Abstract
This paper describes how a class of fifth-grade students from a Singapore school engaged in argumentation in Science through a computer-networked environment Knowledge Forum (KF). Extending over three months, the students' KF discussion focused on the rocky seashore ecosystem and its organisms. Fieldwork activities were incorporated to further trigger and sustain the online KF discussions in order to facilitate idea improvement and conceptual progress. Toulmin's Argument Pattern (Toulmin, 1958) was used as a tool to analyse the KF discourse pertaining to students' co-construction of arguments. Preliminary findings from this exploratory study indicated that the fifth-grade students could attain a reasonably good level of argumentation. Possible implications to inform the next cycle of the research study as well as for the teaching and learning of argumentation in Science lessons were also discussed. Copyright © 2006 ICLS.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2006 |
| Place of Publication | Indiana |
| Publisher | International Society of the Learning Sciences |
| Pages | 175-181 |
| ISBN (Print) | 0805861742, 9780805861747 |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |