Wordle or Not? Effects of Directed Scaffolds on Students' Knowledge-Integration Process and Outcome

• In Event: 61.070 - Instructional Design and Multimedia Principles in Instructional Technology

Abstract

This article reports a research study about the effects of directed scaffolds for blogging on students’ knowledge integration process as demonstrated by blog posts, tags and concept maps. Sixty students were randomly assigned into two groups and blogged for five weeks. The treatment group was provided a directed scaffold for their research activity: a list of concepts in word cloud (the sizing of the terms represents the significance of the concept for the subject matter). The control group received a non-directed scaffold: a similar list in alphabetic order without font difference. Data analyses included comparing student-attached tags and concept maps to the keyword list. Results revealed that directed scaffolding in such situations significantly affect participants’ knowledge integration process and outcome.

Authors

• Ying Xie, Northern Illinois University

• Shu-yuan Lin, Idaho State University