Exploring Teachers’ Argumentation About Global Climate Change

• In Event: The Diverse Pedagogies of Climate Change

Abstract

The present study attempts to investigate the nature of in-service teachers’ argumentation skills and the epistemology that guides their argumentation on the topic of global climate change. Thirteen teachers participated in this study. We found that teachers were able to employ genuine evidence to support their claims, but they often described only phenomena without in-depth discussions about the causal relationships necessary for making solid arguments. Teachers made more valid arguments when asked to support their own perspectives compared to generating counterarguments and rebuttals against alternative beliefs. Besides, although epistemology does not directly impact the quality of their arguments, teachers who accepted the uncertainty of expert views and acknowledged the co-occurrence of opinions were able to construct more counterarguments and rebuttals.

Authors

• Shiyu Liu, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park

• Gillian Roehrig, University of Minnesota

• Anne Loyle-Langholz, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Devarati Bhattacharya, University of Minnesota