Web-based project-based learning gained attention in educational setting due to following characteristics. First it integrates learner’s knowledge and thinking by enabling learners to sufficiently understand the core concepts and principals of curri...
Web-based project-based learning gained attention in educational setting due to following characteristics. First it integrates learner’s knowledge and thinking by enabling learners to sufficiently understand the core concepts and principals of curriculum. Second, it helps learners attain proficiency in project implementation progress. In contrast to these positive expectations, the educational effects of project-based learning are not evident in the education field. This is the reason why it is difficult for students to control and lead their learning process without sufficient teacher’s feedback and specific guidelines. In addition, it does not guarantee the effectiveness of learning by empowering learners to control learning.
Therefore, the scaffolding is necessary to allow students to manage learning process more systematically. The scaffolding should either include tasks related concepts, terms and information which learners have difficulty while implementing the project, or procedures and strategies needed for completing the tasks. Moreover, as a web-based project-based learning should proceed step by step, it is important to provide appropriate scaffolding between each step. However, existing studies have limits by investigating the effects of typical scaffolding strategies without considering the characteristics of each step in project-based learning.
The purpose of this study is to examine empirically which type of scaffolding is more effective in each step before reaching the final project goal. The research questions are proposed as follows: (a) Is there significant difference in project-based learning phase between conceptual scaffolding and strategic scaffolding groups? (b) Is there significant difference in the final project outcome between conceptual scaffolding and strategic scaffolding groups?
In order to verify these research questions, the experiment was performed to 98 students who registered for a teaching training course in two universities in Seoul. Materials used in this study were the pre-test, the test on scaffolding types, the web-based learning community test, the rubric project phase achievement, and the rubric of final outcome. There were two experimental groups which were treated with conceptual scaffolding and strategic scaffolding in this study. The experiment was conducted for 3weeks from September, 15th, 2011 to October, 8th, 2011. In the first week, 98 students were assigned to each team of 3-4 members according to their pre-test results. They were engaged in the online team project. The two control groups were assigned with each conceptual and strategic scaffolding before they engage in the online team project. The project is assumed to be their first project after achieving teacher certification. The topic of the project is ‘Design the lesson plan using ASSURE model’.
After the project initiation, the 98 students were required to submit 3 individual reports and team project results by following the following process at intervals of 5-day: planning, exploring related information and analysis and drafting and developing the artifact. After scoring the project outcomes, it was analyzed with t-test.
The results were as follows. First, there is significant difference in all project phases between groups provided with conceptual scaffolding and strategic scaffolding (‘planning’ phase: t=4.22, p<.01, ‘exploring related information and analysis’ phase: t=3.11, p<.01, ‘drafting and developing the artifact’ phase: t=3.32, p<.01). Second, there is significant difference on the project final outcome between groups provided with conceptual scaffolding and strategic scaffolding (t=7.35, p<.01).
The results of this study indicated that strategic scaffolding has positive effects on project-based learning overall. These results suggest that to maximize the educational effects, it is necessary to consider using strategic scaffolding method which verifies the needed procedures and strategies to solve the task.