INVESTIGATING MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SUPPORTING REASONS THROUGHOUT WRITTEN ARGUMENTATION IN

SoP Combination of the subject area of ​​sociology/culture and the aspect of personal experience EckK Combination of the subject area of ​​economics and the aspect of knowledge. Combination of the subject area of ​​the environment and the aspect of personal experience PoK Combination of the subject area of ​​politics and the aspect of knowledge.

• Scientific Literacy
• Turkish Curriculum
• Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI)
• Argumentation
• Informal Reasoning and Argumentation regarding SSI
• Ethical Concerns for Socio-Scientific Issues Related to Genetic
• Objective of the Thesis
• Hypothesis
• Importance of the Thesis

That is, according to the science curriculum in Turkey, the nature of science is one of the components of scientific literacy. In literature, one of the features of socio-scientific issues is that it is multidimensional.

Framework for Socio-Scientific (SSI)-Based Instruction

• Development of the Socio-Scientific Issue Teaching and Learning
• The Socio-Scientific Issue Unit Design Model developed
• The Current SSI Teaching and Learning Model developed

CRISPR Method

• Design of CRISPR/Cas9 Unit

In this mechanism, the bacteria can identify the DNA structure of the invading virus and to protect themselves, bacteria cut the DNA of the virus. For example, there is a lack of knowledge about the response of the human immune system to this method [31]. The main question of the unit is: “How can the use of the CRISPR method affect the future of humanity?” requested at the beginning and at the end of the unit.

Awareness of this issue is presented at the beginning of the unit with videos and discussions.

Analytical Framework: SEE-SEP Model

• Subject Areas
• Aspects

In this role, the emphasis is on connecting scientific content with social aspects of the problem. For example, on the example of pesticides, students should think about different aspects of the issue. They must take into account the scientific content of the findings and relate them to the social effects of the issue.

At the top of the image, the six subject areas are placed in the corner of a benzene-like structure.

The Reason of Adopting SEE-SEP Model as the Analytical Framework …32

For example, when a student discusses climate change, he/she may defend it as a dangerous issue because of its environmental impact (Combination of environmental subject matter and value). It is claimed that people also use their personal experiences when there is no evidence. For example, people who smoke may think that it should be legitimized to smoke in enclosed spaces, people who are allergic to cigarette smoke should be banned from smoking in enclosed spaces because of their bad experiences with cigarette smoke (Combination of policy subject and personal experience aspect).

Method

Research Approach and Paradigm

The participating students are exposed to 4 weeks of SSI-based instruction, which is designed in the context of this thesis. Therefore, participants are limited to the high school students who were exposed to the four-week SSI-based instruction on the case study, the CRISPR method.

Participants

Instruction Sequence of the Unit

The unit started with the main issue which is the CRISPR/Cas9 method by watching videos about the effect of using the CRISPR method on a one year old baby and a mouse to get the students involved in the method and the discussion. Therefore, the teacher made sure that all students have the necessary content knowledge for this issue. Also, the models that the students prepared in the previous lessons were used to show how the CRISPR method is applied to DNA.

In the last week, students were asked to write their beliefs and supporting reasons about the main question of the unit "How can the use of the CRISPR method affect the future of humanity?" by explaining the reasons for their beliefs individually.

Classroom Environment and Teacher Attribution

The main question for the unit "How can the use of the CRISPR method affect the future of humanity?" was asked at the beginning of the first lesson. The students solve the tasks on the test on their own and then all the questions are solved together, with the help of the teacher. Also, another factor which is important for successful SSI-based teaching is the attributes of the teacher.

Moreover, she did not express her idea on the matter until the end of the data collection process.

Data Sources

This means, all students are respected and students feel safe to express their ideas. Therefore, there was no need to encourage students to be interactive, as they actively participate. She was aware of the social dimension of the issue and faced the students' ambiguities by emphasizing the normality of these ambiguities about the issue.

In particular, the science teacher of the participating students helped us get to know the participating students.

Analysis of Arguments

• Coding Process

She also explains the supporting reason for her argument based on the scientific knowledge she learned throughout SSI-based instructions on CRISPR method as "a mother may want to change the eye color or any other feature of the baby". Argument and supporting reason from student 2. if we think about it religiously, we change the characteristics that God gave us, so I think it will be unfavorable. Argument and supporting reason from student 11;. it can cause harm to a baby when this method is applied.

EtK) - Argument and substantiation of student 15;. applying this method for the diseases brings positive results.

Personal Stance

Therefore, the combination of the scientific topic and the value aspect helps her to express their opinion on the matter. However, in the first example she emphasizes the "disease inhibition" aspect of the problem, but in the second example she explains the "physical change" feature of the problem. I think this method should be used in the future as this method may be of interest for genetically inherited diseases.

Finally, with the help of my advisor, I designed the SSI unit plan on the CRISPR method and instructed it to the study participants.

Truth Value & Consistency

In these months (when I read the article), I thought about a new and creative socio-scientific issue, which is my area of ​​interest. Therefore, I thought that it would be great to combine the CRISPR/Cas9 method with socio-scientific issue teaching and learning method.

Results

Examples related to science subject area from the aspects of value and knowledge, written in the arguments of the students are;. Examples related to ethics/morality subject area from the aspects of value and knowledge, written in the arguments of the students are;. Example related to sociology/culture subject area from the aspects of value, written in the arguments of the students are;.

As can be seen from the table, only three subject areas out of 6 are created in students' written arguments, and the most frequently used subject area is science.

Discussion

• Variation of the Codes
• The Number of Codes
• Multiple use of the Codes

Before the 4-week SSI-based teaching, none of the students had an idea about the CRISPR method (At the beginning of the lessons, the students are asked if they have an idea about the issue and they "No" answered). The ethical concerns about the issues used in the written arguments of the students are mostly related to the religious concerns and the benefit of humanity. At the beginning of lesson 4, when the written arguments are collected, the students are emphasized that they are free to express their ideas, beliefs about the matter.

This may be due to the effect of SSI-based instruction on the scientific field and the warnings given at the beginning of the written argument about expressing ideas and beliefs, rather than the sheer substantive knowledge of the subject.

Inferences

That is, the students give arguments about the effects of CRISPR method in the future based on the scientific knowledge they have acquired through the 4-week SSI-based teaching and relate it to their values. During the SSI-based instructions, the students verbalize their ideas with the help of guided questions about the effects of CRISPR method on humanity. For example, almost all the students mention about the crossing of the disease characteristic of CRISPR method.

That is, the students are not familiar with what an SSI-based instruction should be like.

Limitations

Therefore, students may be affected by their friends' ideas because the same ideas are shared by some of the students in their written arguments. Therefore, the discussions in lessons can influence the decision-making process of the students in their written arguments. Therefore, the students are not familiar with the design and implication of SSI-based teaching and this may cause them to focus more on the design than the context.

Therefore, the ideas of the students during the class discussions can influence my perception about their views for the issue and this perception can also unconsciously influence the data analysis process.

Further Research

However, to have a detailed understanding of the supporting reasons of some students, interviews could have been done. For example, although all students have seen the video about a baby, one of the students explained the reasons for her argument as the effect of a video she has seen in a lesson, and none of the students, but her, gives the video as a supporting reason. of effect using this method in the future. However, taking into account the features of ISS, a different analytical framework can be adopted to analyze students' written arguments.

Moreover, to have a deep understanding of the reasons students use, written arguments can be supported by the interview method.

Conclusion

The Significance of Content Knowledge for Informal Reasoning SSI: Application of Genetic Engineering Issues”, Science Education As cited in: Topçu, M.S., (2017). Teaching strategies for developing students' argumentative skills about socio-scientific issues in high school genetics”, Research in science education. Students will develop an algorithm about the CRISPR method in detail and show how this method works on their DNA structure that they modeled in previous lessons.

The students will develop in detail an algorithm about the CRISPR method and show how this method works on their DNA structure that they modeled in the previous lesson. How do we make an analogy between the CRISPR method and the cut and paste method we use in everyday life. They draw their expected future after using the CRISPR method on a cardboard, as shown in the sample photo.