Reconceptualising scaffolding for new media contexts

This chapter will discuss the ways in teachers can support their student’s learning in new media contexts with the use of effective scaffolding techniques. The authors present two learning scenarios of children to illustrate the ways in which scaffolding pedagogies are deployed in order to enhance learning opportunities that incorporate the use of new media. In Scenario One, the Year 2 children (approximately 7 years) use digital technologies to communicate their ideas and investigations through stop-motion animation. In Scenario Two, the Year 1 children (approximately 6 years) edit digital video to create an advertisement for a new sports drink. This work is important since the use of computers and other new technologies in schools remains peripheral and is frequently an afterthought to be aligned with specific curriculum objectives and mandated learning outcomes. An important question for educators is how can we ensure and describe the learning that takes place in contexts that incorporate new media. Implicit in this is that teachers and students will guide and support each other in order to complete tasks that exemplify specific learning outcomes. Our findings suggest that the main challenges and issues for teachers with regard to new media are centered on how they might incorporate them into their pedagogical repertoire and of finding effective ways to support student learning. Copyright © 2009 IGI Global.