The use of scientific concepts to arguments in Biology classes

Argumentation in science classes has been investigated in different perspectives, within scientific and socio-scientific subjects, developed through a multitude of classroom strategies and activities. In this paper we discuss the argumentation of 35 students (16-18 years) in an individual written ex...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Orofino, Renata de Paula, Trivelato, Silvia Luzia Frateschi
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Repositorio:Revista Investigações em ensino de ciências
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.www.if.ufrgs.br:article/31
Acceso en línea:https://ienci.if.ufrgs.br/index.php/ienci/article/view/31
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Scientific literacy
argumentation
science teaching
Alfabetização científica
argumentação
ensino de ciências
Descripción
Sumario:Argumentation in science classes has been investigated in different perspectives, within scientific and socio-scientific subjects, developed through a multitude of classroom strategies and activities. In this paper we discuss the argumentation of 35 students (16-18 years) in an individual written exercise that followed a s sequence of lessons in Genetics. We used Toulmin’s Argument Pattern to verify the presence of students’ arguments and we analysed the concepts that students succeeded to explicit in their arguments. Students were able to address the expected conclusion of the argument (N = 32) and to use arguments in their answers (N = 24). However, only some students used all the information necessary to justify the arguments (N = 7), and most students used incorrect or incomplete information as justification for the expected conclusion (N = 17). It is clear from our results that it is possible to foster students’ argumentation in activities that have an expected answer. We discuss how to raise the argumentative potential of those questions by separating a big argumentative question in smaller ones that address particular parts of the argumentation process so that students learn it gradually.