As the nature of work significantly transforms over the next several decades, engineering students today will play a major role in building and developing society. Both industry and academia position critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities as central to the growing needs of developed and developing societies. Consequently, engineers will be paid in the future to solve complex problems. ABET (2021) standards indicate these ill-structured problems or complex engineering problems involve multiple factors outside of standard building codes or equations. Complex or socioscientific problems have no obvious solution pathway, multiple perspectives, and require a well-reasoned and argued solution. Thus, ill-structured problems emerge from situated and societal contexts in which various aspects of the context or problem space are undefined, unspecified, uncertain, or as Chen et al. (2019) describe, 'fuzzy'. Novice learners struggle with the inherent uncertainty embedded at all stages of the problem-solving process. Students need opportunities to grapple with the challenges of real-world problems, including the inherent uncertainties associated with them. In problem-solving situations learners often reject or avoid uncertainty and associated feelings of discomfort because traditional education provides few opportunities to confront these uncertainties in problem solving. Evidence suggests uncertainty becomes a productive or constructive experience when learners are forced to express, contend, grapple with, argue, and negotiate how and what they know with others. Thus, generation of uncertainty, or productive uncertainty, in problem-solving situations facilitates management of ambiguity and complexity through argumentation to, in turn, foster well-informed, confidently argued and supported solutions. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework to guide designers/instructors to facilitate learning using argumentation as a pedagogical tool to manage uncertainty. / Doctor of Philosophy / Work is changing across industries, and students today will play a major role in building the world of tomorrow by solving complex problems. Therefore, industry and education position critical thinking and problem-solving skills as crucial to developing an innovative workforce to prosper in the future. Moreso, engineers will play a major role in using critical thinking and problem-solving skills to solve complex problems. Essentially, engineers will be paid to solve these pressing problems. Complex problems, also known as socioscientific problems, are extremely uncertain - having no apparent solution, requiring multiple perspectives, and arriving at a feasible solution under constraints. Additionally, complex problems are impacted by multiple effects associated with cultural and social contexts, making these problems increasingly more 'fuzzy' or uncertain. Because uncertainty is a key part of complex problem solving, students need chances to grapple with these problems and unavoidable uncertainty, which is too often avoided. Uncertainty creates feelings of discomfort which learners seek to avoid or reduce. However, evidence indicates uncertainty can also be used productively. If students can embrace or learn to work within uncertainty, they can learn to argue, negotiate, reason, and solve problems more effectively. The act of collaboratively arguing, reasoning, sharing perspective, or negotiating (argumentation as a process) holds promise as an overarching practice which allows students to confront and manage uncertainty in problem solving. Therefore, this study aimed to position argumentation as a teaching tool to foster and manage productive moments of uncertainty while solving complex problems. The study resulted in a taxonomy of uncertainty sources and management strategies, and cognitive guidelines for designers and educators to use argumentation as a process to promote and manage uncertainty while learning to solve complex problems.

Die vorliegende Studie diskutiert die Entwicklung eines Testinstruments zur Messung von Bewertungskompetenz im Sinne der Teilkompetenz Bewerten, Entscheiden und Reflektieren (BER) innerhalb des Göttinger Modells der Bewertungskompetenz im Kontext nachhaltiger Entwicklung (Bögeholz 2011) für das Unterrichtsfach Physik in der Sekundarstufe. Die ausgewählten Aufgabenkontexte beschreiben die Erzeugung, die Speicherung und die Nutzung elektrischer Energie. Sie schließen damit auch an die aktuelle gesellschaftliche Diskussion um Erneuerbare Energien an und untersuchen diesbezüglich das Entscheidungsvermögen und die Bewertungskompetenz heutiger Schülerinnen und Schüler. Die Einsatzfähigkeit des in dieser Studie entwickelten Testinstruments wurde zunächst im Rahmen zweier Vorstudien überprüft, bevor die Haupterhebung als Querschnittstudie in den Jahrgängen 6, 8, 10 und 12 erfolgte (N = 850 Schülerinnen und Schüler an Gymnasien). Nach dem Ansatz von Eggert (2008), Eggert und Bögeholz (2006, 2010) ist es dabei als paper-and-pencil -Test konzipiert und beinhaltet zwei Entscheidungsaufgaben und eine Reflexionsaufgabe. Die empirisch gewonnenen Daten wurden zunächst anhand eines entwickelten Scoring Guides codiert und anschließend sowohl unter Gesichtspunkten der Klassischen als auch der Probabilistischen Testtheorie ausgewertet. Das entwickelte Testinstrument hat sich unter Reliabilitäts- und Validitätsaspekten bewährt. Item-Fit-Parameter zeigen, dass sich die empirischen Daten gut in einem eindimensionalen Rasch-Partial-Credit-Modell abbilden lassen. Unter anderem konnten Zusammenhänge von BER mit dem Schulalter der Schülerinnen und Schüler nachgewiesen werden. Geringe Korrelationen von BER bestehen zu verschiedenen Schulnoten (u. a. zu Deutsch, Mathematik, Politik und Physik in der Klasse 10), zudem wird das Testergebnis für BER kaum von Lesekompetenzen beeinflusst. <p><p> Externer Link zum Testinstrument: http://dx.doi.org/10.7477/39:41:17

Questões sociocientíficas são dilemas sociais de natureza polêmica que envolvem moralidade e ética. O problema da validade ética do aborto possui ligações conceituais com a Ciência e é uma questão bastante controversa, representando uma questão sociocientífica. Neste trabalho, foram transcritos e analisados trechos da interação de adolescentes discutindo a questão do aborto. A unidade de análise foi o argumento segundo o padrão de Toulmin (2003), a partir do qual foram identificados valores empregados pelos alunos, como: priorização de questões sociais; riscos e responsabilidade; respeito ao valor da vida; valores familiares e relacionais e regras de decisão. Os valores usados na discussão foram representativos das linguagens éticas do cuidado e da justiça, se usarmos os termos derivados da área da psicologia moral. Os mais freqüentes foram os chamados valores familiares e relacionais. Os alunos resolveram as questões utilizando raciocínios baseados em princípios, raciocínios consequencialistas, deliberações baseadas em emoção ou em intuição. As posições intuitivas foram mais comuns, seguidas pelo raciocínio baseado em princípios. Alguns conceitos científicos se mostraram presentes na discussão, indicando que temas sociocientíficos são oportunidades de integração de tais conteúdos. Os conceitos presentes foram: método contraceptivo, interdependência funcional, tecnologia médica, desenvolvimento, funcionamento da pílula do dia seguinte, óvulo, genes, sangue, DNA, maturidade sexual e gravidez. Foram analisadas também, segundo o padrão de Toulmin, as funções de conceitos e valores nos argumentos. Os conceitos apresentavam principalmente função de dados, enquanto os valores apresentavam principalmente função de garantias, conforme esperado e identificado na literatura. Outras funções para conceitos científicos e valores também surgiram nos argumentos, contrastando com o padrão comumente encontrado. A preponderância de determinados padrões morais e valores pode ter diversas explicações, que vão desde a dominância de algumas formas de pensamento na classe social da qual os alunos fazem parte até a forma como as pessoas tomam decisões morais em geral. A importância dos valores e o surgimento dos conceitos científicos na discussão sugerem que os temas sociocientíficos deveriam ter um lugar privilegiado nas aulas de ciências, assim como as questões afetivas e morais que influenciam o raciocínio informal e o desenvolvimento do caráter dos indivíduos. / Socioscientific issues are social dilemmas which are polemic in nature and related to morality and ethics. Abortion is such an example, as it is controversial and has conceptual links to Science. In this work, fragments from students discussions in groups about abortion were transcripted and analyzed. The Toulmin (2003) argument pattern was used as major tool for analysis, allowing the researcher to identify the values held by students, such as: social issues; risks and responsibility; respect for life; familiar and relational values and decision rules. These values can be seen as a representation of care and justice ethic languages, in terms of moral psychology. Familiar and relational values were the most frequent. Students solved the questions using consequencialist reasoning, reasoning based on principles, emotive and intuitive deliberations. Intuitive positions were more common, followed by principled reasoning. Some scientific concepts were brought up to the discussion by the students, which can be seen as an evidence of socioscientific issues working as promoters of scientific knowledge integration. The concepts found in the discussion were: contraceptive method, functional interdependence, medical technology, development, the -morning-after-pill?, ovule, gens, blood, DNA, sexual maturity and pregnancy. Following the Toulmin argument pattern, the functions of values and scientific concepts were analyzed too. Concepts mainly showed up as data in the arguments, while values were seen mostly in the position of warrants, just as expected and identified in literature. They also emerged in other functions, contrasting with the most common patterns. Prevalence of some moral patterns and values could be explained in many ways, like the dominance of some thoughts and ideas in the social class to which the students belong or maybe some common mechanism of making moral choices. The importance of values and the rising of scientific concepts in the debate suggest that socioscientific themes should have a privileged place in science classes, as well as moral and affective issues which influence informal reasoning and character development.

Ocean issues with conceptual ties to science and a global society have captured the attention, imagination, and concern of an international audience. Climate change, over fishing, marine pollution, freshwater shortages and alternative energy sources are a few ocean issues highlighted in our media and casual conversations. From the life-giving rain that nourishes crops and our bodies, to life-saving medicines; from the fish that come from the ocean, to the goods that are transported on the sea's surface-the ocean plays a role in our life in some way every day (NOAA, 1998). However, a disconnect exists between what scientists know and the public understands about the ocean. Although standards for science teaching and literacy are established, the fundamental role of the ocean is not emphasized. This was an exploratory study of 30 females, 13-14 years old, during an extended ocean learning experience, the Oceanography Camp for Girls, which included direct experiences in natural environments. Teens were engaged in a series of ocean learning and stewardship activities. A mixed-methods approach was used to develop three quantitative instruments: the Survey of Ocean Literacy and Engagement (SOLE), Survey of Ocean Stewardship (SOS) and Scenarios of Ocean Environmental Morality (SOEM). Three ocean socioscientific issues (OSSI) case studies were analyzed qualitatively. Participants reasoned and expressed positions in writing and verbally following OSSI embedded activities. Research questions examined what understanding teen girls currently hold about the ocean (content), how they feel (environmental attitudes and morality) toward the ocean environment, and how these feelings and understanding are organized when reasoning about ocean issues. Results from SOLE and SOS revealed that content knowledge and environmental attitudes significantly contribute to ocean literacy. Analysis of SOEM demonstrated that biocentric environmental reasoning was most important to teens in solving specific ocean dilemmas. Analysis of OSSI from interview responses revealed three patterns of informal reasoning (rationalistic, emotive and intuitive). Findings support the critical need to globally advance ocean literacy, especially amongst youth and adults. An overarching outcome was that the Oceanography Camp for Girls program is multimodal and goes beyond cognitive understanding to include social and emotive aspects of learning.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore how aspects of identity, perceived levels of controversy, and the strength of a student's attachment to their controversial identity relate to conceptual understanding and knowledge acquisition during socioscientific issues (SSI) based instruction in a biology classroom. The knowledge gained from this study will have the capacity to enhance our understanding of the role that attachment to identity plays during SSI negotiation. Additionally, insight was gained into the role played by aspects of identity in conceptual understanding of scientifically controversial topics during SSI based instruction. This study contributed to the existing knowledge base in science education by illuminating processes involved in socioscientific issue navigation among students of differing perceptions of controversy as well as students who held aspects of controversial identity that may or may not interact with the specific issues chosen. Students demonstrated evidence of variations of reasoning, justification, perception of controversy, and aspects of knowledge gain as they negotiated the issues of marijuana safety and fast food legality. Additionally, evidence was provided that showed general knowledge gain throughout the group during socioscientific issues instruction. It has been said that one of the appeals of the SSI instructional model is that is serves not only as a context for the delivery of content, but acts as a catalyst for various forms of epistemological beliefs and research into the development of conceptual and psychological knowledge structures (Zeidler, 2013). This investigation supports the deeper understanding of the contribution of controversy perception to epistemology as well as conceptual and psychological knowledge structures during SSI navigation.

The aims of the present study were to investigate the relationship among preservice science teachers&rsquo / informal reasoning regarding nuclear power plant construction, epistemological beliefs and metacognitive awareness. Throughout 2010-2011 fall and spring semesters, a total of 674 pre-service science teachers participated in the study. Data were collected through Schommer&rsquo / s Epistemological Questionnaire, Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, and Open-ended Questionnaire Assessing Informal Reasoning regarding Nuclear Power Usage. MANOVA, correlational analysis, and stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted. The analyses revealed that the differences between pre-service science teachers&rsquo / epistemological beliefs within the two decision making groups were not statistically significant. Besides, results of the bivariate correlation revealed that there were statistically significant correlation between pre-service science teachers&rsquo / total argument construction and all the dimensions of SEQ except omniscient authority. Also, there was a significant correlation between pre-service science teachers&rsquo / certain knowledge dimension of SEQ and their counterargument construction. Moreover, the differences between pre-service science teachers&rsquo / metacognitive awareness within the two decision making groups were not statistically significant. Results of the bivariate correlation revealed that there was a significant correlation between preservice science teachers&rsquo / metacognitive awareness and informal reasoning outcomes. Finally, stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that pre-service science teachers&rsquo / information management strategy was the only significant predictor for their rebuttal construction. Declarative knowledge was the best predictor of preservice science teachers&rsquo / counterargument construction while the second best predictor was certain knowledge for their counterargument construction. Finally declarative knowledge was the only significant predictor for the amount of preservice science teachers&rsquo / reasoning modes.

The overall ambition with this thesis is to develop knowledge about students’ learning, especially with regard to process and content, when they participate in argumentation. Students’ learning is investigated through in situ studies of classroom practices. The theoretical point of departure is a pragmatic perspective in which learning is understood and investigated in terms of concrete actions. The empirical material consists of video recorded lessons at secondary and upper secondary schools in Sweden. The content of the lessons is argumentative discussions about sustainable development and socioscientific issues. In the first study, the functions that teachers’ actions have for students’ learning processes are investigated using Epistemological Move Analysis. In the second study, an approach is developed and illustrated that facilitates investigations into students’ learning processes in terms of knowledge content and argument construction in argumentation. The method, called Transactional Argumentation Analysis, combines a pragmatic perspective of learning with an argument analysis based on Toulmin’s Argument Pattern. In the third study, the functions that knowledge have when used by students in argumentative discussions are examined. The fourth study investigates the role of peers for students’ learning and how students influence the argumentation at a collective level. Here Transactional Argumentation Analysis is developed further in order to facilitate investigations of the dynamic interplay between the intra-personal and the inter-personal dimensions of learning and the result of this interplay in terms of the knowledge content and arguments that are constructed. The thesis shows how students’ learning can be investigated through in situ studies of educational practices. The methodological contribution of the thesis consists of the development and further elaboration of Transactional Argumentation Analysis. The thesis also contributes with substantial knowledge about students’ learning processes with regard to knowledge content and argument construction when participating in argumentation. Another contribution concerns the functions of knowledge when used by students in argumentation. Finally, the studies show how peers and teachers influence students’ learning, and how students contribute to the shared argumentation in the classroom.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-03-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T21:03:07Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 razera_jcc_dr_bauru.pdf: 2885804 bytes, checksum: b690fe3be288fc0aba0ba76687fb9a60 (MD5) / Na área de Educação em Ciências encontramos diferentes argumentos que convergem para a necessidade de maior atenção sobre as dimensões axiológicas e atitudinais do processo de ensino e aprendizagem das disciplinas científicas. Essa demanda exige uma contínua ampliação e aprofundamento das investigações sobre o tema, porque envolve conhecimentos de domínios teóricos diversos que ainda são carentes nas discussões da área. À luz da psicologia do desenvolvimento e da ética discursiva, este trabalho põe em foco um relevante componente da dimensão aitudinal-axiológica: o desenvolvimento moral dos alunos em aulas de Ciências. Embasados pelas perspectivas sociomorais das teorias de Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg e Jürgen Habermas, além de outros autores alinhados com esses pressupostos, apresentamos dados teóricos e empíricos que buscam: (i) explorar uma válida e viável correlação de aspectos teórico-práticos laicos e racionais entre as aulas de Ciências e o desenvolvimento moral, permitindo avanços nos conhecimentos sobre formação do pensamento moral, crítico e científico dos estudantes em processo de ensino e aprendizagem de Ciências; (ii) delinear o estado dos trabalhos científicos da área brasileira de Educação em Ciências sobre o assunto desenvolvimento moral. Ao final, o nosso estudo traz evidências de uma interface de contribuições teórico-práticas recíprocas e plausíveis que pode ser delineada entre desenvolvimento moral e aulas de Ciências, mas ainda subestimada nas discussões da área / In the field of Science Education there are many arguments for more attention to the axiological and attitudinal dimensions of the teaching and learning scientific disciplines processes. This demand requires continuous in-depth investigations about this theme because it involves the knowledge of various theoretical fields that have not still attracted the deserved attention. In the light of developmental psychology and discursive ethics, the present study focuses on a relevant component of the attitudinal-axiological dimension: the moral development of students in Science classes. Based on the social and moral perspectives in Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg and Jürgen Habermas's theories, and on other authors that share these presuppositions, we presented theoretical and empirical data in order to (i) explore a valid and viable correlation of secular and rational theoretical and practical aspects and components between Science classes and moral development, including an analysis of the knowledge about moral, critical and scientific thinking of Students learning Sciences formation; (ii) delineate the status of scientific research and studies of the field of Science Education in Brazil on moral development. Our study demonstrate the existence of an interface of reciprocal and plausible theoretical and practical contributions between moral development and Science classes, which has so far received attention in the Science Education research

Questões sociocientíficas são dilemas sociais de natureza polêmica que envolvem moralidade e ética. O problema da validade ética do aborto possui ligações conceituais com a Ciência e é uma questão bastante controversa, representando uma questão sociocientífica. Neste trabalho, foram transcritos e analisados trechos da interação de adolescentes discutindo a questão do aborto. A unidade de análise foi o argumento segundo o padrão de Toulmin (2003), a partir do qual foram identificados valores empregados pelos alunos, como: priorização de questões sociais; riscos e responsabilidade; respeito ao valor da vida; valores familiares e relacionais e regras de decisão. Os valores usados na discussão foram representativos das linguagens éticas do cuidado e da justiça, se usarmos os termos derivados da área da psicologia moral. Os mais freqüentes foram os chamados valores familiares e relacionais. Os alunos resolveram as questões utilizando raciocínios baseados em princípios, raciocínios consequencialistas, deliberações baseadas em emoção ou em intuição. As posições intuitivas foram mais comuns, seguidas pelo raciocínio baseado em princípios. Alguns conceitos científicos se mostraram presentes na discussão, indicando que temas sociocientíficos são oportunidades de integração de tais conteúdos. Os conceitos presentes foram: método contraceptivo, interdependência funcional, tecnologia médica, desenvolvimento, funcionamento da pílula do dia seguinte, óvulo, genes, sangue, DNA, maturidade sexual e gravidez. Foram analisadas também, segundo o padrão de Toulmin, as funções de conceitos e valores nos argumentos. Os conceitos apresentavam principalmente função de dados, enquanto os valores apresentavam principalmente função de garantias, conforme esperado e identificado na literatura. Outras funções para conceitos científicos e valores também surgiram nos argumentos, contrastando com o padrão comumente encontrado. A preponderância de determinados padrões morais e valores pode ter diversas explicações, que vão desde a dominância de algumas formas de pensamento na classe social da qual os alunos fazem parte até a forma como as pessoas tomam decisões morais em geral. A importância dos valores e o surgimento dos conceitos científicos na discussão sugerem que os temas sociocientíficos deveriam ter um lugar privilegiado nas aulas de ciências, assim como as questões afetivas e morais que influenciam o raciocínio informal e o desenvolvimento do caráter dos indivíduos. / Socioscientific issues are social dilemmas which are polemic in nature and related to morality and ethics. Abortion is such an example, as it is controversial and has conceptual links to Science. In this work, fragments from students discussions in groups about abortion were transcripted and analyzed. The Toulmin (2003) argument pattern was used as major tool for analysis, allowing the researcher to identify the values held by students, such as: social issues; risks and responsibility; respect for life; familiar and relational values and decision rules. These values can be seen as a representation of care and justice ethic languages, in terms of moral psychology. Familiar and relational values were the most frequent. Students solved the questions using consequencialist reasoning, reasoning based on principles, emotive and intuitive deliberations. Intuitive positions were more common, followed by principled reasoning. Some scientific concepts were brought up to the discussion by the students, which can be seen as an evidence of socioscientific issues working as promoters of scientific knowledge integration. The concepts found in the discussion were: contraceptive method, functional interdependence, medical technology, development, the -morning-after-pill?, ovule, gens, blood, DNA, sexual maturity and pregnancy. Following the Toulmin argument pattern, the functions of values and scientific concepts were analyzed too. Concepts mainly showed up as data in the arguments, while values were seen mostly in the position of warrants, just as expected and identified in literature. They also emerged in other functions, contrasting with the most common patterns. Prevalence of some moral patterns and values could be explained in many ways, like the dominance of some thoughts and ideas in the social class to which the students belong or maybe some common mechanism of making moral choices. The importance of values and the rising of scientific concepts in the debate suggest that socioscientific themes should have a privileged place in science classes, as well as moral and affective issues which influence informal reasoning and character development.

A perennial goal of environmental education is to produce a scientifically literate citizenry capable of negotiating and resulting complex environmental problems. Popular methods of environmental education instruction tend to overemphasize scientific content knowledge and neglect to consider ethical and moral aspects of the problem. This qualitative study examines the longitudinal association between an experiential environmental education course infused with SSI instruction and students’ environmental behaviors. The results indicate that several students’ conceptualizations of contentious environmental issues change after completing the course and specifically. Furthermore, students’ willingness to act to resolve contentious environmental issues was most closely associated with their environmental behaviors. The most significant theoretical implication of the study is the effectiveness of the SSI framework in authentic experiences. Additionally, this study supports the notion that SSI instruction in authentic experiences is an effective alternative approach to teaching environmental education.