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The role of technology‐based scaffolding in problem‐based online asynchronous discussion
Author(s) -
Ak Şerife
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
british journal of educational technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.79
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-8535
pISSN - 0007-1013
DOI - 10.1111/bjet.12254
Subject(s) - asynchronous communication , sentence , computer science , task (project management) , set (abstract data type) , online discussion , asynchronous learning , process (computing) , artificial intelligence , mathematics education , cooperative learning , psychology , teaching method , world wide web , synchronous learning , engineering , computer network , operating system , systems engineering , programming language
Abstract This study examined the effects of technology‐based scaffolds that were composed through the use of the seven‐stage, problem‐based learning strategy on knowledge construction in a problem‐based online asynchronous discussion. In a quasi‐experimental setting, 60 students in an undergraduate I nstructional T echnology and M aterial D esign course were assigned to one of three groups. In one group, students posted messages using a prescribed set of message categories. Using the same message categories, another group completed their messages using suggested sentence openers. A control group received none of the above mentioned scaffolds. Using a multi‐method approach (content analysis, measurement of learning performance), the research results showed that technology‐based scaffolding in a problem‐based online asynchronous discussion improves students' task orientation and leads to more task‐related learning activity. Furthermore, using both message labels and sentence openers, which were composed through the use of the seven‐stage problem‐based learning process theoretical framework, offers an effective strategy for encouraging more elaboration and higher cognitive discourse.