Application of Learning Portfolios in Scaffolding Talent-training Mode

Since most Chinese college students are lack of autonomous learning ability, this paper presents a new talent-training mode which intends to change the target of teachers' teaching into the target of students' learning via the application of learning portfolios under the guidance of scaffolding theory and build a targeted learning yearning for students. In this "learner-centered" talent-training mode, the teacher initially provides extensive instructional support, or scaffolding, to help the students in building their own knowledge framework of learning content and process. Once the students internalize the content or process, they take full responsibility for controlling the progress of their learning. The temporary scaffolding provided by the teacher is removed to reveal the permanent structure of student understanding. To construct such scaffolding, the approach of using learning portfolios is a more effective tool. The documented collection of student-selected examples of their work, as well as evaluations of their learning by faculty, other mentors and themselves help students become more thoughtful and self-directed learners.