The impact of socio-scientific biology instruction on argumentation skills of preservice science teachers

Abstract

The study was aimed to determine how instruction driven by socio-scientific biology instruction over a semester period influenced PST’s argumentation skills. One-group research design guided the study. An instrument was applied before and after the implementation of socio-scientific biology instruction as the pre- and post- tests. The participants were 35 pre-service science teachers (PST) at their senior year. Treatment was the biology instruction based on socioscientific approach. The instruction continued in the course of Special Issues in Biology and lasted in sixteen weeks. In order to examine PST’s argumentation skills, argumentative questions were developed for each week. The instrument included the written questions exploring students’ views about the role of SSI-based instruction. Students’ argumentation skills were explored and scored depending on the rubric developed according to Toulmin Argumentation Pattern, the rubric focused on the students’ argumentation structure. The results suggest that SSI-based instruction significantly influenced participants’ argumentation skills. Specifically, our results suggest that while students encounter SSI-based instruction, their argumentation skills increase positively. The results indicate that teachers would benefit from SSI-based learning experiences that support their argumentation practices as well as their ability to foster development of these practices among their students.