ABSTRACT

Students’ argumentation skills are considered a central tool to contribute to scientific controversies in the science classroom. Scientific controversies of social relevance (socioscientific issues; SSI) are subject to multiple viewpoints that are often rooted in diverse disciplines. However, the relationship between issue familiarity and students’ multidisciplinary argumentation is still a matter under discussion. This study: (1) explores whether the selection of a particular issue (animal testing) enables students’ engagement in multidisciplinary argumentation without additional issue familiarisation, i.e., using only their existing knowledge; and (2) clarifies the relationship between increased issue familiarity and students’ multidisciplinary argumentation. One hundred and sixty three ninth and tenth graders participated in this study, of whom one hundred and six took part in a teaching unit to familiarise themselves with the issue of animal testing. The study’s results demonstrate that animal testing constitutes an effective issue to engage students with the complexity of SSI without requiring more than basic familiarity prior to engagement. The results further demonstrate that increased issue familiarity can enhance the overall diversity of discipline-related arguments amongst students; however, not all disciplines were enhanced equally. The findings suggest that more instructional guidance seems to be needed to assist students in broadening their arguments.

摘要

学生的论证技巧被认为是在科学课堂上促成科学争论的核心工具。社会相关性（社会科学问题；SSI）的科学争议受到多种观点的影响，这些观点通常植根于不同学科。然而，问题熟悉度与学生多学科论证的关系仍然是一个正在讨论的问题。本研究： (1) 探讨特定问题（动物测试）的选择是否能够让学生在不熟悉其他问题的情况下参与多学科论证，即仅使用他们现有的知识；(2) 阐明了对问题的熟悉程度提高与学生多学科论证之间的关系。163 名九年级和十年级学生参加了这项研究，其中一百零六人参加了一个教学单元，以熟悉动物试验的问题。该研究的结果表明，动物测试是一个有效的问题，可以让学生参与 SSI 的复杂性，而无需在参与之前进行基本的熟悉。结果进一步表明，增加对问题的熟悉程度可以提高学生与学科相关论点的整体多样性；然而，并非所有学科都得到同等的加强。研究结果表明，似乎需要更多的教学指导来帮助学生扩大他们的论点。该研究的结果表明，动物测试是一个有效的问题，可以让学生参与 SSI 的复杂性，而无需在参与之前进行基本的熟悉。结果进一步表明，增加对问题的熟悉程度可以提高学生与学科相关论点的整体多样性；然而，并非所有学科都得到同等的加强。研究结果表明，似乎需要更多的教学指导来帮助学生扩大他们的论点。该研究的结果表明，动物测试是一个有效的问题，可以让学生参与 SSI 的复杂性，而无需在参与之前进行基本的熟悉。结果进一步表明，增加对问题的熟悉程度可以提高学生与学科相关论点的整体多样性；然而，并非所有学科都得到同等的加强。研究结果表明，似乎需要更多的教学指导来帮助学生扩大他们的论点。