ERIC Number: EJ979510
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1436-4522
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Impact of Recurrent On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation on Students' Argumentation and Conceptual Change
Chen, Chien-Hsien; She, Hsiao-Ching
Educational Technology & Society, v15 n1 p197-210 2012
This study reports the impact of Recurrent On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation learning on 8th grade students' scientific argumentation ability and conceptual change involving physical science. The control group (N = 76) were recruited to receive conventional instruction whereas the experimental group (N = 74) received the Recurrent On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation program for about 25 physical science class periods of 45 minutes each, which is about one third of the physical science class periods in a semester. Results indicate that the experimental group significantly outperformed the conventional group on the post-Physical Science Conception Test and the Physical Science Dependent Argumentation Test. The quantity and quality of scientific arguments that the experimental group's students generated, in a series of pre- and post-argumentation questions, all improved across the seven topics. In addition, the experimental group's students successfully constructed more correct conceptions from pre- to post-argumentation questions across the seven topics. This clearly demonstrates that the experimental group's students' argumentation ability and conceptual change were both facilitated through receiving the Recurrent On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation program. (Contains 4 tables and 4 figures.)
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Web Based Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Persuasive Discourse, Grade 8, Science Instruction, Physical Sciences, Science Tests, Instructional Design, Synchronous Communication, Computer System Design, Instructional Effectiveness, Comparative Analysis, Predictor Variables, Qualitative Research, Control Groups, Pretests Posttests, Experimental Groups, Discourse Analysis, Multivariate Analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis
International Forum of Educational Technology & Society. Athabasca University, School of Computing & Information Systems, 1 University Drive, Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3, Canada. Tel: 780-675-6812; Fax: 780-675-6973; Web site: http://www.ifets.info
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Grade 8; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Taiwan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A