Research Instruments to Study Classroom Argumentation

A major goal of the project was to support elementary science teachers’ classroom argumentation practices. The Research and Evaluation team used a variety of tools to gather information on how teachers’ dialogic and argumentation practices shifted due to participation in professional learning. The information provided insights to the professional learning team, to the analysis of changes in classroom argumentation, and to efforts to capture shifts in teachers’ classroom practice and perceptions of argumentation.

Here are resources designed to understand teachers’ classroom practice, their perceptions of argumentation, and the impact of professional learning:

• Classroom video collection protocol (to capture teachers’ classroom practice)
• Classroom video analysis using the Science Discourse Instrument (to measure the quality and frequency of classroom practice)
• Interviews and surveys (to determine teachers’ perceptions of the professional learning and classroom argumentation)