Abstract:

The increasing interest all around the world in learning and teaching in e-learning environments (Collins & Halversont, 2010; Garret, 2009) has led to the issue of how learners can handle their own learning in e-learning environments and what they actually do there to improve their own learning. As they might be alone in the learning process, they must be supported to manage their own learning from their tutors, peers or e-learning resources. Considering this, scaffolding has the potential to affect their learning positively (Teo and Gay, 2005). However, the differences in learners’ learning styles or learning strategies might impact the way to accomplish or fail in the activities in e-learning environments (Demirbas & Demirkan, 2007; McLoughlin, 1999; Watson, 2003). Considering this, the present research aims to look at what they do to carry out the activities and how they are able to complete the tasks in e-learning environments which provide scaffolding for learners. The study benefits from the EAP toolkit, which has been designed to scaffold students’ learning at the University of Southampton (Watson, 2010). It conducts 15-minute observation to 10 students three times, in the first, middle and end of the academic term in 2013 at the University of Southampton, and uses follow-up interviews to the observed participants three times. Data analysed by using NVivo tends to reach the present study’s aims. All in all, the study helps to understand both scaffolded e-learning environments and the way of learners’ learning in these environments deeply.