ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a scaffolding design framework addressing scaffolded software tools for science inquiry. Developed through iterative cycles of inductive and theory-based analysis, the framework synthesizes the work of prior design efforts, theoretical arguments, and empirical work in a set of guidelines that are organized around science inquiry practices and the challenges learners face in those practices. The chapter argues that advances in the field require an empirically grounded consensus about successful scaffolding methods. It explores the characteristics of such a framework for software scaffolding. The chapter presents a scaffolding design framework that synthesizes the work of prior design efforts, theoretical arguments, and empirical work to develop a systematic set of guidelines and strategies grounded on what we understand about learning. It focuses on proposals of general principles such as the scaffolded knowledge integration framework, principles of learner-centered design, problem-based inquiry, and others.
