The Effect of Argumentation-supported Problem Based Learning on the Achievements of Science Teacher Candidates Regarding the Subjects of Gases and Acids-Bases

Abstract

Important criticisms of classes where problem-based learning (PBL) has been applied as an educational approach include situations in which students only learn part of a subject; in other words, they miss important information and do not learn the subject completely. There is much research in the literature showing that in classes where the argumentation method is applied, the conceptual learning of students develops significantly. In this study, our aim was to investigate whether the missing element in the PBL method could be supplied by supporting the PBL method with argumentation during a class on the topic of acidity/alkalinity and gases. In the research, a non-equivalent (pre-test and post-test) control-group design was used. The research sample was composed of 140 science teacher candidates at three different branches within the context of scientific laboratory applications lessons in the third year at a state university in Turkey. The study was carried out with two experimental groups and one control group. In one of the experimental groups, problem based learning (PBL) was applied (N=44), and, in the other experimental group, argumentation-supported problem based learning (AS-PBL) was applied (N=46. In the control group, a traditional teaching approach (TTA) was carried out. The study was eight weeks in duration (N=50). Data was collected through a) the acids/bases academic achievement test and b) the gases academic achievement test and were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA (analysis of variance). The results revealed that the academic achievement of the students in the experiment group where teaching method AS-PBL was applied regarding acids/bases and gases were higher than the academic achievement of the students in the other experimental group at a significant level. The academic achievement of students in the group where the PBL method was applied was even lower than the academic achievement of students in the control group. This situation was an indication that the starting point of the research was correct. In this study, by completing the missing part of the PBL, the use of argumentation increased achievement.