Science Argumentation in Blended Learning in the Wright Brothers Situated Cases

Abstract

Inquiry-based science classrooms place emphasis on the role of the student in negotiating understanding (Crawford, 2005; Polman, 2000). The question that guides the analysis presented herein is how students’ experience with the learning of science can further their participation in the practice of science. To this end, we designed a game-like situation that is beneficial to learning; using their knowledge of science, students interact through argumentation during problem-solving. By focusing on the interactions between students, we designed a blended learning platform that proposes three major problems for K 5 and K 6 students to solve: aircraft cannot take off, aircraft are being blown away, and aircraft are crashing during landing. The results of this study indicate that students are more active science learners when they engage in argumentation about science.