Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Online Article - Teaching & Learning Forum
Teaching and Learning Forum 2000
Scaffolding: A model for learner support in an online teaching environment
Catherine McLoughlin
Teaching and Learning Centre
University of New England
and
Linda Marshall
Kurongkurl Katitjin, School of Indigenous Australian Studies
Edith Cowan University
In the design of online teaching environments, considerable attention has been paid to the nature of the interface and to the streamlining of activities for learners to engage with. Much less attention has been given however to the nature of the learner support system that is created for novice users learning online. Support systems are essential for learners to engage in the processes of learning and need to be developed in response to needs. It is also imperative that a range of support systems be put in place to enable learners to become competent in learning online, and to learn to interact in a virtual environment. Such skills are now recognised as part of the lifelong learning competencies or generic attributes that universities seek to develop in their graduates. In this paper we offer a theoretical and pragmatic rationale for the development of learning support for online learning, which comprises both resources that learners can access in order to achieve learning outcomes and procedural scaffolds that support the communication process. Examples of support mechanisms are drawn from two pre-tertiary bridging units offered to Indigenous external students studying online.
Relevant because of scaffolding, Shuell, and design. Downloaded into Sheffield and printed.
Scaffolding: A model for learner support in an online teaching environment
Catherine McLoughlin
Teaching and Learning Centre
University of New England
and
Linda Marshall
Kurongkurl Katitjin, School of Indigenous Australian Studies
Edith Cowan University
In the design of online teaching environments, considerable attention has been paid to the nature of the interface and to the streamlining of activities for learners to engage with. Much less attention has been given however to the nature of the learner support system that is created for novice users learning online. Support systems are essential for learners to engage in the processes of learning and need to be developed in response to needs. It is also imperative that a range of support systems be put in place to enable learners to become competent in learning online, and to learn to interact in a virtual environment. Such skills are now recognised as part of the lifelong learning competencies or generic attributes that universities seek to develop in their graduates. In this paper we offer a theoretical and pragmatic rationale for the development of learning support for online learning, which comprises both resources that learners can access in order to achieve learning outcomes and procedural scaffolds that support the communication process. Examples of support mechanisms are drawn from two pre-tertiary bridging units offered to Indigenous external students studying online.
Relevant because of scaffolding, Shuell, and design. Downloaded into Sheffield and printed.
# posted by Yik Sheng : 11:29 AM
