in addressing performance disparities.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2439655Collective intelligencecollaborative workteam performancegender rolesSTEMhigher education |
| spellingShingle | Francisca Beroíza-Valenzuela Natalia Salas-Guzmán David Huepe Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education Cogent Education Collective intelligence collaborative work team performance gender roles STEM higher education |
| title | Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education |
| title_full | Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education |
| title_fullStr | Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education |
| title_short | Bridging gaps: the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within STEM education |
| title_sort | bridging gaps the role of gender and team composition in collective intelligence within stem education |
| topic | Collective intelligence collaborative work team performance gender roles STEM higher education |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2439655 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT franciscaberoizavalenzuela bridginggapstheroleofgenderandteamcompositionincollectiveintelligencewithinstemeducation AT nataliasalasguzman bridginggapstheroleofgenderandteamcompositionincollectiveintelligencewithinstemeducation AT davidhuepe bridginggapstheroleofgenderandteamcompositionincollectiveintelligencewithinstemeducation |