Improving hybrid brainstorming outcomes with computer-supported scaffolds: Prompts and cognitive group awareness

Abstract

Guided by the dual pathways to creativity model (DPCM), this study explores how two computer-supported scaffolds—prompts and cognitive group awareness—can enhance the quality of ideas generated in hybrid brainstorming sessions that combine individual and group brainstorming. While prior research has employed these scaffolds to improve group work focusing on convergent thinking in CSCL settings, their application to stimulate divergent thinking in brainstorming sessions remains unexplored. To address this gap, 94 higher education students were randomly assigned into triads and tasked with generating business ideas addressing sustainability issues under three different conditions. In control condition, students generated ideas in a hybrid brainstorming session following an individual-group-individual sequence without any additional support. In experimental 1 condition (prompts), students followed the same sequence but received prompts during the first individual phase, encouraging the use of SCAMPER principles to enhance cognitive persistence. In experimental 2 condition (prompts + cognitive group awareness), students received the same prompts during the individual phases and additional support during the group phase, aimed at enhancing cognitive group awareness through the sharing of individually generated ideas to increase cognitive flexibility. To evaluate the impact of providing prompts, the outcomes of the first individual phase across all three conditions were compared, revealing that students in both experimental conditions generated ideas with significantly higher originality compared to those in control condition. To assess the influence of fostering cognitive group awareness, the outcomes of experimental 1 and 2 conditions were compared. Students in experimental 2 condition showed superior idea quality in both the group and final individual phases, as evidenced by higher originality, outperforming experimental 1 condition. Furthermore, the findings revealed that flexibility mediated the relationship between cognitive group awareness and idea originality, while also suggesting that originality can emerge through alternative pathways beyond those proposed by the DPCM.