The Effect of Varied Visual Scaffolds on Engineering Students’ Online Reading

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of varied visual scaffolds on engineering students’ online reading. One experimental study was conducted to fulfill the purpose. The study adopted a randomized post-test design. The independent variable was visual scaffold (two types of visual scaffolds: static and interactive scaffolds); the dependent variables were three criterion tests (identification, terminology, and comprehension test) measuring students’ online reading per- formances. Ninety-four undergraduate students majoring in information sciences and technology from an American public university voluntarily participated in this study. The results of the study showed that two visual scaffolds effectively improved students’ online reading for lower order cognitive process; the interactive scaffold can enhance students’ lower and medium cognitive thinking.