Applying Scaffolding to Teaching Adults: Using the Guidance Class in Statistics of the National Open University as a Case Study

• Main Authors: Din-Bang Chen, 陳定邦
• Other Authors: 黃明月
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/79440418424604240525

博士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 社會教育研究所 === 92 === The concept of scaffolding originated from the Russian psychologist L.S. Vygotsky’s Proximal Development Zone theory. According to Vygotsky, teaching can surpass and guide development. He stressed that through societal interactions, human beings’ high-level mental activities develop through initial adjustments from others, then internalize into a self-regulating process. The objectives of this study include: (1) Understand the planning and implementation of the strategies and teaching methods of scaffolding for teaching a class on statistics; (2) analyze the process of concept comprehension of scaffolding activities in a statistics class for adults; (3) study the influence of the strategy of scaffolding in the interactions of adult-class teaching; (4) lastly, based on analyses and summaries, propose ways in which scaffolding strategies and teaching methods could be applied to adult classes in mathematics and physical sciences. This study employs participation observation, gathers classroom teaching activities and scripts of after-class in depth interviews. Study materials include textbooks, teaching plans, journals, summary of interviews, and self-made achievement exams. The subjects are adults who are willing to participate in an after-class guidance class in statistics at the National Open University in Taipei. The period of the study lasts from March to June, 2003. Brief research results include the following: 1. The compilation of the teaching materials, design of the guidance teaching activities, and implementation of the strategy of scaffolding are all processes of “gradual comprehension”; “learning well rather than learning too much” and “diligence compensates clumsiness” are factors that influence the key to learning statistics. 2. The implementation of the teaching strategy of scaffolding is a dynamic process; the application of “peer scaffolding” helps in stimulating active thinking in learners, whereas the application of “teachers’ scaffolding” can assist in guiding learners to critical thinking and balancing out learners’ stress. 3. Encouraging peers who perform well to act as models induces successful reciprocal teaching experience; “peer talk” can help individuals in constructing the meanings of concepts, or assist confused classmates to reiterate the explanations of the teacher or the textbook, fulfilling different learners’ personal needs. 4. The application of the teaching strategy of scaffolding is a continually shifting process; the transition of the teaching method of scaffolding influences learning in switching responsibilities; the interactive effect of “teachers’ scaffolding” and “peer scaffolding” endow the teacher the responsibility of “maintaining and controlling” the classroom setting in order to lead classroom interactions. 5.The understanding of the concepts in the class in statistics is a regular pattern of conceptual framework. Learners continually change position, wander, meet obstacles among prerequisites, semantic systems, thinking paths, and the process of concept formation, and must constantly go backwards to the starting point to rethink and ruminate. In sum, the application of the strategies and teaching methods of scaffolding in the activities of the guidance class in statistics is successful; the feedback from the learners is positive. I have proposed suggestions on the class in statistics, teachers, and learners to provide a reference for professional fields in teaching statistics. I have also provided research methods, tools, subjects, and research areas for further studies on applying scaffolding to teaching adults.