Establishing the norms of scientific argumentation in classrooms

Abstract

Basing its arguments in current perspectives on the nature of the scientific enterprise, which see argument and argumentative practice as a core activity of scientists, this article develops the case for the inclusion and central role of argument in science education. Beginning with a review of the nature of argument, it discusses the function and purpose of dialogic argument in the social construction of scientific knowledge and the interpretation of empirical data. The case is then advanced that any education about science, rather than education in science, must give the role of argument a high priority if it is to give a fair account of the social practice of science, and develop a knowledge and understanding of the evaluative criteria used to establish scientific theories. Such knowledge is essential to enhance the public understanding of science and improve scientific literacy. The existing literature, and work that has attempted to use argument within science education, is reviewed to show that classroom practice does provide the opportunity to develop young people's ability to construct argument. Furthermore, the case is advanced that the lack of opportunities for the practice of argument within science classrooms, and lack of teacher's pedagogical skills in organizing argumentative discourse within the classroom are significant impediments to progress in the field.

Learning Argumentation Skills Through Instruction in Socioscientific Issues: The Effect of Ability Level

“…Studies focusing on argumentation skills have revealed that the majority of students are inadequately prepared to analyze the knowledge claims and warrants offered by others and to construct and support their own arguments (Driver, Newton & Osborne, 2000;Jiménez-Aleixandre, Rodriguez & Duschl, 2000;Naylor, Keogh & Downing, 2007). Most studies have ignored the existence of individual differences between students in argumentation skills.…”

Implementation of the Science Writing Heuristic (Swh) Approach in 8th Grade Science Classrooms

“…Argumentation is viewed as a central feature of scientific inquiry (Kuhn, 1991;Newton, Driver & Osborne, 1999). Research studies suggest that if science education is to develop scientific argumentation, students must be offered opportunities to provide evidence for supporting claims; to attempt to persuade their peers; to ask the related questions (Driver, Newton & Osborne, 2000;Osborne, Erduran & Simon, 2004). In doing scientific inquiry, students should actively implement appropriate reasoning strategies by engaging in developing testable questions, proposing claims, and providing evidence regarding the inquiry investigation.…”

Argumentation in School Science: Breaking the Tradition of Authoritative Exposition Through a Pedagogy that Promotes Discussion and Reasoning

“…Developments in this area have been stimulated by national policy changes in science education, for example the English national curriculum for science and the educational reforms in the USA. This research has more recently converged with studies of students' developing epistemological beliefs (Sandoval 2005;Sandoval and Millwood 2008) and a growing emphasis on the role of argumentation in science education (Driver et al 2000;Duschl and Osborne 2002;Erduran and Jiménez-Aleixandre 2008). A view has now become established that argumentation is a central practice in science and should thus be at the core of science education, and that understanding the norms of scientific argumentation can lead students to understand the epistemological bases of scientific practice.…”