Is successful scaffolding an illusion? – Shifting patterns of responsibility and control in teacher-student interaction during a long-term learning project

This study aims to examinethe process of scaffolding in terms ofteachers' and students' discussions, and howtransition from teacher regulation to studentregulation takes place during a learningproject carried out in a web-based learningenvironment. The participants were twosecondary school teachers from separateschools, together with their students. The datawere collected through videotaping. The resultsshowed the relationships betweenteacher-student discussions and teachers'conceptions of their role. The data as a wholeindicated a transition from other- toself-regulation in the classroom of oneteacher, but not the other. These findings arediscussed in terms of the teacher's role aschallenger, monitor and evaluator of studentlearning, and the implications for successfulscaffolding.