ELEMENTARY STUDENTS’ IDEAS ABOUT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ARGUMENTATION BASED SCIENCE LEARNING APPROACH

The purpose of the current research is to investigate the science classes from the perspectives of elementary students taught through Argumentation Based Science Learning (ABSL) and self-evaluation. 63 elementary students from two different 6th grade groups were included in the study. These students studied “Electricity in Our Lives” and “Matter and Heat” units within science class through ABSL approach. Self-evaluation in addition to ABSL student reports were conducted with one of these groups randomly selected. At the end of the semester, 16 students volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. These interview sessions were audio-recorded. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded. Later, matching codes were put together to reveal the following themes: “comparison of ABSL and traditional approaches”, “change in the student”, “teacher’s task in ABSL”, and “self-evaluation”. When students compared the current practice with previously courses with traditional teaching approach, they stated the following differences between approaches: conducting experiments, doing writing activities, individual and group work, and self-evaluating the writings. Students stated that through ABSL approach they learned better, had increased self-confidence and gained responsibility. Majority of the students stated that they wanted activities in consistence with the ABSL approach in their classrooms.