Scaffolding Thinking Skills for Primary Students Bernie 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

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

The Egyptologist Story Does magic happen when you give children access to an adult expert?

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

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.

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.

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

ExploraTree

Gliffy

Read Write Think

Graphic.org

Traditional Teacher Student

Traditional Teacher Student Transmission

Inputs Constructivist

Inputs Transformation Constructivist

Inputs Transformation Outputs Constructivist

Inputs Transformation Outputs Constructivist Reception Scaffolds

Inputs Transformation Outputs Constructivist Reception Scaffolds Transformation Scaffolds

Inputs Transformation Outputs Constructivist Reception Scaffolds Transformation Scaffolds Production Scaffolds

How Do We Scaffold? by… Providing outlines, guides and templates Guiding thinking through visual and other means

by…

Providing outlines, guides and templates

Guiding thinking through visual and other means

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

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

Reception Scaffolds Guidance on how to interview an expert Reading guides Dictionaries and glossaries Observation guides

Guidance on how to interview an expert

Reading guides

Dictionaries and glossaries

Observation guides

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

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

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

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

Reception Scaffold Example Peyri Hamada provided a visual organizer to help students gather information about the metric system.

Peyri Hamada provided a visual organizer to help students gather information about the metric system.

Reception Scaffold Example

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.

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

Reception Scaffold Example

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!

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

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

For every Input , ask yourself…

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

Practice 1 Finding opportunities to add a reception scaffold

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

Transformation Scaffolds Guidance on applying specific transformations

Guidance on applying specific transformations

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/

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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/

Production Scaffolds Guidance on organizing information in particular formats Prompted writing templates Multimedia templates

Guidance on organizing information in particular formats

Prompted writing templates

Multimedia templates

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

For every Input , ask yourself…

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

Scaffolding Your Own WebQuest For every Transformation , ask yourself… Do all of my students know how to manipulate information in this way?

For every Transformation , ask yourself…

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

Scaffolding Your Own WebQuest For every Output , ask yourself… Do all of my students know how to produce information in this format? Outputs

For every Output , ask yourself…

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

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

Inputs Transformation Outputs Constructivist Reception Scaffolds Transformation Scaffolds Production Scaffolds

Where Do Scaffolds Go? PROCESS 1. Sfk fjdkjf slkjf slkjf s jdfjkdfjlskjf slkjf 2. Gjks gjgls hhslkje sjdk a ghj dh 3. A ngk l wulejk a fkd lkj s fjigl 4. Sjfkll su sljna nms f alkd ffhja 5. Sjf a kj a lblkijb jjkkla bjk

Degrees of Scaffolding There’s an appropriate balance point. It depends on your learners. Spoon Feeding Sink or Swim

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

ExploraTree

Read Write Think

Gliffy

Graphic.org

Gliffy http://www. gliffy .com

Graphic.org http://www.graphic.org/

Scaffolding Thinking Skills for Primary Students Bernie Dodge, PhD San Diego State University webquest.org/workshops/sts/