Abstract
Computer-based scaffolding plays a pivotal role in improving students’ higher-order skills in the context of problem-based learning for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. The effectiveness of computer-based scaffolding has been demonstrated through traditional meta-analyses. However, traditional meta-analyses suffer from small-study effects and a lack of studies covering certain characteristics. This research investigates the effectiveness of computer-based scaffolding in the context of problem-based learning for STEM education through Bayesian meta-analysis (BMA). Specifically, several types of prior distribution information inform Bayesian simulations of studies, and this generates accurate effect size estimates of six moderators (total 24 subcategories) related to the characteristics of computer-based scaffolding and the context of scaffolding utilization. The results of BMA indicated that computer-based scaffolding significantly impacted (g = 0.385) cognitive outcomes in problem-based learning in STEM education. Moreover, according to the characteristics and the context of use of scaffolding, the effects of computer-based scaffolding varied with a range of small to moderate values. The result of the BMA contributes to an enhanced understanding of the effect of computer-based scaffolding within problem-based learning.
Highlights
The Generation Science Standards promote the use of problem-based learning (PBL), which requires that students construct knowledge to generate solutions to ill-structured, authentic problems (Achieve 2013)
Various combinations of the following search terms were used in the databases listed above: Bscaffold, scaffolds, computer-based scaffolding/ supports,^ BProblem-based learning,^ Bcognitive tutor,^ Bintelligent tutoring systems,^ BScience, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics,^ and subcategories of higher-order thinking skills
The general effects of computer-based scaffolding compared to the group who did not receive any scaffolding was g = 0.385 (95% credible interval (CrI) = 0.022 to 0.802) based on 20,000 simulated iterations
Summary
The Generation Science Standards promote the use of problem-based learning (PBL), which requires that students construct knowledge to generate solutions to ill-structured, authentic problems (Achieve 2013). Researchers have considered how to use computer-based tools as scaffolding to overcome the limitations of one-to-one scaffolding such as high student to teacher ratios (Hawkins and Pea 1987). Computer-based scaffolding has been utilized in the context of PBL in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education, and many studies have demonstrated the effect of computer-based scaffolding on students’ conceptual knowledge and higher-order skills. Several meta-analyses have addressed the effectiveness of computer-based scaffolding (Azevedo and Bernard 1995; Belland et al 2017; Ma et al 2014), but none focused on scaffolding in the context of PBL
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