IASA
Argument as a Structure and a Process for Learning Science
supports students in constructing scientific argumentation
trains students to better select, evaluate and communicate their ideas as part of a good scientific argument
gives students an opportunity to practice logical scientific reasoning when presenting their answers
helps students link scientific knowledge and practices to what happens around them in real life, thereby changing their perception that studying science is mere memory work
Science as an Inquiry is central to the current framework of the Singapore Science Curriculum [https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/syllabuses/sciences/files/science-lower-secondary-2013.pdf]. It focuses on students adopting an investigative approach to science – to make observations, search for evidence, debate and discuss possible solutions, and construct new scientific understandings.
The IASA learning packages and web application are developed:
with input from current science teachers
with prototypes on three science disciplines, biology (Ecology), physics (Heat) and chemistry (Chemical Changes)
to help teachers teach students to use argumentations as part of the investigative nature of scientific understanding
to support a richer experience of science learning through argumentation
How does it work?
IASA, which stands for Integrative Approach to Scientific Argumentation, features learning tasks that guides students in writing out their scientific reasoning and argumentations, using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) format.
The learning tasks use real-life scenarios that help students connect the scientific observations and investigations to their everyday lives.
The IASA web app additionally provides an engaging platform for students to review and give feedback on their classmates’ work in small groups. Using the app, students are guided to
think critically about the scientific claim
examine how and why each piece of evidence justifies or denies the claim
provide advice to their friends on improving their claim(s), the evidence, and/or the reasoning(s)
How did students respond?
Students who were engaged across the three implementation cycles demonstrated gradual improvement in the quality of written scientific arguments.
Students were more deliberate in adopting the criteria and conventions for good scientific argumentation.
Facilitating factors for adoption of an argument-based pedagogy:
Strong beliefs about the importance of argumentation in teaching science
Carving out time and space to internalize the rationale of this pedagogy
Trying it out, supported by continuous reflective discussions
If you’re interested to try using the online IASA web app with your students or for more information on the IASA toolkits, contact the Principal Investigators, Dr Seah Lay Hoon or Dr Azilawati Jamaludin.
IASA was funded by the eduLab Programme, National Research Foundation, Singapore (project no. NRF2015-EDU001-IHL07).
This knowledge resource was written by Lorraine Ow and Bernadine W. Sengalrayan, with minor inputs from Tan Giam Hwee.
To learn more about this research, please contact the Principal Investigators, Dr Seah Lay Hoon at layhoon.seah@nie.edu.sg or Dr Azilawati Jamaludin at azilawati.j@nie.edu.sg.
Dr Seah Lay Hoon, Office of Education Research (OER), NIE
Dr Azilawati Jamaludin, OER, Learning Sciences and Assessment AG, NIE
Principal Investigator
Prof David Hung
Co-Principal Investigators
Dr Dawn Ng
Mr Kom Mun Siong
Collaborators
Mr Frederick Talaue, NIE
Mr Gde Buana Sandila, NIE
Research Associates
Mr Lee Chun Yuan
Software Developer
Research led by
To learn more, email: layhoon.seah@nie.edu.sg.
Classroom resources
Phase of education
Secondary school
Academic subject
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Science
Research Participants
148 students (approx.)
6 teachers
2 secondary schools
