Scaffolding : an important teacher competency in online learning By Nada Dabbagh

By Nada Dabbagh Scaffolding is originally a Vygotskyan (Lev Vygotsky, 1896-1934) concept based on the idea of providing supportive assistance to the learner within the parameters of a learner’s zone of proximal development (Zo-ped or ZPD) (Wood, Bruner, & Ross, 1976). ZPD is a measure of a learner’s current ability and knowledge what he/she is able to perform with no assistance and the learner’s expected or anticipated ability and knowledge what the learner can be challenged to accomplish with supportive assistance (Vygotsky, 1978). “Learners progress through the ZPD by attempting successive approximations of the learning task, assisted by peers, more able others or with a tutor” (McLoughlin, Oliver, Collis, Winnips, 1999, p.1). Scaffolding involves supporting novice learners by limiting the complexities of the learning context and gradually removing those limits (a concept known as fading) as learners gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to cope with the full complexity of the context (Young, 1993). Assistance to learners is provided on an as-needed basis and as their task competence increases, fading of assistance is gradually administered to allow learners to complete the task independently (Pressley, Hogan, Wharton-McDonald, Mistretta, & Ettenberger, 1996; Jarvela, 1995). Fading of support during scaffolding should eventually result in self-regulated learning and lead to more self-reliant students (Winnips, 2001; Clark & Kazinou, 2001). The process of providing just-intime, just-enough assistance and the gradual fading of assistance as learners become more competent in the use of task strategies calls for designing a layered learning experience in which novice learners get enough basic support and information to successfully engage in learning without slowing down advanced or more experienced learners who may need a different layer (or level) of support to maintain their learning momentum and interest. Skillful teachers in traditional face-to-face learning environments, are generally able to support students through a range of scaffolding approaches that can lead learners to deeper engagement in order to solve a problem or complete a learning task by themselves. However, online learning environments are now limiting face-toface teacher-student interaction and opening new possibilities for the application of the principles of scaffolding (McLoughlin, Winnips, & Oliver, 2000). This paper proposes a distributed and shared approach to scaffolding where teacher-student, student-student, and student-content interactions are supported through the use of online learning tools, and where responsibility of scaffolding is shared amongst learners, teachers, and resources. This approach will enable students who engage in online learning to become more self-directed, self-regulated, and self-reliant by providing multiple levels and types of support.