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Scaffolding low-achieving students in computer-mediated design and technology classroom learning environment : a multiple-case study
Author
Yeo, Tiong Meng
Supervisor
Quek, Choon Lang
Abstract
This multiple-case study describes how four cases of secondary three Normal (Academic) Stream students generated and evaluated ideas at the Ideation stage of the Design and Technology design process in an asynchronous computer-mediated communication environment and compares the scaffolded and non-scaffolded cases in terms of divergent and critical thinking. Each case comprised five students who were all 15 years of age. Two of the cases were supported with scaffold prompts and the other two cases were not supported during the idea generation and evaluation tasks. The students’ idea generation and evaluation processes were described in terms of their participation, interaction, collaboration, scaffolding and thinking. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Quantitative analyses showed that all the four cases were unequal in participation in both idea generation and evaluation, low in interaction, low in collaboration in building on notes and high in collaboration in reading of notes during idea generation, and high in interaction and high in collaboration both in building on and reading of notes during idea evaluation. Qualitative analyses provided clear explanations to these quantitative differences. Case comparisons showed that higher participation did not necessarily lead to higher quality outcomes in terms of divergent and critical thinking. The results also showed that students who were supported by prompts did not generate more divergent ideas than students who were not. However, the support of prompts did enable the students to think more critically in idea evaluation. All the prompts provided for idea generation and evaluation were thought to be useful and were used in varying degrees of frequency. The findings contribute to studies involving low-achieving students by providing insight into the need to scaffold their learning in order to enhance their thinking skills.
Date Issued
2013
Call Number
TS171.4 Yeo
Date Submitted
2013