Choosing a challenge: Exploring learners' ability to reflect on their own needs

Introduction Traditionally software scaffolding has been employed within interactive learning environments (ILE) to offer a means of enabling the learner, or group of learners, to achieve success beyond their own independent ability. A vital feature of successfully scaffolded interactions is that the learner can recognise but not produce the goal. In order for this to be realised the system must make provision for the amount of support it gives the learner to be reduced or faded once she is able to work more independently. The importance of this is integral to the Vygotskian theoretical foundations underpinning software scaffolding [1] Whilst the importance of being able to fade scaffolding is clear, the best means to achieve this successfully are less well understood. Such fading can only be brought about by the system either maintaining a model of the learner and making the fading decisions based upon this or by the system providing learners with enough and appropriate information to enable them to fade the support for themselves. Allowing the learner more control encourages independent learning and reflective awareness, it also recognises the difficulty of building effective, efficient and appropriate models of learners [2]. An approach which attempts to design adaptable interfaces which offer learners guidance and the tools to make decisions for themselves also addresses the importance of maintaining the fine balance between system guidance and learner control [3]. This balance is difficult to achieve, not all learners are good at assessing their needs or finding and using help for themselves. In particular, evidence from previous research into learners' use of scaffolding assistance has indicated that less able and knowledgeable learners are ineffective at selecting appropriately challenging tasks and seeking appropriate quantities of support and guidance [4] [5].