Leveraging structured argumentation to help students learn

Argumentation is a form of engagement with material. Its importance is not confined to lofty ideals but also includes the ways that it can serve to deepen and enlarge understanding of the topics it addresses. It also creates conditions for deepened participation with others. When it is used in the classroom, it helps students both learn scientific content better and learn to argue better.

The current project proposes and investigates a modified Argument Driven Computational Thinking (ADCT) approach that places major emphasis on CT and computational chemistry.

The prototype framework is consistent with current recommendations for developing models for modifying existing science curricula to include engineering and computation because it

1. Explicitly and intentionally integrates STEM content
2. Includes classroom assessments that are aligned with the NGSS and provide teachers with formative feedback on student learning
3. Pays close attention to equity issues by developing projects that are sensitive to gender, culture, language, and people with disabilities
4. Takes teachers’ concerns about time and resources into account
5. Supports meaningful engagement in the scientific and computational practices
6. Engages students in critical thinking, oral and written discourse, and informed decision-making