Developing argument skills across scientific and social domains

This study examines the extent to which argumentation skills developed in dialogic activities within a science domain versus a social domain transfer to the contrasting domain. Forty sixth graders (20 in the science and 20 in the social condition) participated in computer-supported dialogic activities over 13 sessions, while 18 other sixth graders served in a control (non-intervention) condition. The intervention was based on an engagement and practice method (Kuhn, Shaw, and Felton, 1997) and a method incorporating reflection and heightening of meta-level awareness (Felton, 2004; Kuhn, Goh, lordanou and Shaenfield, in press). Both intervention conditions were effective in developing participants' argument skills on the intervention topic. Participants exhibited an increased frequency of usage of Counterargument and Rebuttal strategies and decreased frequency of usage of simple exposition strategies. In addition to improvements within a domain, the intervention was also successful in producing transfer of argument skills across domains, in both directions. Yet, a difference in the magnitude of transfer was observed, with only participants in the science condition able to transfer their achievements in argumentation skills to the non-intervention (social) topic to the same level that these skills were mastered in the intervention (science) topic. In particular, the science condition did the better job of increasing levels of Rebuttal and Counterargument on the science topic, while the two conditions were equally effective in increasing levels of these strategies on the social topic. Results suggest the importance as well as feasibility of direct support of developing argument skills within the science domain. The effectiveness of the intervention also demonstrates that systematic practice and engagement in argumentation in conjunction with enhanced meta-level awareness and understanding of the objectives of argument are sufficient factors to promote argument skill development both within and most importantly across knowledge domains. Implications for science education are considered.