Effects of computer-based scaffolds on reflective journal writing

How to improve preservice teachers critical§reflection capability remains an actively debated§topic. Recent years have witnessed an emergence of§development in Web-based educational systems to help§prepare teacher candidates. However, scaffolding for§the articulative/reflective attribute of meaningful§learning is rarely evident in these systems. The book§used explanatory mixed methods to examine the effects§of two computer-based scaffolds, question prompts and§writing process display, on preservice teachers §reflective journal writing. The context of this§book was a large scale electronic portfolio system.§Quantitative results indicated that the scaffolds§significantly enhanced participants reflective§thinking capability, and qualitative results§explained why. Hence, it is hoped that the analyses§and results of the book can help inform others on how§to leverage the affordances of computer-based§scaffolds to enhance preservice teachers reflective§practice in technology-enhanced educational systems. How to improve preservice teachers critical§reflection capability remains an actively debated§topic. Recent years have witnessed an emergence of§development in Web-based educational systems to help§prepare teacher candidates. However, scaffolding for§the articulative/reflective attribute of meaningful§learning is rarely evident in these systems. The book§used explanatory mixed methods to examine the effects§of two computer-based scaffolds, question prompts and§writing process display, on preservice teachers §reflective journal writing. The context of this§book was a large scale electronic portfolio system.§Quantitative results indicated that the scaffolds§significantly enhanced participants reflective§thinking capability, and qualitative results§explained why. Hence, it is hoped that the analyses§and results of the book can help inform others on how§to leverage the affordances of computer-based§scaffolds to enhance preservice teachers reflective§practice in technology-enhanced educational systems.