变易理论：学生自主学习和教师帮助之间的关系

Variation Theory：The Relationship between Learner’s Autonomy and Teacher’s Scaffolding

本研究旨在运用变易理论来考察学生自主学习和教师帮助之间的关系问题。使用的教学方法是这样的：教师首先使用具体事例，然后讲授原理。其中在使用具体事例时有两种方法。第一种是，学生学习两方面属性同时不同的事例。第二种是，学生先是学习只有一方面属性不同的事例，接着学习只有另一方面属性不同的事例，最后学习两方面属性同时不同的事例。在这之后的讲授是一样的，教师教学生如何系统地解决这一类问题。在第一种方法中，学生更多地掌控了自身的学习，而在第二种方法，教师通过教学设计来帮助学生学习。这个研究最重要的启示是在讨论教学中教师和学生各自对学习的贡献时，我们可能需要做出更细致的区分。问题不在于谁应该主动谁应该被动，而在于教师应该做什么（创造学习的必要条件）以及学生应该做什么（使用学习的必要条件）。

This study aims at making use of the variation theory to examine the relationship between learner’s autonomy and teacher’s scaffolding. The design of the study is that in both of the two learning conditions the teachers first make use of well─chosen examples to exemplify the concepts and principles to be learned， which is to be followed to examples with the two critical aspects vary at the same time whilst in another condition the students are presented with examples in which one critical aspect varies at a time and subsequently both critical aspects vary simultaneously. The ensuing formal teaching is the same for both conditions in which the teachers help students handle related problems systematically. In the first learning condition students are given more autonomy to learn without much teacher’s scaffolding；in the second condition the teachers try to provide more systematic support to help students learn the concepts and principles through varying each of the critical aspects before fusing them. The implication of the study is that when trying to examine the relative contributions of teachers and students in the process of learning， one needs to make more in─depth analysis. Instead of simply focusing on which party（teachers or students）should be more active or passive， one should scrutinize what the teachers should do （create the necessary conditions of learning）and what the students should do （make use of the necessary condition of learning）.