Assessing Arguments: Supporting Argumentation With Online Rubric-Based Assessment

• In Event: Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning SIG: Paper Session 2: Questioning Issues in Cognition and Learning

Abstract

Assessing the quality of arguments is an important skill for students to evaluate arguments of others and to produce better argument of their own. This study examined whether online peer assessment of the quality of arguments and the perception of such activities correlated with the quality of students’ written arguments. 117 secondary 4 students at a local publicly funded school in Hong Kong participated in this study. Results indicated assessment agreement with teachers in claim and reflection on work and the perceived effects of poor articles predicted argument performance. The study implies that involving students in evaluating arguments based on rubrics can help them understand the problems of argument and encourage them to reflect and construct better arguments.

Authors

• Jingyan Lu, The University of Hong Kong

• Zhidong Zhang, The University of Texas - Brownsville