Metacognitive scaffolding to support students in learning authoring system subject

Abstract

Authoring System is one of the computer-based subjects that expose students with creative activities using an authoring tool such as Adobe Flash software to produce multimedia applications. The demonstrations and hands-on activities among students while learning this subject are fundamental. Therefore, the guidance from the instructors through the use of metacognitive scaffolding may ease their difficulties, as this type of guidance supports students in understanding the best possible strategy to accomplish difficult tasks and thus, develop their thinking. In this study, students were scaffolded by the instructor through the use of mechanisms of metacognitive scaffolding. This guidance was delivered through the discussion on the Facebook group page, in which each prompted mechanism of metacognitive scaffolding from the instructor was coded accordingly. In addition, to demonstrate the effectiveness, students were given a pre and post test assessment. This study was carried out for seven weeks. The sample of the study was composed of twenty master students from the Educational Technology program. The quantitative analysis reveals that students' performance in learning Authoring System subject increase after receiving metacognitive scaffolding from their instructor.