Scaffolding

During my Fall semester, I took a course on Principles of Fostering Learning. In this course, we learned about how to effectively use "scaffolding" to help with learning. On a building, scaffolding provides support to hold the building up before it can support itself. In learning, scaffolding means providing supports to a learner, before they are able to carry out a task on their own.

Scaffolding helps a learner to achieve a task that they would not be able to achieve alone. When we consider how much scaffolding to provide, we need to consider the learner's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

source: https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-daily/2013/09/20/tile-sig-feature-the-digitally-enhanced-zone-of-proximal-development

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) describes the tasks that a learner can complete with some help. Tasks that are below the ZPD are too easy for the learner—they can already complete these tasks without any assistance. Tasks above the ZPD are too hard for the learner—they cannot complete these tasks even with help. Tasks in the ZPD are "just right," meaning the learner can complete these tasks with some help. As learners gain competence through learning, they are able to take on more challenging tasks. When designing, we want to ensure that our learners are working within their ZPD.

Scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Appropriate scaffolding helps learners to work within their ZPD. Overtime, these scaffolds can "fade," meaning that parts of the scaffolding can be removed overtime. By the end, all of the scaffolds will be removed, and the learner will be able to achieve the task on their own—like a fully constructed building that no longer needs to rely on scaffolding for support. It is important that we fade scaffolding appropriately, so that learners do no become overly reliant on the scaffolding, and use it as a crutch. The ultimate goal is to remove the scaffolding, so the learner can complete the task without assistance.

For example, in my Mechanical Madness project, learners will learn how to perform car maintenance tasks through an educational video game. In this game, an Expert Mechanic will provide scaffolding for the learner, helping them to perform maintenance tasks that they would not be able to perform alone. Overtime, as the learner "levels up" in the game, the Expert Mechanic's scaffolding will fade, until the learner is able to carry out maintenance tasks without any help.

When designing for informal STEM environments in the future, I will need to be aware of learners' Zones of Proximal Development. For example, in a science museum setting, guests will have varying amounts of prior knowledge about STEM topics. I will need to make sure my designs are accessible for learners with less prior knowledge, but still interesting for learners with more prior knowledge. To support this, I can create extension activities for more advanced learners.