"How do we teach argumentation in the new Australian Curriculum?" Secondary Science Teachers' Experiences in an Argumentation-based Professional Development Program

Abstract

The implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Science across the compulsory years of schooling (F-10) in most Australian states this year, requires science teachers to address the teaching of scientific argumentation in their classrooms. To attend to this challenge, we conducted an argumentation professional development program with practicing secondary science teachers, who possessed a range of teaching experience. Examples of the pedagogical activities implemented in the program will be outlined in this paper, in addition to a discussion of five teachers' experiences of the program sourced from preand post-intervention interviews. Shifts in participants' views of argumentation, participants' perceived implementation of argumentation, and barriers to the successful implementation of argumentation will also be discussed.