Enhancing better understanding of basic Genetics among grade nine students of Dechencholing Higher Secondary School through Scientific Argumentation

Abstract

In order for the students to think like scientists, they should learn to argue scientifically. The objective of this classroom action research was to use scientific argumentation as an intervention to clarify the misconceptions in the domain of basic Genetics and also to investigate the progression of their class 9 students’ scientific argumentative skills by the end of five cycles of action research: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting which was observed for six weeks. The research participants were grade 9 students (n=31) of a secondary school in Bhutan where the researcher is currently teaching. The tools used were the pre- and post- questionnaires, lesson plans, semi-structured observations, pre- and post- semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and student learning tasks. Content analysis and method triangulation were used to derive the result of the intervention. Although there were few challenges in carrying out the research, nevertheless the results were promising that scientific argumentation not only helped students to clarify their misconceptions but helped them to understand difficult concepts in Genetics. Scientific argumentation could also be used for improving students’ confidence and also help them explore more on various topics of their interest in any other subjects. This research helped the researcher to become a better facilitator and learnt many new developments in Genetics as students presented their claim with evidence and justifications.