Mediating Scientific Argumentation When Students Engage in Modeling in Small Groups

• In Event: Thinking Like a Scientist: Enhancing STEM Learning Experiences

Abstract

Although there is considerable research that either looks at how students argue or how they model, there is less on how engaging students in modeling practice promotes scientific argumentation and vice versa. This study examines mediators that are used in students’ scientific argumentation while modeling. We implemented an online science club for fifth-graders to investigate aquatic ecosystems using a modeling tool – MEME. The findings suggest that our designed mediators including MEME, sufficient evidence, social norms, and facilitation strategies helped create a favorable environment for students to construct arguments well-supported by evidence and produce a comprehensive model. Moreover, students used different mediators in argumentation with the evidence and model, but their use of mediators was not entirely consistent.

Authors

• Jinzhi Zhou, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver, Indiana University

• Joshua Adam Danish, Indiana University

• Zachary David Ryan, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Christina Stiso, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Ravit Golan Duncan, Rutgers University

• Clark A. Chinn, Rutgers University

• Danielle Murphy, Rutgers University