Abstracts - Earli

of variability. Van der Aalsvoort presents a study on the effect of the level of the student on the coconstructionof knowledge by the student and the teacher. Tunteler & Resing focus on changesover time in analogical reasoning induced by self-scaffolding compared to a reciprocal-scaffoldingprocedure. Steenbeek & van Geert discuss a dynamic systems approach to process characteristicsof scaffolding. A good insight into the effective dynamic factors and mechanisms of scaffolding inthe broader sense of the word can help educators to decide what to do on the time scale of realaction in order to support a long-term process of learning.Successful scaffolding and self-scaffolding: Implications for learning and instructionNira Granott, Eliot-Pearson Dept. of Child Development OORIM, USAProcess-oriented approaches are used for analyzing and comparing the attributes of successfulvs.inefficient scaffolding, and other- vs. self-scaffolding, and drawing their implications for learningand instruction. Several theories are integrated into one framework that identifies different types ofscaffolding. Results of two studies are presented, one involving parents scaffolding children, andthe other—other- and self-scaffolding by adults. Microgenetic and dynamic systems methods areused for analyzing scaffolding in interrelated processes of participants, and qualitative analysis ofcritical segments augment the analysis. The findings show that during successful scaffolding, theparticipants coordinate variability in their activity to variability in their partners’ activity. Whenthe process lacks variability, it stagnates and does not develop to higher levels. Successfulscaffolding by self or other involves both vertical and horizontal variability, dynamicallyinterrelated across participants. Horizontal and vertical variability strengthens the learning processby reiterating knowledge construction across levels and relating different aspects of the learnedcontent to each other. Self-scaffolding is suggested as a step linking scaffolding to internalconstruction of the scaffolded knowledge, constituting a critical step for successful learning. Thefindings about vertical and horizontal variability have implications that may reconceptualize theevaluation of learning processes and contribute to generating successful learning.The meaning of scaffolding when students choose strategy when doing mathGeerdina van der Aalsvoort, Leiden University, NetherlandsThe paper describes the meaning of scaffolding when students choose strategies during additionsand subtractions. The multi method study applied aimed at revealing teaching and learningprocesses during additions and subtractions. We tested if shared understanding of arithmetic tasksby teacher and students led to more effective scaffolding during the sums. The sample in the studyincluded 40 students from Grade 3 and their teachers from 20 schools. The 20 highest and the 20lowest rated students had been selected based upon the results on a questionnaire about classroombehavior by their teachers. Based upon sociocultural theory we investigated how children coconstructknowledge about resolving sums during tasks. Moreover, we studied whether studentsrated as poor performers differed in using scripts as compared to their high rated peers. Studentscripts were operationalized as the answers given by the students following an open-endedquestion by the teacher. The dyads of one teacher and one student each were offered four two-digitsums and four three-digit sums. The teacher was invited to assist the student in resolving the sumsduring a 10 minutes session. The tasks were videotaped, and the tapes were used for furtherinvestigation. The three-step method to investigate the task included: Instruction of sums;discourse analysis of sessions, and student scripts. The findings revealed that teachers differedremarkably with respect to use of materials during help; the type of questions, and feedback.Moreover, low-rated students’ responding to open-ended teachers’ questions more often included– 497 –