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Using Procedural Scaffolding to Support Online

Learning Experiences

Article · October 2006

DOI: 10.1109/IPCC.2006.320376

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Marjorie T. Davis
Mercer University, School of Engineering, Ma…
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 Using Procedural Scaffolding to Support Online Learning
Experiences
Marjorie T. Davis
Mercer University
davis_mt@mercer.edu
Abstract
Constructing instructional content for online
learning is a significant, demanding task. The
instructional designer must understand the specific
learners and their tasks to build a course that is
effective, efficient, and enjoyable. Even more
demanding is establishing an authentic learning
community online. Designing how students will
interact with each other, with the content, and with
the instructor can foster connectedness and
overcome isolation. Students can share their own
experiences and knowledge, learning from each
other as well as from the Web site and instructor.
Procedural scaffolding creates effective learning
experiences online by establishing a personalized
learning environment, structuring group and
individual communication, and creating work-based
contexts.
Keywords: online learning, learning community,
scaffolding, collaborative learning, instructional
design
Overview
Instructional design for online learning is
significantly different from designing face-to-face
classes. When the material is cognitively
challenging, or when the class is made up of
experienced professionals with significant
knowledge to share, the ideal class environment will
be a collaborative, interactive one designed more
like a true web than a wagon wheel.
Helen M. Grady’s paper in the Proceedings
discusses the imperatives of instructional design for
effective online learning, emphasizing the concept of
providing support (scaffolding) for learners in a
virtual collaborative setting. In this paper I suggest
0-7803-9778-9/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE.
ways of using scaffolding to establish the classroom
procedures for online learning. For more depth and
examples, please see our Chapter 6 in Online
Education: Global Questions, Local Answers.[1]
Creating a personalized learning environment
As we work with students in our online Master of
Science in Technical Communication Management
at Mercer University, we work hard to create a true
community of learners.[2] In the absence of face-to-
face contact, we have designed what we call
procedural scaffolding to address how students will
interact with the instructor, other students, and the
content delivered online. To create a more personal
learning environment, we use these three procedures:
Personal homepages, frequent emails among
instructor and students, and extensive feedback from
instructor and peers.
(1) Personal homepages
Instructors and individual students create personal
homepages that contain photos, contact information,
and informal information such as family and
hobbies. Students can decide what to share; the
content is sheltered behind the course management
security software. Students can record voice
messages if they choose. These homepages serve as
introductions to classmates and instructors and add
an important personal dimension to the virtual
learning design.
(2) Emails among instructor and students
We create a class listserv for every course so that the
same information can be distributed to every
participant simultaneously. In addition, a frequent
personal email from instructor to each student
encourages contributions, recognizes excellent
performance, and provides support and help when
someone is struggling. We encourage every student
to ask questions and make comments to the listserv
and/or to the instructor. As we get to know each
other, formality decreases and shared knowledge is
often richer than in a face-to-face class. Certainly the
level of interaction among us in increased
significantly.
(3) Extensive feedback
Extensive feedback on assignments can be provided
from both instructor and students using electronic
comments, suggestions, and questions. Without “pre-
grading” any assignment, the instructor can ask
questions early in the brainstorming process to help
define and shape the student’s ideas for a project.
Requiring partners to give feedback as well enables a
rich sharing of experiences and different points of
view. Students often identify this feedback as a
distinguishing characteristic of an effective,
enjoyable program.
Structuring group and individual
communication
Effective collaboration and communication will
not happen online unless it is carefully,
intentionally planned. With more than 10 years
experience in online learning, we have found
these procedural scaffolding efforts to be very
worthwhile.
Online chats
In addition to using emails extensively, we hold
weekly synchronous chats with classes. Chats are not
repeating the content of readings but require
extending and relating new learning to prior
knowledge and work experience. As they grow
accustomed to the weekly “class meeting” online,
students and instructors engage in substantive
exchanges. Structured synchronous weekly chats
help busy distance learners to keep abreast of work
and assignments and to prepare for threaded
discussions. We have a planned agenda (which
students can help create), keep track of timing and
balance of participation, and moderate the
discussion. We have developed some simple
interaction protocols to help chat stay on track and
assure continuity of discussions. Chat logs are posted
to the web site for review or catching up when
students have been away for work or travel.
As VOIP (voice over internet protocol) becomes
more widespread, we are beginning to use live voice
interactions as well as text chat. Using protocols to
establish a fair and pleasant interaction is essential in
voice interactions as in text interactions.
Discussions
Longer, more reflective, more challenging
discussions can take place on the discussion board.
Asynchronous, threaded postings occur over time,
even providing iterative perspectives as the course
progresses. Postings are often assigned and specific,
but they can be generated by student comments or
questions as well. In a research class, for example,
students post their initial topics and ideas to get
reactions and input from the class; as their research
proceeds, they refine and revise the focus, again
getting input. These discussions serve the significant
function of providing feedback over time, from a
number of people, with opportunities to question,
discuss, share resources, etc. Instructors can monitor
or participate, depending upon the purpose of the
assigned postings. Evaluating the number and value
of contributions can be one important element in
class participation grading (and even mature
professionals respond well to earning points!).
We supplement these web-based discussions from
time to time with telephone contacts. Depending
upon student availability we may call them at work
or at home, at a scheduled time. Conference calls are
effective in time and cost for small-group discussion
sessions. As VOIP becomes ubiquitous, we will use
more voice-enabled procedural scaffolding.
Teams and Leaders
To foster mentoring and collaboration, most of our
online courses have some team assignments. For
new students, being assigned to a team with
experienced classmates can provide an invaluable
assist. Using workplace focused assignments and
being able to compare practices among different
companies may increase students’ perspective and
awareness of options. Perhaps most importantly,
since our MS degree focuses on technical
communication management, working together in
teams provides the opportunity to lead and
collaborate, to motivate and evaluate, to create and
critique.
We also frequently assign peer reviews as a
collaborative learning task. Learning to value peer
contributions is essential to a collaborative learning
community. Learning to give and receive feedback is
a critical professional skill that can be taught and
modeled, and we regard it as an essential part of a
collaborative, interactive learning environment.
Creating work-based contexts
Perhaps the most important element of teaching
working adults with experience is to ground the
learning within real-world contexts. Technical
communication as a discipline (unlike pure
liberal arts) is directly tied to practice—to
application. Situated within a School of
Engineering, the MSTCO online degree focuses
on knowledge applied to solving real-world
problems. As often as possible we assign
projects addressing actual workplace issues, and
most students are able to take these projects
directly into practice.
Two examples will demonstrate how work-
based contexts enhance online learning. In a
recent project research course, graduating
master’s students worked with medical students
to examine the usability of small-screen Palm®
devices in gathering face-to-face patient health
information. Instead of just reading and writing
about the principles of usability and small-
screen design, the class was able to provide an
extensive, valuable report to the Mercer Medical
School to enhance their tools for teaching
medical students in clinical practice.
In the summer 2006 project research capstone
course, students read Friedman’s The World Is
Flat prior to the start of the semester. The
research task was to identify and define the
flatteners that may be at work within their
0-7803-9778-9/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE.
companies. The goal is to prepare technical
communication professionals to scan the
horizon, anticipate change, and determine how
to manage their own careers (and their
employees’). Without intentionally focusing
upon real-world applications, online learning
communities may be missing a significant
opportunity to extend learning into practice.
Furthermore, this application provides
measurable value added to a graduate degree in
technical communication.
Conclusion
Creating scaffolding for the procedures of online
teaching and learning is just as demanding as
creating instructional scaffolding for the course
content. Online learning that supports the
learner’s process takes into account the student’s
virtual environment, individual and group
communication, and contexts for learning. By
intentionally focusing on creating an effective,
interactive learning community online, we have
found that students are connected, engaged, and
successful.
Technical communicators are uniquely qualified
to lead the development of powerful, effective
online learning. Using our skills to help design
effective online learning—whether for academe
or the workplace—can be an important way to
extend our value and enhance the status of the
profession.[3]
References
[1] H. M. Grady and M. T. Davis, “Teaching well
online with instructional and procedural
scaffolding,” in Online education: Global questions,
local answers. K. C. Cook and K. Grant-Davie, Eds.
Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company,
Inc., 2005, pp. 101-122.
[2] See http://www.mercer.edu/mstco for more
information.
[3] M.T. Davis, “Applying technical communication
theory to the design of online education,” in Online
Education: Global Questions, Local Answers. K.C.
Cook and K. Grant-Davie, Eds. Amityville, NY:
Baywood Publishing Company, Inc., 2005, pp. 15-
29.

About the Author

Marjorie T. Davis, Ph.D., is Professor and founding

chair of the Department of Technical
Communication, School of Engineering, Mercer
University. She led the development of the BS and
MS degrees. The Master of Science in Technical
Communication Management has been offered
online since 1995 (see www.mercer.edu/mstco).

Davis serves on the AdCom of the IEEE

Professional Communication Society and was the
2005 general chair of the International Professional
Communication Conference in Limerick, Ireland.
She received the Emily K. Schlesinger Award in
2005.

Active also in Society for Technical Communication,

she received the Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence
in Teaching Technical Communication, Frank R.
Smith Award for Outstanding Journal Article, and
Associate Fellow recognition. She writes on such
topics as the technical communication profession,
accreditation, distance learning, usability, and
engineering communication.