The effect of dynamic computerized scaffolding on collaborative discourse

This paper explores the effect of computerized scaffolding and different forms of scaffolds on small groups’ collaborative discourse. We developed a computerized scaffolding system that uses an attention management system to support metacognitive activities in small groups. We previously found that the scaffolding stimulates the group’ metacognitive activities and enhances individual metacognitive knowledge. Moreover different forms of scaffolds have differential effects on learning that cannot be explained by quantitative differences in the groups’ metacognitive activities. Therefore, we investigate to qualitative differences in the groups’ collaborative discourse in this study. We found that groups receiving scaffolding had significantly less ignored metacognitive episodes. Groups receiving problematizing scaffolds had significantly less ignored metacognitive episodes and more co-constructed metacognitive episodes compared to groups receiving structuring scaffolds. These findings indicate that scaffolding indeed positively influenced collaborative discourse and intensive collaborative discourse seems to explain the differential learning effects of different forms of scaffolds.