Constructing and Critiquing Arguments in Middle School Science Classrooms: Supporting Teachers with Multimedia Educative Curriculum Materials

This project is developing Earth and Space Science multimedia educative curriculum materials (MECMs) and a system to facilitate teachers' learning and beliefs of scientific argumentation. The project is investigating the impact of the MECMs on teachers' beliefs about scientific argumentation and their related pedagogical content knowledge. The overarching research question focuses on how can multimedia educative curriculum materials provide support to middle school science teachers in implementing standards for constructing and critiquing arguments.

Project Email
sjloper@berkeley.edu
Project Evaluator
Naomi Hupert
Full Description

This project between Lawrence Hall of Science and Boston College is developing Earth and Space Science multimedia educative curriculum materials (MECM) and a system to facilitate teachers' learning and beliefs of scientific argumentation. The MECMs include videos, voice-over narratives, diagrammatic representations, images of student writings, and text. The PIs are investigating the impact of the MECMS on teachers' beliefs about scientific argumentation and their related pedagogical content knowledge. The overarching research question, with four sub questions, focuses on how can multimedia educative curriculum materials provide support to middle school science teachers in implementing standards for constructing and critiquing arguments. The four sub questions are: What factors impact teachers' implementation of argumentation instruction in the classroom? How can MECMs be designed to positively impact teachers' beliefs and their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) about argumentation? What is the relationship between teachers' beliefs about the value of argumentation and their implementation of argumentation in the classroom? What impact do MECMs have on teachers' beliefs and PCK?

A mixed method approach is being used to assess teachers' beliefs and pedagogical content knowledge. The PIs are developing and pilot testing teachers' beliefs about scientific argumentation. They will use an iterative design process for the MECMs that will involve 50 teachers. Twenty-five phone interviews will be conducted to investigate factors that impact teachers' implementations of scientific argumentation. Three iterative cycles of design and testing include focus groups, a pilot of the MECMs in six classrooms, and a national field test of 30 classrooms. One hundred teachers will field test the assessment followed by collection of six case studies and data analyses. The project's formative and summative evaluations include monitoring and providing feedback for all activities, and assessments of program implementation and impact.

Teachers need support using field tested multimedia educative materials (MECMs) in learning and delivering science content using a scientific argumentation process. By delivering and engaging the teaching and learning process through iterative design of Earth and Space Science multimedia educative curriculum materials, this project would provide, if successful, teachers and students with the necessary literacy and knowledge about scientific argumentation. The MECMs and approach has the potential for broad implementation in middle schools and beyond for delivering Earth and Space science material to support and teach scientific argumentation.


Project Videos

2017 STEM for All Video Showcase

Title: Teacher Learning Resources for Argumentation

Presenter(s): Suzanna Loper, María González-Howard, Lisa Marco-Bujosa, Katherine McNeill, & Kathryn Quigley

2015 STEM for All Video Showcase

Title: Supporting Teacher Learning about Argumentation

Presenter(s): Suzanna Loper, Katherine McNeill, & Kathryn Quigley


PROJECT KEYWORDS

Project Materials

Title Type Post date Sort ascending
The Argumentation Toolkit Resource 09/17/2021 - 11:20am
How Science Teachers DiALoG Classrooms: Towards a Practical and Responsive Formative Assessment of Oral Argumentation Resource 07/02/2021 - 04:07pm
How Science Teachers DiALoG Classrooms: Towards a Practical and Responsive Formative Assessment of Oral Argumentation Resource 07/02/2021 - 04:07pm
How Science Teachers DiALoG Classrooms: Towards a Practical and Responsive Formative Assessment of Oral Argumentation Resource 07/02/2021 - 04:07pm
The Impact of Multimedia Educative Curriculum Materials (MECMs) on Teachers' Beliefs about Scientific Argumentation Resource 06/13/2019 - 01:07pm
Teachers' framing of argumentation goals: Working together to develop individual versus communal understanding Resource 03/14/2019 - 01:37pm
Teacher’s Toolkit: The Argumentation Toolkit Resource 10/22/2018 - 03:22pm
Scientific argumentation for all? Comparing teacher beliefs about argumentation in high, mid and low SES schools Resource 02/08/2017 - 01:57pm
Pedagogical content knowledge of argumentation: Using classroom contexts to assess high quality PCK rather than pseudoargumentation Resource 02/08/2017 - 01:53pm
Learning in a community of practice: Factors impacting English-learning students’ engagement in scientific argumentation Resource 02/08/2017 - 01:46pm
Factors impacting teachers’ argumentation instruction in their science classrooms Resource 02/08/2017 - 01:43pm
An exploration of teacher learning from an educative reform-oriented curriculum: Case studies of teacher curriculum use Resource 02/08/2017 - 01:37pm
Constructing and Critiquing Arguments in Middle School Science Classrooms: Supporting Teachers with Multimedia Educative Curriculum Materials Poster 06/15/2016 - 01:50pm
Constructing and Critiquing Arguments in Middle School Science Classrooms: Supporting Teachers with Multimedia Educative Curriculum Materials Poster 08/08/2014 - 03:37pm