Findings on Classroom Argumentation

The educational vision for science described in the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) calls for students to construct, discuss, and defend arguments. However, these practices are often missing in elementary science classrooms (Osborne, 2010). Encouragingly, our results corroborate existing literature that professional learning experiences designed to support elementary science teachers’ argumentation practices can significantly improve teachers’ and students’ classroom argumentation practices (Osborne et al., 2019). Here are selected supporting conference presentations and project manuscripts.

Blog post: 

• Borko & Osborne – How can elementary teachers improve their ability to run productive science discussions? 

Academic articles: 

• Osborne, et al. (2019). Impacts of a Practice-Based Professional Development Program on Elementary Teachers’ Facilitation of and Student Engagement With Scientific Argumentation. 

• Zaccarelli et al. (2018) Learning from professional development: A case study of the challenges of enacting productive science discourse in the classroom. 

Conference Presentations

• Delhaye et al. (2022). Changes in argumentation practices in elementary science during teachers’ participation in a year-long professional development program 
• Osborne & Reigh (2021). Towards improving science discussions: A framework to guide instructional decision making