Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking

This study aims to investigate the influence of four types of instructor scaffolding (i.e. Technical, Content, Procedural, and Metacognitive) via an asynchronous online discussion forum on students’ (i) Critical Thinking Engagement (CTE), (ii) Cognitive Performance Test (CPT), and (iii) General Crit...

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Main Author:	Abdul Rabu, Siti Nazleen
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English
Published:	2015
Subjects:	L Education (General)
Online Access:	http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/54681/25/SitiNazleenAbdulRabuPFP2015.pdf
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id	my-utm-ep.54681
record_format	uketd_dc
spelling	my-utm-ep.546812017-06-06T07:29:11Z Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking 2015-02 Abdul Rabu, Siti Nazleen L Education (General) This study aims to investigate the influence of four types of instructor scaffolding (i.e. Technical, Content, Procedural, and Metacognitive) via an asynchronous online discussion forum on students’ (i) Critical Thinking Engagement (CTE), (ii) Cognitive Performance Test (CPT), and (iii) General Critical Thinking (GCT) test. Students’ perceptions of the intensity of instructor scaffolding as well as their own critical thinking engagement performance conducted during the discussion activities within the conversion of explicit and tacit knowledge processes were also studied. This study employs a mixed methods approach, utilizing the preexperimental, one-group pre-test post-test design with the concurrent triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data that facilitate the comparison and corroboration of results. A sample of 56 final year undergraduate students selected via random cluster sampling from the Faculty of Education and enrolled in the CD-ROM-based Multimedia Development course were the subjects of the study. The dominant type of instructor scaffolding offered was the Metacognitive scaffolding, both at individual and group levels. The findings of this study show that students’ higher levels of critical thinking processes could be influenced by instructor scaffolding, with Metacognitive scaffolding having the most impact on students’ CTE while Content scaffolding had the most impact on students’ CPT, although it was not effective in improving students’ GCT. It was also found that Metacognitive scaffolding benefited the high-ability students while Content scaffolding as well as indirect instructor scaffolding benefited the low-ability students. These high-ability students were also likely to improve their CPT and GCT. Students’ perceptions of the influence and benefits of instructor scaffolding on their critical thinking skills were positive, thus suggesting the types of instructor scaffolding influenced the intensity of the explicit and tacit knowledge conversion processes. When considering the students’ individual different needs, closer investigation through the construction of three decision or prediction pathway models revealed the six most important instructor scaffolding sub-type predictors that could enhance the students’ performance in three critical thinking measures: CTE, CPT, and GCT. The findings of this research have implications on online instructors, online course designers and educational technology practice. 2015-02 Thesis http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/54681/ http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/54681/25/SitiNazleenAbdulRabuPFP2015.pdf application/pdf en public phd doctoral Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Education Faculty of Education
institution	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
collection	UTM Institutional Repository
language	English
topic	L Education (General)
spellingShingle	L Education (General) Abdul Rabu, Siti Nazleen Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
description	This study aims to investigate the influence of four types of instructor scaffolding (i.e. Technical, Content, Procedural, and Metacognitive) via an asynchronous online discussion forum on students’ (i) Critical Thinking Engagement (CTE), (ii) Cognitive Performance Test (CPT), and (iii) General Critical Thinking (GCT) test. Students’ perceptions of the intensity of instructor scaffolding as well as their own critical thinking engagement performance conducted during the discussion activities within the conversion of explicit and tacit knowledge processes were also studied. This study employs a mixed methods approach, utilizing the preexperimental, one-group pre-test post-test design with the concurrent triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data that facilitate the comparison and corroboration of results. A sample of 56 final year undergraduate students selected via random cluster sampling from the Faculty of Education and enrolled in the CD-ROM-based Multimedia Development course were the subjects of the study. The dominant type of instructor scaffolding offered was the Metacognitive scaffolding, both at individual and group levels. The findings of this study show that students’ higher levels of critical thinking processes could be influenced by instructor scaffolding, with Metacognitive scaffolding having the most impact on students’ CTE while Content scaffolding had the most impact on students’ CPT, although it was not effective in improving students’ GCT. It was also found that Metacognitive scaffolding benefited the high-ability students while Content scaffolding as well as indirect instructor scaffolding benefited the low-ability students. These high-ability students were also likely to improve their CPT and GCT. Students’ perceptions of the influence and benefits of instructor scaffolding on their critical thinking skills were positive, thus suggesting the types of instructor scaffolding influenced the intensity of the explicit and tacit knowledge conversion processes. When considering the students’ individual different needs, closer investigation through the construction of three decision or prediction pathway models revealed the six most important instructor scaffolding sub-type predictors that could enhance the students’ performance in three critical thinking measures: CTE, CPT, and GCT. The findings of this research have implications on online instructors, online course designers and educational technology practice.
format	Thesis
qualification_name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
qualification_level	Doctorate
author	Abdul Rabu, Siti Nazleen
author_facet	Abdul Rabu, Siti Nazleen
author_sort	Abdul Rabu, Siti Nazleen
title	Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
title_short	Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
title_full	Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
title_fullStr	Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
title_full_unstemmed	Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
title_sort	online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking
granting_institution	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Education
granting_department	Faculty of Education
publishDate	2015
url	http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/54681/25/SitiNazleenAbdulRabuPFP2015.pdf
_version_	1747817701665931264

Online instructor scaffolding in enhancing undergraduate students' critical thinking

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