Improving the design of a mCSCL Chinese character forming game with a distributed scaffolding design framework

Lung-Hsiang Wong,Ivica Boticki,Chee-Kit Looi

doi:10.1186/s41039-017-0066-4

Abstract

Appropriate design of collaborative learning activities for students using mobile devices can be supported by different forms of scaffolding provided by peers, by the teacher or by the technology. Building on prior studies in mCSCL (mobile computer-supported collaborative learning), we developed Chinese-PP, a novel in-class mobile synchronous collaborative learning game for constructing Chinese characters from components, with the unique characteristic of spontaneous small group formations. In this paper, we propose a distributed scaffolding design framework to guide us in examining and refining/revising the interplay among various forms of scaffolding in the learning model across various design-based research (DBR) cycles of our study on Chinese-PP in a primary school in Singapore. We believe a generalized scaffolding design framework has the potential to inform technology-enhanced learning research with a structure to support the iterative process of enacting and redesigning the socio-techno-pedagogical frameworks developed by individual research projects.

Highlights

One-to-one (1:1, one-mobile-device-per-student) technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environments transform classroom dynamics as individual students can carry mobile devices with wireless affordances into the classrooms (Liu and Kao 2007)
We present a generic framework for designing distributed scaffolding that has guided us in examining and refining the interplay among various forms of scaffolding in the learning model across various design-based research (DBR) cycles of our study on Chinese-PP
The last three Chinese-PP sessions were re-structured into three stages: (1) “pre-game warm-up” (15 min) that included a quick introduction to new orthographic rules with more examples and execution of simple small-group paper-and-pen-based activities; (2) game playing (20 min per batch); and (3) “post-game recalling” (5 min) where students were asked to recall and relate the characters they had composed during the game to the orthographic rules that they learned in the present and past warm-up stages

Summary

Introduction

One-to-one (1:1, one-mobile-device-per-student) technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environments transform classroom dynamics as individual students can carry mobile devices with wireless affordances into the classrooms (Liu and Kao 2007). We present a generic framework for designing distributed scaffolding that has guided us in examining and refining (or revising) the interplay among various forms of scaffolding in the learning model across various design-based research (DBR) cycles of our study on Chinese-PP.

Results

Conclusion