Scaffolding middle school students’ content knowledge and ill-structured problem solving in a problem-based hypermedia learning environment

Abstract

This study focused on two areas under the overarching theme of the effects of domain-general and domain-specific scaffolds with different levels of support, continuous or faded. First, the study investigated the effects of scaffolds on learning of scientific content and problem-solving outcomes. Second, the study examined whether students' prior knowledge and metacognitive skills predict their success in problem solving across different scaffolding conditions. A total of nineteen classes were randomly assigned to one of the four scaffolding conditions: domain-general continuous (DG-C), domain-general faded (DG-F), domainspecific continuous (DS-C), and domain-specific faded (DS-F). Each class had access to different worksheets depending on the scaffolding condition they had been assigned. All students engaged in four problem-solving activities for thirteen class periods. Students' scores on a multiple-choice pretest, posttest, inventory of metacognitive self-regulation, and four recommendation forms were analyzed. iv Results of the study revealed that students' content knowledge in all conditions significantly increased over the thirteen class periods. However, the continuous domainspecific condition outperformed the other conditions on the posttest. Although domaingeneral scaffolds were not as effective as domain-specific scaffolds on learning of scientific content and problem representation, they helped students develop solutions, make strong justifications, and monitor their learning. Unlike domain-specific scaffolds, domain-general scaffolds helped students transfer problem-solving skills even when they were faded. In terms of individual differences, results indicated that while students with lower prior knowledge and lower metacognitive skills benefited from the domaingeneral continuous condition, students with lower regulation of cognition benefited from the domain-general faded condition. Moreover, while students with lower prior knowledge, lower knowledge of cognition, and lower problem representation benefited from the domain-specific continuous condition, students with lower problem representation benefited from the domain-specific faded condition. In contrast, results of the study suggested that scaffolds did not substantially benefit the students with higher prior knowledge and higher metacognitive skills. Several suggestions are discussed for making further improvements in the design of scaffolds in order to facilitate illstructured problem solving in hypermedia learning environments.

The Effects of Differentiation of Content in Problem-solving in Learning Geometry in Secondary School

“…Akor (2005) in his research proves that Polya's problemsolving strategy in the teaching of geometry on secondary school enhances students' achievement in geometry in relation to the traditional teaching. Besides that, research show that problem-solving question promptly leads to improved knowledge acquisition (Bulu & Pedersen, 2010;Huang et al, 2015: 160;Perveen, 2010;Raes et al, 2012), and that problem-solving is -to some extent -a context of independent skill, which is both possible to train and transfer (Hattie, 2009;Marcucci, 1980, according to: Trinchero & Sala, 2016. Also, research show that the mathematical abstraction levels and forms of the students can be improved by exposure to mathematical abstraction through a problem solving learning approach using ill structured problems, and that solving problems with characteristics of authenticity, complexity and openness can improve students' high-level mathematical thinking and strengthen their problem-solving skills in real life (Hong, 2016: 267-269).…”

Resolução de problemas abertos no ensino de física: uma revisão da literatura

“…Efeito das abordagens de assistênciaà aprendizagem: Bulu e Pedersen [37] pretendem compreender como estudantes com diferentes níveis de conhecimento prévio e habilidades metacognitivas podem ser auxiliados em resolução de problemas abertos sobre conteúdos científicos, contribuindo para o estabelecimento de estratégias de assistênciaà aprendizagem (questões-estímulo, dicas, exemplos, lembretes e iniciadores de sentença). Shekoyan e Etkina [38] avaliam o desempenho dos alunos em problemas abertos depois de terem como auxílio questões-estímulo, enquanto Ding et al [39] avaliam o desempenho dos alunos em resolução de problemas abertos com o auxílio de questões conceituais prévias.…”

“…Gomes de Souza, Moreira e Matheus [42] elaboram situações-problema sobre Eletromagnetismo e as analisamà luz da Teoria dos Campos Conceituais de Vergnaud. Em alguns outros artigos, detectamos, apenas referênciasà ZDP (Zona de Desenvolvimento Proximal) de Vygotsky [37,24], e referênciasà filosofia construtivista [6,17].…”

An adaptive scaffolding e-learning system for middle school students’ physics learning

“…Previous literature shows that it is possible to embed conceptual, metacognitive, and strategic hard scaffolds into traditional or technology-enhanced learning environments (e.g., Bulu & Pedersen, 2010;Chen, 2010;Davis, 2003;Demetriadis, Papadopoulos, Stamelos, & Fischer, 2008;Ge & Land, 2003). Historically, hard scaffolds have been implemented in a fixed manner in which the assistance provided to students does not change based on their behavior.…”