Scaffolding Student Learning Phase III Activity 7.1

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 1.What is scaffolding? A temporary structure providing assistance at specific points in the learning process Allows learners to complete tasks that they would not be able to accomplish without assistance

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 2. Why provide scaffolding? To help learners make progress and avoid getting left behind To provide just-in-time help for learners In technology-supported learning, to help learners “focus more on content rather than on the mechanics of technology use” (Fryer, 1999) To direct students to good resources and help them form insights (McKenzie, 1998)

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 2. Why provide scaffolding? Scaffolding is essential in construction work: for building tall structures, for reaching hard-to- reach places

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 2. Why provide scaffolding? Learning is constructing/forming knowledge from various resources/ materials Learning is transforming information from various resources into new knowledge products

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning  INPUTS RECEPTION SCAFFOLDS  OUTPUTS TRANSFORMATION SCAFFOLDS PRODUCTION SCAFFOLDS TRANSFORMATION

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 3. How do we scaffold learning? By providing guides, outlines and templates By using visual/ graphic and other guides for thinking

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 4. Reception scaffolds Helps learners gather information from sources Directs learners’ attention to what is important, and helps them organize and record what they perceive Examples: interview process guide, reading guide, dictionaries and glossaries, observation guide, note-taking guideinterview process guidereading guideobservation guidenote-taking guide

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 5. Transformation scaffolds Helps learners transform information they have collected into some other form Used to impose structure on information (while reception scaffolds help learners perceive structure that is already in the information) Examples: Venn diagram (for comparisons), inductive tower (for making inferences), causal loop and fishbone map (for analyzing causes and effects)Venn diagram inductive towercausal loopfishbone map

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 6. Production scaffolds Helps learners produce something observable that conveys what they have learned Useful when the form of what is to be produced follows the conventions of a type or publication or presentation format Examples: presentation checklist and template, outline, story map, play structure, writing guide/templatechecklist outlinestory mapplay structure

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 7. Questions teachers should ask themselves when assigning learning tasks: 1. Reception task: Do all of my students know how to make sense of this source of information? 2. Transformation task: Do all of my students know how to manipulate the information in the way I am asking them to? 3. Production task: Do all of my students know how to produce information in the format I am requiring?

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 7. Questions teachers should ask themselves when assigning learning tasks: If your answer to any of these questions is “No” or “Not Sure”, then you need to MAKE A SCAFFOLD for your students to use.

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 8. Key attributes of good scaffolds Available for just-in-time learning Can be skipped by those who don’t need them Blends content and structure to an appropriate degree Fades when students become more adept

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 8. Key attributes of good scaffolds Strike a balance between spoon feeding and allowing your learners to sink- or-swim. Don’t scaffold everything. Pick the 20% that will solve 80% of your problems.

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning 8. Key attributes of good scaffolds Make sure your scaffolds do not stifle creativity. Over time, as your students internalize the structures and skills you want them to have, scaffold less.

Phase III. Activity 7.1 Scaffolding Student Learning References Dodge, Bernie. (1998). Thinking Visually With WebQuests. Available online at Accessed on 21 August Fryer, Wesley A. (1999). Teaching with Templates. Available online at plates.html. Accessed on 21 August plates.html McKenzie, Jamie. (1998). Grazing the Net: Raising a Generation of Free-Range Students. Available online at Accessed on 21 August