Social Media Discourse Instruments as Tools for Socioscientific Argumentation

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Eleven
  In Roundtable Session: Diverse Contexts in Learning Sciences Research (Table 14)

Abstract

Despite the affordances of social media for encouraging learning as a collective negotiation of claims around complex real-world social issues, existing learning sciences research has primarily leveraged such platforms for the replication of existing pedagogical practices. Given the importance of argumentation as literacy practice in STEM education, we examine how users leverage Twitter to engage in argumentation with socioscientific issues related to COVID-19. Findings suggests that traditional conceptualizations of argumentation may not capture discourse practices where platform-specific features may play a more prominent role in the negotiation and advancement of claims. Implications for learning science design and research that emphasizes context, practice and scale of social media use in education are discussed.

Authors

• Justice Toshiba Walker, University of Texas - El Paso
  Presenting Author

• Amanda Barany, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author

• Alan Barrera, University of Texas - El Paso
  Non-Presenting Author

• Stefan Slater, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Non-Presenting Author

• Omar Badreddin, The University of Texas - El Paso
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sayed Mohsin Reza, Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michael A. Johnson, University of North Texas
  Non-Presenting Author