Abstract
Bringing Formal and Informal Reasoning Together-A New Era of Assessment?
Highlights
Scientific reasoning represents a set of skills students need to acquire in order to successfully participate in scientific practices
Learners engage in informal reasoning when they deal with socio-scientific issues—controversial issues that are influenced by social norms and conceptually related to science, such as whether or not to consume genetically modified food or support government’s plan for a car-free city (Sadler and Zeidler, 2005)
While formal reasoning is judged by whether or not conclusions are valid, informal reasoning is assessed based on the quality of premises and their potential for strengthening conclusions
Summary
Scientific reasoning represents a set of skills students need to acquire in order to successfully participate in scientific practices. It includes cognitive processing that is directed at finding solutions to problems by drawing conclusions based on logical rules or rational procedures (Mayer and Wittrock, 2006) When people reason, they attempt to go “beyond the information given” to create a new representation that is assumed to be true (Bruner, 1957). Learners engage in informal reasoning when they deal with socio-scientific issues—controversial issues that are influenced by social norms and conceptually related to science, such as whether or not to consume genetically modified food or support government’s plan for a car-free city (Sadler and Zeidler, 2005). While formal reasoning is judged by whether or not conclusions are valid, informal reasoning is assessed based on the quality of premises and their potential for strengthening conclusions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
