Digital Scaffolding in Science Education: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to synthesize the characteristics, implementation, use, adaptivity, and effectiveness of digital scaffolding in science education. A systematic literature review was conducted using the Scopus database and search terms related to digital scaffolding, science learning, technology-enhanced scaffolding, scientific inquiry, and online learning. The results show that digital scaffolding has been implemented through prompts, hints, feedback, digital journals, argumentation tools, search guidance, and adaptive systems based on learner modelling. Its effectiveness was associated not only with the availability of technological support, but also with the alignment of scaffolds with learners’ needs, learners’ attention to and actual use of the support provided, social interaction, task characteristics, design quality, and the timing of assistance. Overall, the findings indicate that digital scaffolding should be understood as a multidimensional and process-oriented support system in which technological and human assistance interact to respond to learners’ emerging needs. This review provides a conceptual basis for the design and investigation of adaptive scaffolding in future science and chemistry education research.