The Effect of Peer-Group Argumentative Dialogue on Delayed Gains in Scientific Content Knowledge

Abstract

Experimental evidence has shown the effect of peer‐group argumentation on scientific concept development. However, questions regarding how and why it happens remain. The aim of this study is to contribute, with experimental evidence gathered in naturalistic settings (classrooms), to the understanding of the relationship between peer‐group argumentation and content knowledge learning, exploring the role that individual argumentative skills play. In total, sixty‐one fourth‐grade students (aged 9–10 years) participated in the study (thirty‐nine female). One teacher was invited to teach a thematic unit (Forces), with lesson plans especially developed to foster argumentation in the classroom. The second teacher taught as usual. Students’ conceptual understanding and argumentative skills were evaluated individually, both before and after the lessons. Although there were no differences in the immediate post‐test scores between groups (after controlling for pre‐test), the intervention group showed significantly higher scores in delayed post‐tests. Regression analyses showed that the ratio of argumentative utterances per minute of group work predicted students’ scores in delayed post‐test disciplinary content knowledge after controlling for initial levels of learning. Argumentation skill gains did not impact learning, but initial levels of argumentation skills predicted delayed scientific content knowledge post‐test.

Learning science through argumentative synthesis writing and deliberative dialogues: a comprehensive and effective methodology in secondary education

“…Students who improved their argumentative synthesis writing, considering the integration level of the products, also achieved a significant progress in their socio-scientific knowledge. These results differ from those found by Larraín et al (2018) in a similar study. They conducted an intervention with the goal of contrasting the role of individual argumentative skills in the effect of group argumentation on the learning of scientific content.…”

Deliberative Teaching as an Emergent Field: The Challenge of Articulating Diverse Research Agendas to Promote Educational Experiences for Citizenship

“…Students in each lesson were typically presented with a conceptual problem and asked to work in small groups to decide consensually which was the best possible solution, formulating arguments and counter-arguments. The results show that repetitive experiences of peer argumentation had an effect on conceptual learning ( Larrain et al, 2018 ) and that frequency of individual formulation of argumentative moves, particularly counter-argumentation, predicted learning ( Larrain et al, 2018 , 2019 , 2020 ).…”

“…In the field of argumentation and education, Larrain and colleagues, in Chile (Larrain et al, 2018(Larrain et al, , 2019(Larrain et al, , 2020, conducted a series of quasi-experimental studies in schools to evaluate the effect of peer argumentation on science learning in middleschool students. Resonating with the studies of Howe and colleagues, they also conducted the correlational analysis to account for the differential effect of dialog (argumentative moves) on learning.…”

“…Students in each lesson were typically presented with a conceptual problem and asked to work in small groups to decide consensually which was the best possible solution, formulating arguments and counter-arguments. The results show that repetitive experiences of peer argumentation had an effect on conceptual learning (Larrain et al, 2018) and that frequency of individual formulation of argumentative moves, particularly counter-argumentation, predicted learning (Larrain et al, 2018(Larrain et al, , 2019(Larrain et al, , 2020. Kaya (2013) and Aydeniz and Dogan (2016) conducted two studies with pre-service teachers in Turkey to evaluate the effect of teaching through argumentation (through small groups and classroom discussions) on the conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium.…”

Pembelajaran Peer Group Learning dalam Meningkatkan Prestasi Belajar Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan

“…Strategi pembelajaran Blended Learning yang dikombinasikan dengan peer learning terbukti berhasil memberikan manfaat dan meningkatkan Prestasi Belajar dan kemampuan Groupwork yang dijabarkan dalam 7 aspek yaitu: peningkatan prestasi, munculnya keberagaman pendapat, peningkatan kemampuan berbahasa, peningkatan kemampuan bertanya, rasa bertanggung jawab terhadap kesuksesan seluruh anggota kelompok, dan kemampuan bekerja dalam tim/grup [3]. Pembelajaran Peer Group Learning dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar [4]; [5], selain itu, peer Group Learning dapat mempengaruhi argumentasi siswa [6]; [7].…”