A Conductive Chemistry Online Argumentation Courseware with Website Exploring Support

Abstract

There is considerable disagreement among researchers about chemistry learning approach. Some have been said to demonstrate an individual advantage, some a social advantage. While there is a great deal of general literature on this field, however, the specific web-based conductive learning is relatively unexplored. We proposed a Chemistry Online Argumentation Courseware (COAC) for enhancing 10th grade students\' learning with website exploring conductive components where senior high school students can easily navigate the embedded website links and create effective scientific arguments. The purpose of this paper is to report on an investigation of learners\' online argumentation activity. Answers were sought to the question: how does the website exploring strategy influence students\' argumentation performance on our conductive COAC. Qualitative results suggested that both Individual and Social group learners had significant improvements in their argumentation ability with the support of website exploring. This study further suggested that the benefit of website exploring argumentation-strategies instruction to the Individual group learners in the chemistry course; they improved fast enough to attain the same progress as the collaborative learners regarding argumentation-based learning. The findings of this study could serve as some general principles for teachers who would like to improve students\' website learning strategy use.