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Developing Epistemological Understanding in Scientific and Social Domains through Argumentation

Published Online:June 15, 2016https://doi.org/10.1024/1010-0652/a000172

Abstract

Zusammenfassung. Diese Arbeit untersucht, ob eine Intervention zur Veränderung des Argumentationsverhaltens die Entwicklung eines evaluativen epistemologischen Verständnisses fördern kann. Studierende wurden randomisiert einer von zwei Interventionsbedingungen zugewiesen, die sich entweder mit einem sozialen oder ein wissenschaftlichen Thema beschäftigten. Die epistemologischen Überzeugungen wurden vor und nach der Intervention anhand eines sozialen und eines wissenschaftlichen Themas ermittelt. Zusätzlich wurden die Ansichten der Studierenden über ihre eigenen Wissensprozesse sowie über die von Wissenschaftlern erhoben. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass dialogische Argumentationsaktivitäten die Entwicklung eines evaluativen domänenspezifischen epistemologischen Verständnisses unterstützte. Weitere qualitative Analysen zeigten, dass die Teilnehmer je nach Interventionsbedingung die Evidenz im Prozess des Wissenserwerbs unterschiedlich bewerten. Dies unterstützt die Ansicht, dass es verschiedene Herausforderungen bei der Entwicklung eines epistemologischen Verständnisses in den Domänen gibt. Die Erkenntnisse dieser Studie haben wichtige pädagogische Implikationen und weisen darauf hin, dass argumentative Aktivitäten ein vielversprechender Weg sind, um die Entwicklung eines angemessenen epistemologischen Verständnisses zu unterstützen.


Abstract. The present work examines whether engagement in an argument-based intervention can support the development of evaluativist epistemological understanding. Students were randomly assigned to one of two intervention conditions – focusing on either a social or science topic – and their epistemological understanding was assessed before and after the intervention using both a social and a science topic. Students' views about their own and scientists' processes of knowing were also assessed. Results showed that engagement in dialogic argumentative activities supported the development of more evaluativist domain-specific epistemological understanding. Further qualitative analysis showed domain differences in how participants valued evidence in the process of knowing, supporting the view that there are different challenges in the development of epistemological understanding across domains. Overall, the present study's findings have important educational implications and suggest that engagement in argumentative activities is a promising pathway for supporting the development of epistemological understanding.

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