scaffolding thinking skills hk2

Scaffolding Thinking Skills for Primary

StudentsBernie Dodge, PhD

San Diego State University

webquest.org/workshops/sts/

Overview

• A graphical model for thinking about WebQuests and any constructivist activity

• Examples of three points at which graphical scaffolding helps

• A taxonomy of scaffolding types• Introduction to a number of useful web sites• Practice at adding scaffolding to WebQuests

that need them

Beyond Blobmongering

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The Egyptologist Story

• Does magic happen when you give children access to an adult expert?

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What is Scaffolding?

Scaffolding is a temporary structure which provides help at specific points in the learning process.

It allows learners to complete a challenging task which they would not be able to accomplish without help.

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Why Scaffold?

• Because some learners are being left behind

• Because you can’t be everywhere at once, so it’s useful to capture some of the help you’d give and make it available for just-in-time learning.

Four Useful Resources

• ExploraTree

• Gliffy

• Read Write Think

• Graphic.org

Traditional

Teacher Student

Traditional

Teacher Student

Transmission

Inputs

Constructivist

Inputs

Transformation

Constructivist

Inputs

Transformation

OutputsConstructivist

Inputs

Transformation

OutputsConstructivist

ReceptionScaffolds

Inputs

Transformation

OutputsConstructivist

ReceptionScaffolds

TransformationScaffolds

Inputs

Transformation

OutputsConstructivist

ReceptionScaffolds

TransformationScaffolds

ProductionScaffolds

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How Do We Scaffold? by…• Providing

outlines, guides and templates

• Guiding thinking through visual and other means

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Key attributes of good scaffolding

• Available for Just-in-time learning

• Skippable by those who don’t need it

• Blends content and structure to an appropriate degree

• Fades like the Cheshire Cat smile as students become more adept

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Reception Scaffolds

• Guidance on how to interview an expert

• Reading guides• Dictionaries and

glossaries• Observation guides

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Reception Scaffold Example• Experiencing

India’s Caste System provides a glossary because much of the vocabulary will be new to the learners.

http://teachers.eusd.k12.ca.us/mguerena/castewebquest/index.htm

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Reception Scaffold Example• Experiencing India’s

Caste System provides a glossary because much of the vocabulary will be new to the learners.

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Reception Scaffold Example• Peyri Hamada provided a visual

organizer to help students gather information about the metric system.

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Reception Scaffold Example

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Reception Scaffold Example

• In the Early Jazz Wax Museum WebQuest, students capture the chronology and musicians.

A partly completed timeline would help them organize data as they find it.

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Reception Scaffold Example

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Reception Scaffold Example

http://www-ma.beth.k12.pa.us/jhoke/jhwebquest/jhwebquest.htm

http://www-ma.beth.k12.pa.us/jhoke/jhwebquest/themes.htm

Back to the Egyptologist Story

• Does magic happen when you give children access to an adult expert?

Some visual scaffolding would have helped!

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Scaffolding Your Own WebQuest

For every Input, ask yourself…

• Do all of my students know how to make sense of this source of information?

Inputs

Practice 1

Finding opportunities to add a reception scaffold

http://questgarden.com/63/89/1/080407200628/index.htm

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Transformation Scaffolds

• Guidance on applying specific transformations

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Transformation Scaffold Example

• How do the menus of two restaurants differ? Which one is healthier?

This calls for a Venn Diagram

http://questgarden.com/63/04/8/080329111217/

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Transformation Scaffold Example

• Solving a mystery involves building up to a conclusion through a foundation of inferences based on data.

This calls for an Inductive Tower!

ExploraTree

http://www.exploratree.org.uk/explore/

Knowing Tree

http://www.exploratree.org.uk/app/?document_id=955&permission_id=template

A knowing tree guides the user to construct an thesis based on evidence

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Transformation Scaffold Example

http://www-ma.beth.k12.pa.us/jhoke/jhwebquest/jhwebquest.htm

http://www-ma.beth.k12.pa.us/jhoke/jhwebquest/storymap.htm

Comparison Matrix

http://www.graphic.org/commat.html

Compare & Contrast

• This web design WebQuest includes an organizer to support this cognitive activity

http://macserver.independence.k12.ia.us/~rsheets/rjsheets/index.htm

http://macserver.independence.k12.ia.us/~rsheets/rjsheets/graphicorg.htm

Compare & Contrast

http://www.exploratree.org.uk/app/?document_id=956&permission_id=template

PMI

http://www.exploratree.org.uk/app/?document_id=7864&permission_id=template

PMI scaffolds the decision-making process by noting things that are positive, negative or just interesting

Reverse Planning

http://www.exploratree.org.uk/app/?document_id=966&permission_id=template

Start at the desired end result and then figure out how to get there.

S.C.A.M.P.E.R.

http://www.exploratree.org.uk/app/?document_id=968&permission_id=template

Generate ideas for improving a product or situation by changing things in various ways.

Read Write Think

http://www.readwritethink.org/

Venn Diagram

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/venn/

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Production Scaffolds

• Guidance on organizing information in particular formats

• Prompted writing templates

• Multimedia templates

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Production Scaffold Example

http://home.austin.rr.com/anamc/ScottBoys/Scottsboro10th.html

This WebQuest contains a prompted writing guide to help students prepare their closing arguments.

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Production Scaffold Example

http://home.austin.rr.com/anamc/ScottBoys/ScottAessay.doc

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Production Scaffold Example

• Pinoy Pride asks students to create a short play about one of several stages in Filipino history.

Providing a diagram of the structure of a play would give the authors a place to compose their outline.

Drama Map

http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=12

Letter Generator

http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=5

Persuasion Map

http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=34

Practice 2

Finding opportunities to add a transformation or production scaffold

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Scaffolding Your Own WebQuest

For every Input, ask yourself…

• Do all of my students know how to make sense of this source of information?

Inputs

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Scaffolding Your Own WebQuest

For every Transformation, ask yourself…

• Do all of my students know how to manipulate information in this way?

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Scaffolding Your Own WebQuest

For every Output, ask yourself…

• Do all of my students know how to produce information in this format?

Outputs

http://questgarden.com/62/91/3/080323072822/

Inputs

Transformation

OutputsConstructivist

ReceptionScaffolds

TransformationScaffolds

ProductionScaffolds

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Where Do Scaffolds Go?

PROCESS

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Degrees of Scaffolding

• There’s an appropriate balance point. It depends on your learners.

Spoon Feeding

Sink or Swim

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Degrees of Scaffolding

• Don’t scaffold everything… there isn’t time. Pick the 20% that solves 80% of your problems.

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Degrees of Scaffolding

• Encourage those who can skip or go beyond the scaffolds to do so. If all student products look the same, something’s wrong.

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Degrees of Scaffolding

• Over time, as your learners internalize the structures and skills you want them to have, scaffold less.

Four Useful Resources

• ExploraTree

• Read Write Think

• Gliffy

• Graphic.org

Gliffy

http://www.gliffy.com

Graphic.org

http://www.graphic.org/

Scaffolding Thinking Skills for Primary

StudentsBernie Dodge, PhD

San Diego State University

webquest.org/workshops/sts/