Types and Timing of Scaffolding to Promote Meaningful Peer Interaction and Increase Learning Performance in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environments

This study was designed to examine the effects of negotiation scaffolding for solving complex problems, focusing on peer interaction and learning performance in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment. For this research, 38 undergraduate students performed complex tasks using a collaborative discussion tool that implemented scaffolding strategies including the fading of meaning-negotiation scaffolding (MS) and the provision of position-negotiation scaffolding (PS). The participants were assigned to one of the following conditions: (a) MS is not faded and PS is not provided (Group N), (b) MS is faded and PS is not provided (Group F), (c) MS is not faded and PS is provided (Group P), and (d) MS is faded and PS is provided (Group FP). All groups worked in pairs to complete a comprehension task and a lesson-planning task. The results revealed that Group FP outperformed the others, showing the highest learning performance and a significant increase in meaningful peer interactions, such as divergent and reflective types of discussion.