Educational Scaffolding:

Presented by:

Michael Thomas (primary)

 

Daniel (secondary)

Background: Examples: Scaffolding Lesson Plan Ideas Links: References:

Definition: Essentially, Scaffolding is a systematic means of instruction, where the instructor is extremely detailed and “supportive” at the outset of a student’s learning of a new concept, idea or skill; however, as the student becomes more competent, and as the student can demonstrate understanding and ability to use these new skills, the instructor gradually removes such overt support from the student, causing the student to become much more confident, and the focus to be diverted from the more traditional method of focusing on an instructor to focusing on the students. (Eric Digest: Larkin, 2002). Scaffolding is often likened to the scaffolding of a building, because as a building grows, less scaffolding is required, until eventually, the building can stand on its own.

 

Background:

 

1)      Characteristics:  Though Educational Scaffolding (also known as “Instructional Scaffolding”) is based on sound Educational Theory, there has not been a widely accepted codified definition to the concept as of yet due to its relatively new age; however, there are quite a few characteristics that have been suggested as definitive of the process:

 

a)      Communication: All the authors of any publications on this topic have mentioned that there is a need for an open discourse between a novice/pupil and an individual with an abundant knowledge of a given subject.

 

b)     Internalization: Though this is given different terms by various scholars, there seems to be a consensus that some sort of internalization is occurring, where the receiver of the knowledge must internalize it in order to replicate said knowledge.

 

c)      Demonstration: After the student inherits this knowledge, the student is general asked to provide this knowledge back to the instructor.

 

d)     Application: Ideally, if the process is successful, the student should then be able to apply this knew knowledge to new areas related to this knowledge, for example: if a student learns how to add and subtract given digits, based on examples by the instructor, the student should theoretically be able to add and subtract any digits that the student comes across.

 

2)      Challenges:  On the same note as the characteristics, there seems to be a few challenges that are mentioned across the various articles on the subject:

a)              Not Always Appropriate: Scaffolding is not always an appropriate way of teaching a subject.

 

b)             Need for an Expert on a given subject: The more experienced in a given subject the instructor is, the better the lessons will be.

 

c)              Time Consuming: Teaching by example can be a case by case basis, meaning some students may learn faster with this method, while others may not.

 

d)             Different Learners: Students learn in various ways, and learning by example is not necessarily the most optimal manner of educating.

 

 

 

 

3)      The Process:  There seems to be a process for many applications of scaffolding:

 

a)      Provide numerous resources: Especially in the online and educational environments, scaffolding suggests that multiple types of resources be given to the student (images, videos, text, lectures) to allow the widest breadth of knowledge reception.

 

b)     Communication: Like above, the student and instructor must communicate throughout the process, at first, the instructor communicates to the student on how to do something, and at the end the student communicates to the instructor on the student’s understanding of how to accomplish that task.

 

c)      Assessment: Assessment and feedback are drawn, as seen in the images below, where the student learns from example by the instructor, attempts the task, and assesses the failures and successes, ever repeating the process.

 

 

Theory:    The original concept of Scaffolding was developed upon a theory produced by Vygotsky known as zone of proximal development where the student essentially learns new tasks from an adult after viewing examples, and eventually gains the ability to accomplish those tasks independently. Specifically, the zone of proximal development was the difference between the student's ability to learn  indipendently and the student's ability to learn with the assistance of another, usually someone with expertise in the subject.  (Two-Tiered Scaffolding Congruent Processes of Teaching and Learning: Gaffney, Anderson, 91).

 

Examples:

 

1)      Explanations of Scaffolding in various teaching modes:

 

 

2)      Example video of Educational Scaffolding:

 

Images from: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/a7/c6.pdf

 

Scaffolding Lesson Plan Ideas

 

Comprehension strategies using graphic organizers

 

Writing Lesson Plan

 

Exploring Narratives

 

Biomes of the World Lesson

 

 

Links:

 

1) Wiki: Zone of proximal development:

 

2) Website dedicated to research on Scaffolding.

 

3) Online Journal Entry which is often referenced from other Educational Pages on this subject.

 

4) A Scaffolding Approach to Media Education

 

5) Scaffolding Children’s Learning: Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education

 

 

References:

 

 

Larkin, Martha (2002). Using Scaffolded Instruction To Optimize Learning. ERIC Digest, Retrieved May 6, 2008, from

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1a/de/96.pdf

 

 

Gaffney, Janet S., Anderson, Richard C. (1991). Two-Tiered Scaffolding: Congruent Processes of Teaching and Learning. Technical Report No. 523. Cambridge, Massacheusets: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/22/b1/64.pdf

 

 

 

Boyer, Naomi R. (2003). Who’s in Charge? A System of Scaffolds That Encourages Online Learners to Take Control. University of South Florida, Retrieved on May 7, 2008, From http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/a7/c6.pdf