What does the term "scaffolding" refer to in educational practices?

The term "scaffolding" in educational practices refers specifically to providing support structures that assist students in learning new concepts. This instructional strategy allows educators to break down complex tasks or concepts into smaller, more manageable parts. As students build their understanding and confidence, the support is gradually removed—just like physical scaffolding on a building is taken down once the structure is stable. This method enhances learning by enabling students to achieve higher levels of understanding with appropriate support, helping them grow from dependence to independence in their learning processes.

In contrast, challenging students to rethink existing knowledge and encouraging independent study may not inherently include the built-in support that scaffolding emphasizes. Additionally, offering rewards for academic performance focuses more on motivation and reinforcement rather than the structured support and developmental progression that scaffolding embodies.