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Scaffolding-perspective comparison of chatbots and search engines as technological scaffolds for problem posing

Design · All designs
Evidence · 1 claim (1 mixed) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The article frames chatbots and search engines as two distinct forms of technological scaffolding for problem-based inquiry, taking interaction mode as its entry point. It contrasts them by stating that "chatbots emphasize bidirectional interaction by engaging students in sustained natural language dialogue and adjusting feedback in response to students’ input", whereas search engines center on keyword query input and result selection oriented toward unidirectional information retrieval. From this, chatbots are expected to provide dynamic and contingent cognitive and metacognitive scaffolding, while search engines mainly provide resource-level support with conceptual and procedural attributes. The study uses this framework to motivate its experimental comparison of the two tools.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

  • Both tools must operate as external digital support within problem-based inquiry activities in STEM inquiry environments

Constraints

  • The framework is applied to primary science problem posing contexts in this study, and the two tools are described as differing in interaction mode, scaffolding form, and resulting cognitive support

Target Learners

  • Primary school students in science classrooms

Learning Goals

  • Generating and refining scientific questions during inquiry-based learning

Claims

Examples

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Key Sources

  • Dai, Z., Huang, F., Xiong, J., Yang, Y., Zhang, Q., & Peng, X. (2026). Inquiry-based learning in STEM education: the impact of generative AI-based Chatbots on primary school students’ problem posing ability in science. International Journal of STEM Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-026-00631-0
Page metadata
Field Value
type design
id chatbot-search-engine-scaffolding-comparison
title Scaffolding-perspective comparison of chatbots and search engines as technological scaffolds for problem posing
description The article frames chatbots and search engines as two distinct forms of technological scaffolding for problem-based inquiry, taking interaction mode as its entry point.
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-10
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — dai-2026

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