Quality and

Evolution of
Teachers
Argumentation in
Marine Fish
CHIU, Yu-wen, YU, Shu-mey,
Resource
Issue
HSIAO, Ming-chun, HUANG, Hsinchiao
Graduate Institute of
Science Application and
Dissemination,
National Taichung University

Objectives of
the study
the differences of argumentation quality

-from different epistemological views

-in three rounds
-Biology major & Science teaching
evolution of teachers argumentation

Theoretical
framework
Toulmin Argumentation Pattern (TAP)
Toulmin, 1958
Qualifier
Data

Claim
Warrant

Backing

Rebuttal

 Sadler and Fowlers (2006)

argumentation quality rubric
Level

description

No justification

Justification with no
grounds

Justification with
simple grounds

Justification with
elaborated grounds

Justification with
elaborated grounds
and a counter position

 Evolution of argument
- Change
- Evolution
- No change
(Jimenez-Aleixandre and Pereiro-Munoz
, 2005)
Epistemological views
- Empiricist-aligned (E)
- Mixed (M)
- Constructivist-oriented (C)
(Tsai & Liu, 2005)

Design and
Procedure

Subject
s
Twenty in-service primary and high
school teachers who are studying for
a science education master degree in
central Taiwan
Central
Taiwan

Instrumen
tSocio-scientific issue
What marine fish resource policy
should policy makers made in
order to deal with the crises of
marine fish resource?
Provide your own reason based on
your assigned role.

Design
The task is set in e-learning system
Teachers are asked to engage in three-round
argumentation
Making arguments
Responding others arguments and
refining arguments
Group discussion in the classroom

Data Collection and

Analysis
Components & Quality of

argumentation
- Epistemological views
- Three Rounds analysis
- Biology major & Science teaching

Evolution of argumentation
Inter-rater consistency of .90 is
achieved

Epistemological views
(Tsai & Liu , 2005)

Epistemological
views

Subtotal
(N)

10

Biology major & Science tea

Biology
major

Nonbiology
major

Subtotal
(N)

Science
teaching

Nonscience
teaching

13

12

20

Subtotal
(N)

Results and
Discussion

Arguments of
different
epistemological
views

C: claim; D: data; W: warrant; R: rebuttal; Q: qualifier; B: backing

E: empiricist-aligned; M: mixed; C: constructivist-oriented

Quality of
different
epistemological
views

0: Level 0; 1: Level 1; 2: Level 2; 3: Level 3; 4: Level 4

Comparison of arguments
in three rounds

R1: the first round argumentation, R2: the second round argumentation,
R3: the third round argumentation

Quality of
argumentation
in three rounds

0: Level 0; 1: Level 1; 2: Level 2; 3: Level 3; 4: Level 4

Biology Major, Science

Teaching

BN: Biology major, Science teaching; BN: Biology major, Non-science teaching
NS: Non-biology major, Science teaching; NN: Non-biology major, Non-science teaching

Change in teachers
Level of change
Epistemological view
positions

Subtotal

Change

(N=4*)

3*

Evolution

(N=5*)

1*

No change

(N=12)

M
C

6
2

*one have both change and evolution

Epistemological view

Level of change

Subtotal

Change

(N=5)

Evolution

No change

Change

(N=10)

Evolution

No change

Change

3*

(N=5)

Evolution

1*

No change
* one has both change and evolution

Conclusion & Suggestion

Empiricist-aligned teachers have

better quality.
Teachers have better quality in R2.
BS have better scores on level 3.
Constructivist-oriented teachers get
more changes.

Thank you for your

attention!
Questions or
comments?

username
password

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Life science argumentation

course
interaction

Issue discussion

Ecologists

Group 1

policy makers

Group 2

fishermen

Group 3

general persons

Group 4

Deliver a new article

number

title

date

author

title

contents

Additional files

confirm

cancel

Arguments

Description

Example

Claim

Conclusion of that people try to

I think no matter how, fishery policies in
convince or to build its own
Taiwan cant stand alone from international
value, often showed in the way of organizations and agreements.
I think or I agree
(3E951227)

Data

Grounds to support the claim.

Its based on the non-ambiguity
of data format, which can
describe the term of the claim
accuracy.

The main cause of the shortage of the current

fishery resources can be, rather than the inshore sightseeing fishery, inappropriate fishing
techniques with application of modern
technology. (3B951219)

Backing

To explain the datas theorem.

Its a common theory foundation
and can be understood by the
people.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have

address a warning to fishing countries: In order
to restore the resources, its necessary to restrict
fishing capacity in the short-term.
(4B951216)

Warrant

To infer Data to claims and

explain the relationship of the
data to the claim. It could be a
rule, a principles, or the base of
inference.

Because its high price, in other words, its

high income for fishermen and food suppliers.
They will strive to catch marine lives for profit.
And then make marine fish and lives to death.
(1D951220)

Qualifiers

Its used to restrict the claim,

illustrate the intensity of claim
and in which area the claim is
suitable?

Scholars will agree if its without pollution and

has a complete set.
(1A960102)

Rebuttal

To illustrate in what situation

the claim cant be established.
Or having doubts about either
the claim, data, warrant,
backing or qualifier of an
argument.

Raising prices seems to let fishermen even

more want to catch these fish which have
high economical values. Thus they can
increase their income. Raising prices will
decrease some kind of fish rapidly and cant
ensure to let everyone have fish to eat.
(2A951229)

Query

To address questions to the

claim or arguments. It means
unclear message or
furthermore question.

But what kind of marine lives are rare and

viewable? Is there any clear definition to tell
the people or film and public welfare
advertisement to let people watch? (4B1210)

arguments or data which has

no direct connection with
issue

We indeed have responsibility to care how

we consume global marine resources and
how this influence the environment. Even if
what most people see is a dish of sashimi or a
bowl of sharks fin on the table. But we
should know that if we dont control the use
of environmental resources, we or our later
period will get feedback. We have only one
earth and one ocean.
(3E951218)

Offtask

Argumentation Quality
Rubric
Score

Description

No justification

Example

Any country in the world include Taiwan is absolutely

hard to get away from a vicious circle which destroys the
environment. Globalization have already existed. What
role should Taiwan play among the closely linked
biosphere, atmosphere, and global ocean current, and also
in the powerful connection with contemporary technology
and economical system?
(3E951218)

Justification with no
grounds

To conserve marine resources is the government and entire

peoples duty. Its also the inshore fishings prerequisite
conditions to keep sustainable use. C
(3B951219)

Justification with
simple grounds

To establish a special agency to integrate the ocean

management. C Therere about 7 to 8 ocean-related
departments in Taiwan. Some rights and duties are
overlapping, opposite, or insufficient. To deal with ocean
affairs often lack of communication and coordination.
Besides, its time-consuming and achieve little. W So
ts necessary to establish a special agency.
(2A951222)

Justification with
elaborated
grounds

The sea shore zone is an ecological-sensitive area.

Inappropriate developments usually cause serious
environment damages. W So the environmental
impact statement of coast developments is very
important. C Environmental impact statement
lay emphasis on the prevention of environment
protection. So any coast development programs should
be enforced in the term of planning, and on the premise
that protecting inshore fishing to keep sustainable use,
and be considered if its practicable. After lifting the
curfew, Taiwan develop rapidly. The sea shore zone,
especially in the west, is developed highly concentrated.
So the policies in the future should not only enforce the
environmental impact statement and also consider the
accumulative impact, that is the accumulation of all
developments or the entire attacks to the environment
after the reciprocal effect. Thus can carry out the true
value of environmental impact statement. D
(2A951222)

Justification with a
counter position

We should protect marine fish resources to keep

sustainable use and establish correct fisheries control so
as to let the people eat delicious seafood. C. If we raise
the price of the seafood on the contrary, its not only
useless for the present situation, but also a exploitation to
consuming rights and interests. R
(1B951219)

Change in teachers
positions
Level of
Epistemolorole
source
change

gical view

dimension

change
(NP)

fisherman

Group
discussion

Marine resources
protecting area

change
(PN)

general
person

Paper report

Vegetarianism

change
(NP)

ecologist

Group
discussion

Restrict to catch some

kind of fish

change
(NP)

fisherman

Paper report

Restrict to catch some

kind of fish

Level of
change

role

Epistemolo
-gical view

source

dimension

(PP)

ecologist

E-learning

Marine resources protecting

area until the environmentclean technique is mature

(PP)

fisherman

Group discussion

sightseeing fishery mainly on

seafood

(PP)

fisherman

Group discussion
& paper reports

Inshore cultivate fishing &

sightseeing fishery planned
by the government

(PP)

ecologist

Group discussion

sightseeing fishery
Consulting other successful
countries, planned and guided
by the government.

(PP)

policy
maker

E-learning

Dig out smuggling through a

fair and just procedure

Evolution