"Mother Nature Does Not Allow for a Comfortable Death": Argumentation, Critical Friends, and Socioscientific Issues

• In Event: 16.060 - Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: 16.060-13 - Conceptions and Practices in Implementing Socioscientific Issues

Abstract

In this study we investigated how learners constructed arguments, concerning animal overpopulation and encroachment, within critical friend groups. Students were provided with a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning framework and a discourse scaffold tool. Results indicated that using this framework, scaffolding tool, and working in critical friend groups helped students to adopt scientific concepts as evidence, consider various stakeholders’ positions, and create a nuanced consensus position. This process helped students to understand that SSI often are complex issues and require understanding and perspective-taking from all stakeholders. It also allowed students to discover scientific explanations for phenomena. These findings are informative for both science teacher educators and practitioners of science education.

Authors

• Vanessa Ann Klein, Kent State University

• Evan Mooney, Montclair State University

• Sara Raven, Kent State University - Kent

• Bahadir Namdar, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University