Learning From Errors in Simulations: How Individual Error Responses Shape Collaborative Problem‐Solving Skills

ABSTRACT Background In collaborative problem‐solving (CPS), individual errors such as failing to share relevant information are common. These moments can hinder performance, but if learners engage with them productively, they may offer powerful learning opportunities. Simulation‐based learning environments provide safe opportunities to engage with errors; however, it remains unclear how individual learners respond to their own errors during collaboration and how such responses relate to the development of CPS skills. Objectives This study examines how students respond to individual errors in simulation‐based CPS tasks (elaborating vs. ignoring), how these responses are shaped by individual cognitive and motivational‐affective prerequisites, and whether they contribute to CPS skill development. Methods A total of 194 medical students worked on five collaborative diagnostic reasoning tasks with an agent‐based radiologist. Students' responses to their errors in collaborating with the agent were logged and categorised as either elaborating on or ignoring errors. We analysed how these responses changed across tasks, how they related to individual differences in prior knowledge, cognitive ability and motivational‐affective factors, and whether they predicted CPS skill development. Results and Conclusions Elaborating on errors was associated with improved information sharing and, initially, better task performance, but this effect diminished across tasks. Cognitive ability consistently predicted reduced error ignoring, while prior knowledge and motivational‐affective factors showed weaker effects. The findings highlight the importance of simulation designs that sustain engagement with errors and adapt to individual learner profiles as a pathway to CPS skill development.