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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 ways of using scaffolding to establish the classroom

procedures for online learning. For more depth and
Constructing instructional content for online examples, please see our Chapter 6 in Online
learning is a significant, demanding task. The Education: Global Questions, Local Answers.[1]
instructional designer must understand the specific
learners and their tasks to build a course that is Creating a personalized learning environment
effective, efficient, and enjoyable. Even more
demanding is establishing an authentic learning As we work with students in our online Master of
community online. Designing how students will Science in Technical Communication Management
interact with each other, with the content, and with at Mercer University, we work hard to create a true
the instructor can foster connectedness and community of learners.[2] In the absence of face-to-
overcome isolation. Students can share their own face contact, we have designed what we call
experiences and knowledge, learning from each procedural scaffolding to address how students will
other as well as from the Web site and instructor. interact with the instructor, other students, and the
Procedural scaffolding creates effective learning content delivered online. To create a more personal
experiences online by establishing a personalized learning environment, we use these three procedures:
learning environment, structuring group and Personal homepages, frequent emails among
individual communication, and creating work-based instructor and students, and extensive feedback from
contexts. instructor and peers.

Keywords: online learning, learning community, (1) Personal homepages

scaffolding, collaborative learning, instructional
design Instructors and individual students create personal
homepages that contain photos, contact information,
Overview and informal information such as family and
hobbies. Students can decide what to share; the
Instructional design for online learning is content is sheltered behind the course management
significantly different from designing face-to-face security software. Students can record voice
classes. When the material is cognitively messages if they choose. These homepages serve as
challenging, or when the class is made up of introductions to classmates and instructors and add
experienced professionals with significant an important personal dimension to the virtual
knowledge to share, the ideal class environment will learning design.
be a collaborative, interactive one designed more
like a true web than a wagon wheel. (2) Emails among instructor and students

Helen M. Grady’s paper in the Proceedings We create a class listserv for every course so that the
discusses the imperatives of instructional design for same information can be distributed to every
effective online learning, emphasizing the concept of participant simultaneously. In addition, a frequent
providing support (scaffolding) for learners in a personal email from instructor to each student
virtual collaborative setting. In this paper I suggest encourages contributions, recognizes excellent

0-7803-9778-9/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE.

performance, and provides support and help when interaction protocols to help chat stay on track and
someone is struggling. We encourage every student assure continuity of discussions. Chat logs are posted
to ask questions and make comments to the listserv to the web site for review or catching up when
and/or to the instructor. As we get to know each students have been away for work or travel.
other, formality decreases and shared knowledge is
often richer than in a face-to-face class. Certainly the As VOIP (voice over internet protocol) becomes
level of interaction among us in increased more widespread, we are beginning to use live voice
significantly. interactions as well as text chat. Using protocols to
establish a fair and pleasant interaction is essential in
(3) Extensive feedback voice interactions as in text interactions.

Extensive feedback on assignments can be provided Discussions

from both instructor and students using electronic
comments, suggestions, and questions. Without “pre- Longer, more reflective, more challenging
grading” any assignment, the instructor can ask discussions can take place on the discussion board.
questions early in the brainstorming process to help Asynchronous, threaded postings occur over time,
define and shape the student’s ideas for a project. even providing iterative perspectives as the course
Requiring partners to give feedback as well enables a progresses. Postings are often assigned and specific,
rich sharing of experiences and different points of but they can be generated by student comments or
view. Students often identify this feedback as a questions as well. In a research class, for example,
distinguishing characteristic of an effective, students post their initial topics and ideas to get
enjoyable program. reactions and input from the class; as their research
proceeds, they refine and revise the focus, again
Structuring group and individual getting input. These discussions serve the significant
communication function of providing feedback over time, from a
number of people, with opportunities to question,
Effective collaboration and communication will discuss, share resources, etc. Instructors can monitor
or participate, depending upon the purpose of the
not happen online unless it is carefully,
assigned postings. Evaluating the number and value
intentionally planned. With more than 10 years of contributions can be one important element in
experience in online learning, we have found class participation grading (and even mature
these procedural scaffolding efforts to be very professionals respond well to earning points!).
worthwhile.
We supplement these web-based discussions from
Online chats time to time with telephone contacts. Depending
upon student availability we may call them at work
In addition to using emails extensively, we hold or at home, at a scheduled time. Conference calls are
weekly synchronous chats with classes. Chats are not effective in time and cost for small-group discussion
repeating the content of readings but require sessions. As VOIP becomes ubiquitous, we will use
extending and relating new learning to prior more voice-enabled procedural scaffolding.
knowledge and work experience. As they grow
accustomed to the weekly “class meeting” online, Teams and Leaders
students and instructors engage in substantive
exchanges. Structured synchronous weekly chats To foster mentoring and collaboration, most of our
help busy distance learners to keep abreast of work online courses have some team assignments. For
and assignments and to prepare for threaded new students, being assigned to a team with
discussions. We have a planned agenda (which experienced classmates can provide an invaluable
students can help create), keep track of timing and assist. Using workplace focused assignments and
balance of participation, and moderate the being able to compare practices among different
discussion. We have developed some simple companies may increase students’ perspective and
awareness of options. Perhaps most importantly, companies. The goal is to prepare technical
since our MS degree focuses on technical communication professionals to scan the
communication management, working together in horizon, anticipate change, and determine how
teams provides the opportunity to lead and to manage their own careers (and their
collaborate, to motivate and evaluate, to create and
employees’). Without intentionally focusing
critique.
upon real-world applications, online learning
We also frequently assign peer reviews as a communities may be missing a significant
collaborative learning task. Learning to value peer opportunity to extend learning into practice.
contributions is essential to a collaborative learning Furthermore, this application provides
community. Learning to give and receive feedback is measurable value added to a graduate degree in
a critical professional skill that can be taught and technical communication.
modeled, and we regard it as an essential part of a
collaborative, interactive learning environment. Conclusion

Creating work-based contexts Creating scaffolding for the procedures of online

teaching and learning is just as demanding as
Perhaps the most important element of teaching creating instructional scaffolding for the course
working adults with experience is to ground the content. Online learning that supports the
learning within real-world contexts. Technical learner’s process takes into account the student’s
communication as a discipline (unlike pure virtual environment, individual and group
liberal arts) is directly tied to practice—to communication, and contexts for learning. By
application. Situated within a School of intentionally focusing on creating an effective,
Engineering, the MSTCO online degree focuses interactive learning community online, we have
on knowledge applied to solving real-world found that students are connected, engaged, and
problems. As often as possible we assign successful.
projects addressing actual workplace issues, and
most students are able to take these projects Technical communicators are uniquely qualified
directly into practice. to lead the development of powerful, effective
Two examples will demonstrate how work- online learning. Using our skills to help design
based contexts enhance online learning. In a effective online learning—whether for academe
recent project research course, graduating or the workplace—can be an important way to
master’s students worked with medical students extend our value and enhance the status of the
to examine the usability of small-screen Palm® profession.[3]
devices in gathering face-to-face patient health
information. Instead of just reading and writing References
about the principles of usability and small-
[1] H. M. Grady and M. T. Davis, “Teaching well
screen design, the class was able to provide an
online with instructional and procedural
extensive, valuable report to the Mercer Medical
scaffolding,” in Online education: Global questions,
School to enhance their tools for teaching local answers. K. C. Cook and K. Grant-Davie, Eds.
medical students in clinical practice. Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company,
Inc., 2005, pp. 101-122.
In the summer 2006 project research capstone
course, students read Friedman’s The World Is [2] See http://www.mercer.edu/mstco for more
Flat prior to the start of the semester. The information.
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.

[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.