ONLINE INSTRUCTOR SCAFFOLDING IN ENHANCING UNDERGRADUATE

STUDENTS' CRITICAL THINKING

srrtNAZLEEN BINTI ABDUL RABU

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the

requirements for the award of the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Technology)

Faculty of EducationUniversiti Teknologi Malaysia

FEBRUARY 2015

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To ALLAH the Almighty, who saw me through the challenging periods of

this study and gave me the ability, strength and wisdom to complete this thesis.

Words cannot express my debt of gratitude to ALLAH, who gave me the good

health, knowledge, and strength to complete this thesis. I could not have made it

without HIS grace and mercy. I would forever remain grateful.

Specially dedicated to my beloved Mother

(Allahyarhamah Normah Noordin Merican)

I really love and miss you.

AL-FATIHAH

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I owe a debt of gratitude to many people whose help has been crucial to my

success in completing this thesis. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisor,

Professor Dr. Baharuddin Aris for his continuous support and encouragement. I have

been privileged to have the direction and guidance of two excellent women, with a

beautiful heart and loving soul, my co-supervisor Professor Dr. Zaidatun Tasir and

also Dr Akbariah Mohd Mahdzir. I am very grateful for everything I have learned

from both of you.

My thanks are also due to the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the

Ministry of Higher Learning of Malaysia (MOHE) who provided the PhD

scholarship, including particularly to the Director of the Centre for Instructional

Technology and Multimedia (USM), Professor Dr. Merza Abbas, Assoc. Professor

Dr. Irfan Naufal Umar and Assoc. Professor Dr. Mona Masood for their strong

support during the study.

A special thanks to my father, Abdul Rabu Ismail, for his love, generosity

and emotional support which has been invaluable in helping me to focus on my

academic pursuits. To my brothers (Abdul Rizal and Mohd Razif), my sister-in-law

(Lydiayanti), my aunties (Norsiah and Zahani), and all other family members who

prayed for me, ‘thank you very much’.

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all my dear best friends (Haniza Hussin,

Nadia Jefri, Siti Sarah Herman, Nurul Halimatul Asmak Ismail, Suziana Mat Yasin,

and Norfadzila Aziz). To Muhammad Fahmi Ngah and Allahyarham Saeed

Mohamad Mohamud Abdalla, this is for both of you. Thank you for your words of

encouragement and prayer support as well as being always ‘there’ for me. Finally, I

would like to extend my gratitude to all my fellow Faculty of Education (Educational

Technology) UTM friends (Dr Norazlina Ahmad, Dr Nurul Farhana, Dr

Norhasyimah Hamzah, Dr ‘to be’ Siti Khadijah, Dr ‘to be’ Mariah Lambak, Dr

Nurbiha A. Shukor, and Dr Noor Dayana Abdul Halim) who have been a source of

inspiration and sharing. Heartfelt thanks go to all of you. May ALLAH Azza Wa

Jalla bless each and every individual mentioned here with HIS warmth and care,

Aameen.

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ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the influence of four types of instructor

scaffolding (i.e. Technical, Content, Procedural, and Metacognitive) via an

asynchronous online discussion forum on students’ (i) Critical Thinking Engagement

(CTE), (ii) Cognitive Performance Test (CPT), and (iii) General Critical Thinking

(GCT) test. Students’ perceptions of the intensity of instructor scaffolding as well as

their own critical thinking engagement performance conducted during the discussion

activities within the conversion of explicit and tacit knowledge processes were also

studied. This study employs a mixed methods approach, utilizing the pre-

experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design with the concurrent triangulation of

quantitative and qualitative data that facilitate the comparison and corroboration of

results. A sample of 56 final year undergraduate students selected via random cluster

sampling from the Faculty of Education and enrolled in the CD-ROM-based

Multimedia Development course were the subjects of the study. The dominant type

of instructor scaffolding offered was the Metacognitive scaffolding, both at

individual and group levels. The findings of this study show that students’ higher

levels of critical thinking processes could be influenced by instructor scaffolding,

with Metacognitive scaffolding having the most impact on students’ CTE while

Content scaffolding had the most impact on students’ CPT, although it was not

effective in improving students’ GCT. It was also found that Metacognitive

scaffolding benefited the high-ability students while Content scaffolding as well as

indirect instructor scaffolding benefited the low-ability students. These high-ability

students were also likely to improve their CPT and GCT. Students’ perceptions of

the influence and benefits of instructor scaffolding on their critical thinking skills

were positive, thus suggesting the types of instructor scaffolding influenced the

intensity of the explicit and tacit knowledge conversion processes. When considering

the students’ individual different needs, closer investigation through the construction

of three decision or prediction pathway models revealed the six most important

instructor scaffolding sub-type predictors that could enhance the students’

performance in three critical thinking measures: CTE, CPT, and GCT. The findings

of this research have implications on online instructors, online course designers and

educational technology practice.

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ABSTRAK

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menyiasat pengaruh empat jenis bimbingan oleh

pensyarah iaitu (Teknikal, Kandungan, Prosedural, dan Metakognitif) melalui forum

perbincangan dalam talian terhadap (i) Penglibatan Pemikiran Kritis (CTE), (ii)

Ujian Prestasi Kognitif (CPT), dan (iii) ujian Pemikiran Kritis Umum (GCT) pelajar.

Persepsi pelajar terhadap intensiti bimbingan pensyarah serta prestasi penglibatan

pemikiran kritis mereka sendiri dalam aktiviti perbincangan yang melibatkan proses

penukaran pengetahuan tersurat dan tersirat juga dikaji. Kajian ini menggunakan

pendekatan kaedah campuran, melibatkan reka bentuk pra-eksperimen, satu

kumpulan ujian-pra dan ujian-pasca dengan triangulasi serentak data kuantitatif dan

kualitatif bagi memudahkan perbandingan dan sokongan yang menguatkan

keputusan kajian. Sampel terdiri daripada 56 orang pelajar tahun akhir ijazah sarjana

muda, yang dipilih melalui persampelan rawak kelompok daripada Fakulti

Pendidikan, yang mendaftar dalam kursus Pembangunan Multimedia berasaskan

CD-ROM merupakan subjek kajian ini. Jenis bimbingan pensyarah yang dominan

diberikan adalah bimbingan Metakognitif di peringkat individu dan kumpulan. Hasil

kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa proses pemikiran kritis peringkat tinggi pelajar

dapat dipengaruhi oleh bimbingan pensyarah, dengan bimbingan jenis Metakognitif

paling berkesan ke atas pelajar CTE pelajar, manakala bimbingan jenis Kandungan

paling berkesan dipindahkan ke atas CPT pelajar walaupun tidak berkesan dalam

meningkatkan prestasi GCT pelajar. Dapatan juga mendapati bahawa bimbingan

Metakognitif memanfaatkan pelajar berkeupayaan tinggi manakala bimbingan

Kandungan dan juga bimbingan pensyarah secara tidak langsung memanfaatkan

pelajar berkeupayaan rendah. Para pelajar berkeupayaan tinggi juga lebih berpotensi

meningkatkan CPT dan GCT mereka. Persepsi pelajar terhadap pengaruh dan

manfaat bimbingan pensyarah terhadap kemahiran pemikiran kritis mereka adalah

positif, sekali gus mencadangkan bahawa jenis bimbingan yang diberi oleh

pensyarah mempengaruhi intensiti proses penukaran pengetahuan tersurat dan

tersirat. Apabila mempertimbangkan keperluan individu pelajar yang berbeza, kajian

lebih mendalam melalui tiga model keputusan atau ramalan laluan yang

dibangunkan mendedahkan enam peramal sub-jenis bimbingan pensyarah yang

boleh meningkatkan prestasi pelajar dalam tiga pengukuran pemikiran kritis: CTE,

CPT dan GCT. Hasil kajian ini mempunyai implikasi kepada pensyarah dalam talian,

pereka bentuk kursus dalam talian dan praktis dalam teknologi pendidikan.