written by Carina M. Rebello and N. Sanjay Rebello

We investigate the integration of argumentation in a physics course for future elementary teachers. Students were divided into two groups – construct and evaluate – to solve conceptual physics problems using corresponding forms of written argumentation. After training in small teams, each group received tasks that required transfer of skills to new problems requiring a different form of argumentation i.e. students trained to construct arguments were now required to evaluate arguments and vice versa. The process was repeated after three weeks during which more training was provided. Results indicate no significant improvement of argumentation on team training tasks over this period, but a statistically significant improvement on individual transfer tasks. Thus, three weeks of training did not improve students' performance on the team tasks, but it prepared them to transfer these skills to individual argumentation tasks.

• Download PERC2012_Rebello1.pdf - 131kb Adobe PDF Document

Published January 24, 2013
Last Modified July 1, 2013