Abstract:

In the current era where learning and learner needs are becoming more and more specialised and demanding day by day, the challenged educators have got no choice but look for ways and means to turn instruction into a dynamic collaborative process where learners are actively engaged in knowledge construction. The fast developing ICT tools, and specifically collaborative learning management systems, have a very important role to play in helping educators cater for these specialised learner needs. Unfortunately, however, not exploited to their full potential, these tools are sometimes employed as alternative modes of traditional learning, where classroom work is just repeated on an online platform. One such tool is the open-source learning management system Moodle, which is a platform that supports self-study and encourages community learning and interaction in a resource-rich environment with diverse activity types. With its design features, combined with tailor-made, research-informed content uploaded on it Moodle can provide strong scaffolding in achieving demanding learning targets if used effectively and appropriately in EFL classes.

In this presentation, we discuss how Moodle, as one example of a learning management system, provided scaffolding and functioned as a ‘supervisor’ in the extremely challenging and stressful process of thesis writing, mediating between the individualized nature of thesis work and collective learning, and psychological support in a collaborative environment.

Keywords:

Learning Management Systems, Scaffolding, demanding learning targets.