CAREER: Supporting Middle School Students' Construction of Evidence-based Arguments

做科学要求学生学会创造基于证据的论点(EBAS)，定义为通过前提与支持证据有关的主张。犹他州州立大学的一位新研究人员选择的问题是：如何提高中学生的论证能力？这项研究涉及来自犹他州和爱达荷州3个学区的12个班级的325名中学生。首先，将向中学科学课堂上的学生介绍以问题为基础的学习(PBL)单元，使他们能够调查结构不良的科学问题。这些活动为学生提供了一些可以辩论的东西：一些他们亲自探索并努力解决的东西。接下来，他们将使用由PI开发的强大的计算机技术--连接日志--来构建论点。连接日志为建立论点提供了一个脚手架，允许每个学生写下他/她的推理，并将其与同行建立的论点进行比较。这项研究调查了连接日志如何提高学生辩论的质量。这项研究设置在6年级和7年级的科学课堂上，学生来自不同的社会经济地位、种族和成就水平。连接日志软件支持中学生在计算机屏幕上提供书面提示，引导学生完成论点的构建。该系统允许学生与他们的PBL小组的其他成员分享他们的论点。第一代连接日志要求学生：1.定义问题，或用他们自己的话陈述问题2.确定所需的信息，或决定他们需要找到的证据来解决问题3。找到需要的信息并记录下来4.组织信息，使其对开发索赔有用5.开发索赔，或提出陈述可能的问题解决方案的主张6.将证据与索赔联系起来，将具体的相关数据与主张联系起来，通过基于设计的研究过程对模型进行优化。这项研究采用了一种混合方法的研究设计，使用了辩论评估测试、视频、访谈、数据库信息、辩论评分和心理模型测量来评估学生的进步。这项研究很重要，因为研究表明，学生来学校时不会自动准备好创造基于证据的论点。中学生在辩论中面临三大挑战：充分表达本单元的中心问题；确定并获得最相关的证据；综合收集的信息以构建合理的论点。论证能力对STEM的表现和进入STEM职业生涯至关重要。没有基于证据进行论证的能力，中学生很可能被排除在STEM渠道之外，避开STEM职业，作为公民缺乏批判性评估和理解科学发现的能力。通过测试和提炼连接日志，该项目有可能扩大规模，在全美的科学教室(以及其他地方)使用。

Doing science requires that students learn to create evidence-based arguments (EBAs), defined as claims connected to supporting evidence via premises. The question chosen for study by a new researcher at Utah State University is: How can argumentation ability be enhanced among middle school students? This study involves 325 middle school students in 12 class sections from 3 school districts in Utah and Idaho. First, students in middle school science classrooms will be introduced to problem-based learning (PBL) units that allow them to investigate ill-structured science problems. These activities provide students with something about which to argue: something that they have explored personally and with which they have grappled. Next, they will construct arguments using a powerful computer technology, the Connection Log, developed by the PI. The Connection Log provides a scaffold for building arguments, allowing each student to write about his/her reasoning and compare it to arguments built by peers. The study investigates how the Connection Log improves the quality of students' arguments. It also explores whether students are able to transfer what they have learned to new situations that call for argumentation.This study is set in 6th and 7th grade science classrooms with students of diverse SES, ethnicity, and achievement levels. The Connection Log software supports middle school students with written prompts on a computer screen that take students through the construction of an argument. The system allows students to share their arguments with other members of their PBL group. The first generation version of the Connection Log asks students to: 1. define the problem, or state the problem in their own words 2. determine needed information, or decide on evidence they need to find to solve the problem3. find needed information and record it 4. organize information to make it useful for developing their claims 5. develop a claim, or make an assertion stating a possible problem solution 6. link evidence to claim, linking specific, relevant data to assertions The model will be optimized through a process of design-based research. The study uses a mixed methods research design employing argument evaluation tests, video, interviews, database information, debate ratings, and a mental models measure, to evaluate student progress. This study is important because research has shown that students do not automatically come to school prepared to create evidence-based arguments. Middle school students face three major challenges in argumentation: adequately representing the central problem of the unit; determining and obtaining the most relevant evidence; and synthesizing gathered information to construct a sound argument. Argumentation ability is crucial to STEM performance and to access to STEM careers. Without the ability to formulate arguments based upon evidence, middle school students are likely to be left out of the STEM pipeline, avoid STEM careers, and have less ability to critically evaluate and understand scientific findings as citizens. By testing and refining the Connection Log, the project has the potential for scaling up for use in science classrooms (and beyond) throughout the United States.