The Effect of Argumentation on Middle School Students’ Scientific Literacy as well as their Views, Attitudes and Knowledge About Socioscientific Issues

Abstract

Socioscientific issues (SSI), important for developing scientific literacy, are controversial issues related to social and scientific information. This study investigated the effect of argumentation about SSI on middle school students’ views, attitudes, knowledge about SSI, and their scientific literacy. The study uses a pre-test and post-test control group design with a sample of 49 seventh-grade students. The experimental group used SSI-based instruction with argumentation, while the control group used SSI-based instruction. The data collection instruments used were the scientific literacy scale, the open-ended questions on scientific literacy, the views and attitudes towards SSI scale, and the open-ended questions on SSI knowledge. The research findings indicate a difference in the pre-test and post-test scientific literacy scores between the experimental and control groups. The experimental group did not show a statistically significant difference in views and attitudes to SSI between the pre and post-tests. However, the control group showed a statistically significant difference in Favor of the post-test compared to the pre-test. The SSI knowledge questions showed an increase in both groups because of the interventions. It is recommended that SSI-based instruction with argumentation assists learners in recognising diverse viewpoints, researching existing issues in society, and making decisions regarding the ethical, environmental, and financial effects of them. It is, therefore, recommended that science education programmes more readily incorporate socio-scientific issues.