Scaffolding Student Learning: Forest Floor Example.

Even though forest floor is reflective of overall forest site quality, biodiversity, nutrient supply capability, and soil productivity, learning about forest floor is not often part of university curriculum. Currently, there is a clear information gap from the educational perspective when it comes to forest floor description and classification of humus forms, which is exacerbated by the decreasing number of experts with this skill. Web-based learning is creating new opportunities to reframe the existing information on forest floor and humus form classification making it more engaging, easy to access, and user-friendly. Success of any instructional approach depends on its integration in the curriculum and one approach that lends itself to blending of traditional campus-based activities (lectures, labs) and multimedia is instructional scaffolding. The scaffolding employs a variety of instructional techniques (or supports) that move students progressively toward stronger understanding and greater independence in the learning process. These supports are gradually removed as students develop independent learning strategies, thus promoting their own learning skills and knowledge.

The objective of this study was to develop a forest floor focused scaffolding instructional construct for the 2^nd year Introduction to Soil Science course. The scaffolding construct involved a campus-based lecture on the forest floor concept, lab demonstration of how to describe and classify a forest floor, a web-based educational tool that included variety of multimedia materials (text, graphics, videos, animations), written instructions in the laboratory manual with templates and guides on how to describe forest floor, and mobile game-based self-guided activity (or quest). These forms of support were gradually removed as students developed independent learning strategies, culminating in the self-guided activity that led students to a forest on university campus to practice their newly-developed skills of forest floor description and identification.