What Does Scaffolding Complex Cognitive Skills for Inquiry Mean?
This study builds on Kolodner’s (2002) prior research on case-based reasoning. The power of case-based reasoning is perhaps most obvious in domains such as law and medicine, where most of the knowledge that defines the disciplines are actually represented as cases. Among STEM professionals, the continual advances in engineering knowledge are a good illustration of the power of case-based reasoning and learning. Case-based theory nicely complements the widely known cognitive apprenticeship perspective on teaching and learning (Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989). The scaffolding of learner activity at the heart of cognitive apprenticeships lets learners see to-be-learned skills modeled in a relevant context, and then be coached to use the skills, and then use the skills repeatedly in varied contexts. The coaching involves prompting, hinting, and providing reminders as learners are carrying out targeted skills to solve problems. In addition to learning how to carry out skills, learners must