Online Discussions as a Tool to Engage Students in Authentic Scientific Argumentation

The purpose of this research is to explore various aspects of scientific argumentation as it occurs both face-to-face and on asynchronous online discussion boards. Engaging students in authentic scientific discourse is considered a primary goal of science education, but there are many challenges to accomplishing this in the classroom, and potentially even more challenges in an online environment. Online discussion boards are potentially valuable instructional tools, but little is known about the science learning that occurs via discussion boards. This research’s goal is to bridge the intellectual circles examining scientific argumentation and online learning to provide a greater understanding of how to engage students in scientific argumentation using online tools, namely the asynchronous discussion board.