Implementing Discussion and Predict-Observe-Explain teaching strategies for Promoting Argumentation in Science Education

Abstract

State of science is poor in Pakistan. Logical reasoning or argumentation is one of the aims of scince education. This study aimed to apply the strategies to promote argumentation among the students in Karachi, Pakistan. The practical action research methodology based on cyclic model by Kemmis et al., (2004) and Toulmin Argument Pattern (TAP) were used to attain the aim of the study. The data were collected from the students of Grade seven and a science teacher through classroom observations, interviews, field notes, reflective journal, audio-recording and document analysis. The data were analyzed in two steps; on-going and overall data analysis. The results revealed that the students could construct better level of arguments by using claim, data and warrant components of TAP, through the whole-class discussion based-on students’ personal experiences along with teachers’ and students’ questioning, and Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) along with working model about the sun, earth and moon. The study recommends that argumentation should be part of all science teacher education programs, science textbooks need to have socio-scientific, health and environmental issues and a persuasive style to develop argumentation which will bring about both conceptual understanding and scientific thinking.