Evolution as represented through argumentation: A qualitative study on reasoning and argumentation in high school biology teaching practices

This study aimed to explore high school biology teachers' epistemological criteria and their attention to reasoning and argumentation within their instructional practices. This study investigated: (1) what epistemological criteria do high school biology teachers use when justifying the validity of conclusions, (2) what is the frequency of the explicit use of reasoning and argumentation, if any, in high school biology teachers' instructional practices, and to what extend are reasoning and argumentation skills reflected, if at all, in high school biology teachers' modes of assessment.;Three different data collection methods were employed in this study; face-to-face interviews, classroom observations, and document collections. Teachers' epistemological criteria were investigated to provide insight about their reasoning structures. This investigation was made possible by having teachers provide an argument about the validity of hypothetical conclusions drawn by the students based on two different scenarios related to evolution. Toulmin's Argument Pattern used to create rubric to analyze high school biology teachers' levels of reasoning through argumentation.;Results of the data analysis suggested following findings. First, high school biology teachers participated in this study presented variety of epistemological criteria which were presented as high, moderate and low levels of reasoning through the argumentations. Second, elements of Toulmin's Argument Pattern were visible in the participants teaching practices, however students were not explicitly introduced to a well structured argument in those classrooms. High level of reasoning was not evident in the instructional practices of the observed teachers. High school biology classrooms which were observed in this study do not provide opportunities for students to practice high level of reasoning or improve their argumentation skills. Third, Interview Protocols designed for this study were found useful to identify the epistemological criteria and level of reasoning individuals presented through argumentation. Toulmin's Argument Pattern provides a practical method to analyze the structure of arguments.;Results of this study suggest the following implications for improving science education. These implications might be helpful in increasing teacher awareness of the importance of explicit teaching of reasoning and argumentation in science classrooms. Toulmin's Argument Model should be introduced to teachers through teacher education or professional development programs to increase the use of reasoning and argumentation skills in instructional practices. Toulmin's Argument Pattern may be used to design lessons or unit plans which present science as argumentation. Therefore, by engaging students in argumentation, teachers may help students to improve their content knowledge along with reasoning and argumentation skills in science classrooms. The results of this study suggest that use of Toulmin's Argument Pattern to evaluate high school biology teachers' presented levels of reasoning is a promising approach to understanding the structure of reasoning and argumentation that biology teachers use when providing judgments about the validity of hypothetical conclusions. The interview protocols and the rubrics used in this study should be tested in different subject areas in order to enhance and validate the use of Toulmin's Argument Pattern in measuring individuals' epistemological criteria and level of reasoning.