Influence of incremental scaffolds during experimenting on learning success in biology lessons

Abstract

Experiments in science lessons are considered problem-solving tasks. Students are often unable to cope with these tasks without support such as incremental scaffolds. Our study is based on the following research question: Do incremental scaffolds during experimentation have positive effects on conceptual and procedural knowledge acquisition? We also investigated, whether the knowledge in the posttest was determined by prior knowledge. The experimental group worked with incremental scaffolds during experimentation. The control group received no additional support. In conceptual knowledge acquisition no difference between both groups was found. In procedural knowledge the experimental group benefitted. Conceptual prior knowledge was found to be a predictor for conceptual knowledge in posttest. Procedural prior knowledge and treatment were found to be predictors for procedural knowledge in posttest. Treatment and prior knowledge do not interact significantly with each other. Incremental scaffolds apparently promote procedural knowledge regardless of procedural prior knowledge.