P-+Scaffolding+vs.+Shaping+&+Chaining

1. Define and describe the theory and its key features (5 pts)

Scaffolding: First introduced by J. Bruner, the term “Scaffolding” is used to describe the process in which the learners are encouraged and allowed to do as much as they can with prior knowledge and only receive intervention and assistance when necessary. According to Vygotsky, there is a gap between the learner’s current level of problem-solving ability and the potential level of problem solving ability with guidance and assistance from someone more capable, be it a teacher of peer. That gap is called the “Zone of Proximal Development”. The role of the teacher/peer is an observer who provides necessary and timely assistance so the learner can bridge that gap and accomplish the tasks successfully. Each time the task is repeated, the learner will take on more responsibility and the scaffolding is lessened. The scaffolding will end when the learner has mastered the skills to perform the task successfully. It is important to note that Vygotsky, Dewey, and Bruner believe that knowledge is constructed socially and culturally. Therefore, as Bruner stressed, it is important that the learning is meaningful to the learner. The scaffolding can come in various forms. It can be explicit teaching, visual, multimedia, or anything that is appropriate.

Shaping and chaining are reinforcement strategies used by B. F. Skinner to condition the subjects to accomplish desired behaviors. Shaping means rewarding the behavior that is closest to the desired behavior in the trainer’s objective and ignoring or discourage the ones that do not fit the ideal. This could take a while because it takes time for the subject to understand that only certain behaviors will bring about rewards. It also takes time to determine the appropriate rewards. Once the behaviors are shaped, then they can be “chained” or put together to form a series of the learned behaviors. The key thing is that each of the behaviors must be shaped or learned successfully in order for the “chaining” to be successful.

2. Discuss and explain how the theory operates (10 pts)

Scaffolding works best when the learning takes place in a meaningful context where the targeted learning falls within the student’s “Zone of Proximal Development”, meaning it is challenging but possible with the teacher or the more skilled person’s assistance. It is best if the task starts when student’s prior knowledge is called to play, or the tasks falls within the student’s “Zone of Actual Development”. This allows initial success and creates meanings and desire for the student to want to continue with the task at hand. The teacher or more skilled person must be diligent with his/her observation in order to provide appropriate assistance at the right time. As the student becomes more competent with each practice, the assistance or scaffolding should be lessened accordingly until the student is able to accomplish the task successfully alone and there is no more scaffolding. While providing assistance, it is also important that the teacher or more skilled person demonstrates the strategy or the thinking behind his/her accomplishing the task rather than just the short-term skills. When the student acquires the strategy during the learning process, s/he will be able to apply the same strategy for the success of future task.

Shaping and chaining are designed to break up a series of desired behaviors into smaller chunks. Each chunk will be taught separately until it has been mastered to the trainer’s satisfaction. When all of the little chunks have been mastered, then these chunks are put back together to form the desired series of behaviors. There are two basic approaches to the chaining: Forward and backward. Forward chaining is to teach the individual behavior in the performing sequence, i.e. the first action is the first to be taught. Backward chaining is to teach the end behavior first.

3. Demonstrate, show an example, or provide a way for your reader to see the theory in action (5 pts)


 * **Scaffolding** || **Shaping & Chaining** ||
 * To teach how to look up a new Chinese character in a dictionary, I start by asking students if they recognize any component of the character and in which characters they have seen the components before.

Depending on the students’ response, I would provide different levels of scaffolding. For example, for novice students, I would break up the character and write down characters that the students know on the board. As the students progress, I would stop breaking the characters into components, stop providing characters sharing the same components.

The next step would be to ask if the students remember what that component means or sounds like. Once the students identify the meaning component (radical) and sounding component, then we can look up the character in the dictionary to find out what it means.

For example: Students have already learn the following characters: So when they are faced with the new 媽mā character, they recall seeing the above characters, and are able to successfully identify the components.

Another Example: Scaffolding Language Skills media type="youtube" key="lmJoOjLQM3U" height="344" width="425" || ====Shaping:====

To encourage the students to write characters correctly, I would break up the complex-looking character into smaller and simpler looking characters/components.
====Each day the students would practice writing the components, and they would receive a stamp along with words of encouragement and tips on how to correct the writing. The students who complete the assignment without making any mistakes will receive an additional stamp.====

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4. Analyze and discuss the theory’s application to instruction (i.e., its importance to learning theory, its strengths for instruction, its weaknesses for instruction, what it does well and not well) (20 pts)

Shaping and Chaining is teacher-centered and is useful when it comes to teaching specific behaviors or skill. It demonstrates that, through reinforcement, the subject can be conditioned to exhibit desired behavior through shaping and chaining. The subjects can come with little or no prior experience/knowledge/skills, and still be trained to accomplish the desired behaviors. It also does not require too much social interaction. This is especially helpful when it comes to classroom managements. However, this is also its weakness because the desired result must be visible. It is very limited because it does not focus on the process, it simply focus on the visible result. On the other hand, it requires the teacher to be able to break down the desired behavior into small chucks and teach them to the students, shape the students’ behaviors with the right rewards before chaining them together. It is not suitable for complicated, less visible type of learning. It also does not take into account whether current learning is applicable to the future learning.
 * Shaping and Chaining**

Scaffolding is both teacher and student centered. It’s collaboration and participation. It opens up a new territory for the study of learning theories. Learning is no longer teacher-centered, as in behaviorist theory, or student-centered, as in cognitivism.
 * Scaffolding**

Scaffolding is useful when the teacher’s instructions are set up with the students in mind as to provide or take away the support to help students learn to successfully accomplish assigned tasks alone, reaching higher level of competency. Student should come with some prior knowledge or skills, but it is not essential. The support of scaffolding can be provided either by the teacher or by the peers. It can come from an individual or a group. The more opportunity the teacher presents to the student, the more the student can master. Because the teacher also demonstrates the strategy while providing assistance, students are learning the process of problem-solving. Learning the strategies can be beneficial to the future learning.

However, this means that the teacher must have great content knowledge, is clear about each student’s ZPD, is aware of the student’s social and cultural background, and designed the curriculum accordingly. Teacher must think through and anticipate the type of scaffolding needed by the student. Instructional design is key. Without good design and appropriate support, student might be left feeling frustrated and stop learning all together.

5. Give your personal understanding of the theory, why you chose it to analyze, what it means for you or your practice, etc. (10 pts)

Scaffolding is one of the high frequency words I hear through my four years of teaching. I have tried to understand it and apply it in my teaching to support my students. However, I was never really clear on whether I am truly applying it in my teaching. Before becoming fully aware of the theory, I was only applying some components through trial-and-error. I have worked hard to make the learning fun and relevant, but I do not believe I have always provide enough support for all my students. I am hoping to re-design and adjust my teaching so I can have more successes and provide better support my students in their learning.

At the same time, classroom behavior has been one of the toughest issues teachers face today, so it was very enlightening to learn about the behaviorist theory, especially shaping and chaining. Since I have an autistic student, I would be interested in applying shaping and chaining to encourage him to act more cohesively with the rest of the class. I would also like to apply the shaping and chaining strategy to encourage the rest of the class to behave appropriately when it comes to working with this autistic student.

To read more:  [|Instructional Scaffolding]  [|Scaffolding]  [|Lev Vygotsky]  [|Jerome Bruner] [|B. F. Skinner] [|Explorations in Learning & Instruction: The Theory Into Practice Database] Elena Bodrova and Deborah Leong, “[|Scaffolding in the Zone of Proximal Development], ” NAECS/SDE Newsletter Spring 1996.