Designing online scaffolds for interactive computer simulation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of online scaffolds in computer simulation to facilitate students' science learning. We first introduced online scaffolds to assist and model students' science learning and to demonstrate how a system embedded with online scaffolds can be designed and implemented to help high school students learn complex science concepts. The results showed that students were in favor of learning with the system. Additional findings from our qualitative data analysis revealed three major themes, including (a) supporting science learning with interactive simulation, (b) adopting data-driven strategies, and (c) generating naïve and alternative conceptions. This finding has important implications for how online scaffolds should be designed and how to augment scientific inquiry and understanding with simulation-based learning.

Keywords:

• simulation learning
• inquiry system
• scaffolds
• science learning
• TELEs

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted as part of a research project kindly funded by the National Science Council, Taiwan. The authors thank the reviewers and the editor for their insightful comments and assistance in reviewing and commenting on the article.