Development of Argumentation-Based Guidance Materials in Science Education and Analysis of Students’ Argumentation Levels

Abstract

This study used a case study, one of the qualitative research methods, with the aim of developing guidance materials based on the argumentation-based science learning (ABSL) approach for concepts in the 6th grade unit "Sound and Its Properties" and to examine students' argumentation levels and conceptual understanding. The activity sheets completed by the students before and during the implementation process and the semi-structured interviews conducted after the implementation process were used as data collection instruments. A rubric developed by Erduran et al. (2004) was used to address one of the sub-research questions of the study to determine students' level of argumentation. The semi-structured interview data were subjected to descriptive analysis. Responses to conceptual questions were coded as correct, partially correct, incorrect or blank. These categorizations were then summarized in tables, including representative student statements. The results of this study indicate that the students' level of argumentation during the first activities was initially at level 1. As the activities progressed, there was an increase in the number of level 2 arguments, with some activities reaching level 3. However, no level 4 or 5 arguments were produced. The developed materials had a positive effect on students' conceptual learning.

Keywords

• argumentation level
• guidance material
• sound and its properties

Fen Eğitiminde Argümantasyona Dayalı Rehber Materyal Geliştirilmesi ve Öğrencilerin Argüman Seviyelerinin İncelenmesi

Öz

Bu çalışmada, 6. sınıf “Ses ve Özellikleri” ünitesinde yer alan kavramlara yönelik argümantasyon tabanlı bilim öğrenme (ATBÖ) yaklaşımına dayalı öğretim materyalleri geliştirmek ve öğrencilerin argümantasyon düzeyleri ile kavramsal anlamalarını incelemek amacıyla nitel araştırma yaklaşımlarından durum çalışması kullanılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak öğrencilerin uygulama öncesinde ve uygulama sürecinde doldurdukları etkinlik kâğıtları ve uygulama sonrasında yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat kullanılmıştır. Öğrencilerin argümantasyon düzeylerini belirlemek için Erduran ve diğerleri (2004) tarafından geliştirilen bir rubrik kullanılmıştır. Yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat verileri betimsel analize tabi tutulmuştur. Kavramla ilgili sorulara verilen yanıtlar doğru, kısmen doğru, yanlış ya da boş olarak kodlanmıştır. Bu kategoriler ve frekans dağılımları örnek öğrenci ifadeleri ile tablolaştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın sonuçları, ilk etkinlikler sırasında öğrencilerin argümantasyon seviyesinin başlangıçta 1. seviyede olduğunu göstermektedir. Etkinlikler ilerledikçe 2. seviye argümanların sayısında artış olmuş, bazı etkinliklerde 3. seviye örneklerine de rastlanmıştır. Ancak 4. veya 5. seviye argüman üretilmemiştir. Geliştirilen materyallerin öğrencilerin kavramsal öğrenmeleri üzerinde olumlu bir etkisi olmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• argüman seviyesi
• rehber materyal
• ses ve özellikleri

References

1. Aktaş, T., & Doğan, Ö.K. (2018). The effect of driven inquiry model on academic and argumentative attitudes of 7th-grade students. Mersin University Journal of Faculty of Education, 14(2), 778-798.
2. Altun, E., & Özsevgeç, T., (2025). Making argumentation-based learning and teaching happen exploring the development of pre-service science teachers’ argumentation competencies. Science & Education Contributions from History, Philosophy & Sociology of Science and Mathematics, 1-40. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-024-00612-1.
3. Aslan, S. (2010). The effect of argumentation-oriented teaching approach on the improvement of their top scientific process and critical thinking among high school 10. class students [Doctoral thesis]. University of Gazi.
4. Aslan, Ö. Y. (2018). The effect of using the argumentation method in science education academic achievement, scientific process and problem-solving skill [Master thesis]. University of Bülent Ecevit.
5. Aydoğdu, Z. (2017). Investigation of the effects of argumentation-based science teaching on students' academic success, motivation, interest and attitudes toward science [Master thesis]. University of Sakarya.
6. Burke, K. A., Hand, P., Poack, J., & Greenbowe, T. (2005). Using the science writing heuristic. Journal of College Science Teaching, 35(1), 36-41.
7. Chin, C., & Osborne, J. (2010). Students’ questions and discursive interaction: Their impact on argumentation during collaborative group discussions in science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47 (7), 883–908. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20385.
8. Çak, D. (2020). An investigation of students' arguments and opinions on the teaching of global climate change through argument driven inquiry activities [Master thesis]. University of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

9. Çalışkan, T., & Kapucu, S. (2021). The effect of argumentation-based learning approach on students’ conceptions of learning science and approaches to learning science in the subject of astronomy. YYU Journal of Education Faculty, 18(1), 316-353. https://doi.org/10.33711/yyuefd.863217.
10. Çinici, A., Özden, M., Akgün, A., Herdem, K., Deniz, Ş. M., & Karabiber, H.L. (2014). Investigating the effectiveness of argumentation-based activities supported with concept cartoon. Adıyaman University Journal of Social Sciences, 7(18), 571-596. https://doi.org/10.14520/adyusbd.839.
11. Çınar, D. (2013). The effect of argumentation-based science instruction on 5th grade students' learning outcomes [Master thesis]. University of Necmettin Erbakan.
12. Daşgın, F. (2022). Determining the written argumentation level of environmental subjects of 5th and 8th grade students [Master thesis]. University of Balıkesir.
13. Davey, L. (1991). The application of case study evaluations. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation. 2(9). Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https://openpublishing.library.umass.edu/pare/article/1290/galley/1241/view/ .
14. Demirel, R. (2015). The effect of individual and group argumentation on student academic achievement in force and movement issues. Journal of Theory and Practice, 11(3), 916-948. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/eku/issue/5466/74187.
15. Deveci, A. (2009). Developing seventh grade middle school students? Socioscientific argumentation, level of knowledge and cognitive thinking skills in the structure of matter subject [Master thesis]. University of Marmara.
16. Driver, R., Newton, P., & Osborne J. (2000). Establishing the norms of scientific argumentation in classrooms. Science Education, 84(3), 287-312.
17. Er, S., & Kırındı, T. (2020). The impact of the argumentation method based science course on students’ science process skills. Gazi Journal of Education Sciences, 6(3), 317-343. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/gebd/issue/58009/734810.
18. Erduran, S., Simon, S., & Osborne, J. (2004). TAPping into argumentation: Developments in the application of Toulmin's argument pattern for studying science discourse. Science Education, 88(6), 915–933. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20012.
19. Erduran, S., Ardaç, D., & Yakmacı-Güzel, B. (2006). Learning to teach argumentation: Case studies of preservice secondary science teachers. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 2(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75442.
20. Faize, F. A., Husain, W., & Nisar, F. (2018). A critical review of scientific argumentation in science education. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(1), 475-483. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/80353.
21. Fox, J., Krause, P. & Elvang-Goransson, M. (1993). Argumentation as a general framework foruncertain reasoning. Eds.: D. Heckerman, A., Mamdani, In. Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence, pp. 428-434. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
22. Gülen, S., & Yaman, S. (2018). The opinions of sixth grade students about ABSL approach activities based on STEM. OPUS International Journal of Society Studies, 8(15), 1293-1322. https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.439638.
23. Işıker, Y. (2017). The effect of the argumentation-based teaching method on students' academic success, scientific process skills and within the context of the chapter get to know substance [Master thesis]. University of Fırat.
24. Kabataş Memiş, E., & Çakan Akkaş, B. N. (2016). Inquiry based application in preschool education: An example for the subject of density. Online Science Educational Journal, 1(1), 17-29. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ofed/issue/26033/263954.
25. Köseoğlu, F., Tümay, H., & Budak, E. (2008). Paradigm changes nature of science and new teaching approaches. Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty, 28(2), 221-235. Kuhn, D., & Udell, W. (2003) The development of argument skills. Child Development, 74(5), 1245–1260. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/9055938.
26. Kutluer, M. (2020). The effect of argumentation-based science learning approaches on 8th-grade students' success the subjects of cycles of matter and environmental problems and on their argumentation levels [Master thesis]. University of Gazi.
27. Norris, S. P., & Phillips, L. M. (2003). How literacy in its fundamental sense is central to scientific literacy. Science Education, 87(2), 224–240.
28. Peker, D. (2017). Bilimsel açıklamalar ve argümanlar. Ö. Taşkın (Ed.), Fen eğitiminde güncel konular (s.88-102). Pegem Akademi.
29. Solak, E. (2016). Analysis middle school students' conceptual understanding on heat and temperature concepts and argumentation-based activity proposal [Master thesis]. University of Balıkesir.
30. Toulmin, S. (2003). The uses of argument (Updated Edition). Cambridge University Press.
31. Turkish Ministry of National Education (MONE). (2013). Science curriculum. https://tegm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2017_06/09163104_Fen_Bilimleri_Dersi_YYretim_ProgramY_KarYYlaYtYrmalarY.pdf.
32. Turkish Ministry of National Education (MONE). (2018). Science curriculum. https://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/201812312311937-FEN%20BİLİMLERİ%20ÖĞRETİM%20PROGRAMI2018.pdf
33. Tüccaroğlu E. P. (2018) Analysis of the effects of argument-based science inquiry approach utilized within the unit of 'reproduction, growth and development in living beings' on the reasoning skills and success levels of students [Master thesis]. University of Uludağ.
34. Uluçınar Sağır, Ş., Soylu, Ü. İ., & Bolat, A. (2021). Determination of argumentation levels of 7thgrade students in power and energy. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International, 11(1), 184-203. https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.726305.
35. Uluçınar Sağır, Ş., & Kılıç, Z. (2012). Analysis of the contribution of argumentation-based science teaching student success and retention. International Journal of Physics and Chemistry Education, 4(2), 139–156. https://doi.org/10.51724/ijpce.v4i2.103.
36. Yalçınkaya, I. (2018). The effect of argumentation-based activities in teaching the circulatory system at the level of 6th grade on students’ academic achievement, conceptual and scientific of argumentation [Master thesis]. University of Pamukkale.
37. Valero Haro, A., Noroozi, O., Biemans, H., & Mulder, M. (2020). Argumentation competence: Students’ argumentation knowledge, behavior and attitude and their relationships with domain-specific knowledge acquisition. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 35(1), 123–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2020.1734995.
38. Zohar, A., & Nemet, F. (2002). Fostering students’ knowledge and argumentation skills through dilemmas in human genetics. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(1), 35-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10008