Argument-based Inquiry Approach Research Articles

Longitudinal study examining immersing students with IEPs in argument-based inquiry to improve the learning of science

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term effect of the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach, an argument-based inquiry approach, on the science achievement growth of students with and without Individualised Educational Programmes (IEPs). Through a longitudinal study design students were divided into control (no or less than one-year of SWH experience) and treatment (at least one-year of SWH experience) groups. A polynomial growth mixed modelling was used to analyse a longitudinal data set collected from elementary (grade 4) to high school (grade 11) – utilising Iowa Assessment Test data. Two major outcomes emerged: younger students in the SWH approach had better achievement growth, and years of experience with the SWH approach resulted in a differential impact on science achievement for students with and without IEPs. The findings are consistent with previous studies on the importance of early intervention for students with disabilities in inclusive education settings.

Improving Elementary Students’ Science Achievement, Inquiry and Scientific Writing Skills through Argument-Based Inquiry

The main purpose of this research was to examine how the Argument-Based Inquiry (ABI) approach affects students’ science achievement, inquiry skills, and scientific writing skills and to determine what the students thought about the ABI. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design using a quasi-experimental research method in which a pretest-posttest control group was used in the quantitative part and semi-structured interviews were conducted in the qualitative part of the research. The participants included 47 fourth-grade students attending a public elementary school. The students in the experimental group were taught four science units using the ABI approach, while those in the comparison group were taught the same units with the teacher’s own teaching methods. Independent samples t-tests were conducted for the analyses of data collected through Science Achievement Tests, the Inquiry Skills Test, and the Grading Rubric for Scientific Writing Skills. The findings revealed significant differences between the experimental and comparison groups in terms of science achievement, inquiry and scientific writing skills in favor of the experimental group. Content analysis of the qualitative data revealed that the students held favorable opinions about the ABI approach. We concluded that the positive effects of the ABI approach continued to increase throughout the study.

Examining the link between oral and written reasoning within a generative learning environment: the impact of the Science Writing Heuristic approach

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the relationship between written and oral reasoning in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory course as part of an argument-based inquiry approach, which is also a generative learning environment, known as the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH). The study employed the data-transformation variant of convergent design of mixed-method research. Data sources included 180 laboratory reports from nine Pre-service Science Teachers (PSTs) and 20 video recordings across two semesters. Using Walton’s argument schemes, PSTs’ development, utilisation and correlation of written and oral reasoning and an argument cycle of premise-justification-conclusion were examined. A Friedman test and a Spearman-Brown correlation were conducted for statistical analysis. The results revealed that there is a positive correlation between written and oral reasoning. While the quality of PSTs’ written reasoning significantly increased from the first time phase to the following time phases, this pattern was not observed in oral reasoning. An argument cycle of premise-justification-conclusion occurred in each phase of oral arguments. However, this cycle did not occur in every facet of the SWH process across all time phases in written arguments. The study suggests that pre-service science teachers should be provided with learning environments that will allow them to make external evaluations and engage in talking, reading and writing activities for learning purposes.

Exploring elementary and middle school science teachers’ metadiscourse moves: a Vygotskian analysis and interpretation

ABSTRACT This study intended to explore elementary and middle school science teachers’ metadiscourse moves (MDMs) in Vygotskian perspective. MDMs indicates teacher-led attempts to cognitively engage students in classroom’s verbal occurrences. Participants of the study were 71 fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade students and their science teachers (two females, one male). Argument-based inquiry approach was used to design and implement classroom discourse. Systematic observation approach was used to capture and classify the discursive types and purposes of the staged MDMs. For the MDMs displayed, six higher-order categories and accompanied 14 sub-categories (codes) were detected. The teachers staged MDMs for student-led monitoring, continuously reminding the emergent conceptual flows to the students, forcing the students to be internally consistent in idea sharing, controlling, and organising conceptual/procedural discourse, modelling strategic thinking and reformulating. The teachers also displayed the MDMs with the purposes of framing and cognitive engaging, adjusting cognitive load, managing discursive tension and scaffolding internalisation. Recommendations were offered for science teacher education.

Students’ Construct and Critique of Claims and Evidence Through Online Asynchronous Discussion Combined with In-Class Discussion

This study examines how grade 5 students engage with the aspects (construct and critique) of argument in an online asynchronous discussion combined with in-class wrap-up discussion. Grade 5 students in a rural public school engaged in a “human health investigation” unit using an argument-based inquiry approach followed by online asynchronous discussions using a Moodle forum. The online discussion was wrapped up by a 1-h in-class discussion and student writing of claims, evidence, and reflection. Data sources included online notes posted by 111 students in the Moodle forum, a video record of in-class discussion, and writing samples of claims, evidence, and reflections produced by 54 students after online and in-class discussions. Results of this study indicate that students engaged with the construct and critique components of argument in the online asynchronous discussion and in the in-class wrap-up discussion. The results show that in terms of the argument components they (a) used evidence resources to challenge and supplement arguments, (b) critiqued and reinforced evidence, and (c) strongly negotiated and confirmed/revised claims.

Exploring the relationship between pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and sustainability of an innovative science teaching approach

This study identified common patterns in Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of three exemplary teachers who have voluntarily sustained the implementation of an argument-based inquiry approach, and explored how those patterns relate to their sustained implementation. Results indicate that teachers’ orientations aligned with argument-based inquiry, especially as to how students learn, are essential for their sustained implementation. Their orientations are strongly connected with two other components of PCK (i.e., Knowledge of Student Understanding and Knowledge of Instructional Strategies and Representations), which mutually interact with the sustainability of the implementation.

Examining the Value of a Scaffolded Critique Framework to Promote Argumentative and Explanatory Writings Within an Argument-Based Inquiry Approach

This study investigated the value of using a scaffolded critique framework to promote two different types of writing—argumentative writing and explanatory writing—with different purposes within an argument-based inquiry approach known as the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. A quasi-experimental design with sixth and seventh grade students taught by two teachers was used. A total of 170 students participated in the study, with 87 in the control group (four classes) and 83 in the treatment group (four classes). All students used the SWH templates as an argumentative writing to guide their written work and completed these templates during the SWH investigations of each unit. After completing the SWH investigations, both groups of students were asked to complete the summary writing task as an explanatory writing at the end of each unit. All students’ writing samples were scored using analytical frameworks developed for the study. The results indicated that the treatment group performed significantly better on the explanatory writing task than the control group. In addition, the results of the partial correlation suggested that there is a very strong significantly positive relationship between the argumentative writing and the explanatory writing.

Teacher Roles of Questioning in Early Elementary Science Classrooms: A Framework Promoting Student Cognitive Complexities in Argumentation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the various roles that early elementary teachers adopt when questioning, to scaffold dialogic interaction and students’ cognitive responses for argumentative practices over time. Teacher questioning is a pivotal contributing factor that shapes the role teachers play in promoting dialogic interaction in argumentative practice and that different roles serve different functions for promoting students’ conceptual understanding. The multiple-case study was designed as a follow-up study after a 4-year professional development program that emphasized an argument-based inquiry approach. Data sources included 30 lessons focusing on whole class discussion from three early elementary teachers’ classes. Data were analyzed through two approaches: (1) constant comparative method and (2) enumerative approach. This study conceptualized four critical roles of teacher questioning—dispenser, moderator, coach, and participant—in light of the ownership of ideas and activities. The findings revealed two salient changes in teachers’ use of questions and the relationships between teachers’ question-asking and students’ cognitive responses: (1) teachers increasingly used multiple roles in establishing argumentative discourse as they persistently implemented an argument-based inquiry approach, and (2) as teachers used multiple roles in establishing patterns of questioning and framing classroom interactions, higher levels of student cognitive responses were promoted. This study suggests that an essential component of teacher professional development should include the study of the various roles that teachers can play when questioning for establishing dialogic interaction in argumentation and that this development should consist of ongoing training with systematic support.

논의 중심 과학 탐구에 대한 예비과학교사의 이해와 인식

이 연구의 목적은 예비과학교사의 논의 중심 과학 탐구에 대한 이해와 인식을 알아보는 것이다. 대도시 소재 사범대학 과학교육과에서 예비과학교사 17명을 대상으로 화학교과교재 및 연구법 수강이전과 이후에 실시한 서술형 설문과 사후개별 면담 자료를 연속적 비교분석법으로 분석하였다. 사후 설문 및 면담에서 과학 탐구의 중요한 요소로서 논의를 언급하고, 탐구 문제에 대한 주장과 근거를 협상하는 과정으로서 논의의 역할을 이해하는 예비과학교사의 수가 사전보다 늘어났다. 예비과학교사들은 논의가 강조된 탐구 중심 과학 수업의 중요성을 인식함에도 불구하고 여러 가지 어려움과 문제점에 대한 우려를 하고 있었다. 사전에는 학생들의 소극적인 논의 참여를 어려움으로 인식하는 반면, 사후에는 예비교사 자신의 수업지도안 계획 또는 학생들의 논의를 안내하는 어려움에 대하여 언급하는 경우가 많았다. This study was designed to explore pre-service secondary science teachers' understanding and views of argument-based inquiry approach. Participants were 17 pre-service secondary science teachers enrolled in chemistry curricular materials and teaching methods course for majors in the college of education at a university in Seoul. Main data sources included each student responses to an open ended survey and individual interviews. Data analyses indicated that the pre-service teachers had very limited and biased understanding on scientific inquiry at the beginning of the semester. While the pre-service teachers understood that scientific inquiry should be an essential component of science teaching, a few pre-service teachers mentioned 'argumentation' or 'discussions' when they defined what scientific inquiry is. The majority of the pre-service teachers mentioned that science should be taught through scientific inquiry since science is inquiry itself. However, the pre-service teachers expressed several potential barriers and their concerns on implementing argumentation in scientific inquiry. While they concerned about students' lack of participation at the beginning of the semester, they concerned more about the teachers' ability of leading student argumentation at the end of the semester.

SUCCESS, DIFFICULTY, AND INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY TO ENACT AN ARGUMENT-BASED INQUIRY APPROACH: EXPERIENCES OF ELEMENTARY TEACHERS

This study aimed to investigate the successes and difficulties that teachers perceived as they enacted an argument-based inquiry approach; and instructional strategies that teachers used within an argument-based inquiry approach. Nineteen elementary teachers from 14 Midwestern elementary schools were enrolled in an intensive 2-week professional development program along with 2 follow-up workshops focusing on an argument-based inquiry approach, i.e., the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. The teachers implemented at least 1 lesson using the SWH approach during the first semester after the 2-week professional development program and a series of lessons for a unit during the second semester. Data collection consisted of teachers’ written reflection supplemented by their lesson plans. Data analyses indicated that most teachers viewed students’ authentic learning and engagement as the benefits of the argument-based inquiry approach. A majority of the teachers also mentioned students’ lack of decision making ability and difficulty of writing their thoughts. Class discussions, scaffolding, and modeling argumentation were used by the participant teachers as instructional strategies as ways to embrace the argument-based inquiry approach in their science classrooms.

Argümantasyon Tabanlı Fen Eğitimi Sürecine Modsal Betimleme Entegrasyonunun Akademik Başarı, Argüman Kurma ve Yazma Becerilerine Etkisi

This study aims to investigate the effect of integrating the Argument-Based Inquiry (ABSI) approach with multi-modal representations on students' achievement, and their argumentation and writing skills. The study was conducted with 62 female and 57 male college students at the Central Anatolian Turkish University. All participants were in their third year of the science education program. The study was carried out within four identical sections of a Laboratory Applications in Science course with an instructor and two lab assistants in the 2010-11 academic year. While the ABSI approach was implemented in all sections, additional multi- modal awareness and integration instruction was carried out in two of the randomly assigned sections . The collected data included midterm and final exam scores, as well as science activity writing reports. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed to explore differences between ABSI only (comparison) and ABSI and Multi- Modal (treatment) groups on science academic achievement, argumentation and writing skills. Analyses yielded that the students in the treatment group not only outscored the students in the comparison group on the science achievement tests, but also demonstrated significantly higher performances in writing and argumentation scores.

Examining the Relationship between a Structured Reading Framework and Students' Critical Thinking Ability within an Argument-Based Inquiry Approach

This study examined how a Structured Reading Framework (SRF) is related to improving students' critical thinking ability in an argument-based inquiry approach, called the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. A total of 75 <TEX>$8^{th}$</TEX> graders participated in the study, with 34 in the control group and 41 in the treatment group. The gains in critical thinking skills were compared between two groups, and relationships among the components of the reading framework and the critical thinking skills were explored at the group level. Result indicates that the treatment group who used the SRF had larger gains in critical thinking scores than control group who used the Original Reading Framework (ORF). In addition, results show that the correlations between Reading Framework (RF) components and critical thinking scores are statistically significant in the treatment group, while no correlations exist in the control group. It appears that using the SRF have an impact on developing students' critical thinking ability by providing a scaffold to assist argumentation practice.

English

Poor science achievement has been an educational issue for a number of years. Students with disabilities have traditionally fared worse. Research suggests that students with disabilities may respond better to instruction using an inquiry-based approach vs. traditional textbook instruction when measuring science achievement on standardized measures. The researchers report achievement data on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills from a target school district for students Individualized Education Program’s (IEP) and non-IEP students, as well as students with IEP’s at the state level. Using an argument-based inquiry approach to science instruction called the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH); the researchers report data supporting its impact on student achievement in science. Data suggest that the SWH may contribute to science achievement for students with IEP’s.