Teaching Practice in Chemistry Course: Space for Preservice Teachers' Argumentative Knowledge Construction

Abstract

School science teaching has traditionally been focused on the content of science. However, recent debates about science education emphasize the importance of the nature of science and the process of argument. In order to change the emphasis in teaching science to incorporate argumentation, teachers need to adopt more dialogic approaches that involve students in discussion, and to consider how they themselves interact with students to foster argumentation skills. This project focuses on a programme designed to help preservice teachers achieve such a change. The research will examine ways in which they can appropriate the discourse of argumentation and will be conducted in essentially two phases. In phase 1, preservice teachers will attend meetings to discuss pedagogical strategies for teaching argument-based lessons, to develop materials for teaching argument, and to develop their understanding of theoretical perspectives on argument. The value and outcomes of such programme will be assess in phase 2 of the project. In this phase data will be collect by audio-recording and video-recording lessons where they will attempt to implement argumentation. The analysis of preservice teachers' facilitation of argumentation will help to guide the development of preservice materials and to identify the barriers to learning in the professional development of teachers.