The contribution of the didactic elaboration of obstacles to the structure of dialogic argumentation

Michael Skoumios1 and Vassilia Hatzinikita2
1 University of the Aegean, skoumios@rho.forthnet.gr
2 Hellenic Open University, Educational Research and Pedagogy Unit, hatzinikita@eap.gr

The present paper aims at investigating the evolution of the structure of the dialogic argumentation developed by pupils, when the latter are involved in science teaching focused on the didactic elaboration of their conceptual obstacles. For this purpose, teaching program targeted at the elaboration of obstacles regarding temperature and heat were prepared and implemented in pupils aged 11-12 years old. Next, the dialogues which the pupils had during the teaching program were analysed with the help of the framework for assessing the structure of the dialogic argumentation of Erduran, Simon and Osborne (2004). The results of the correlation between the different levels of structure of pupils' dialogic argumentation and the units of teaching demonstrate that the didactic elaboration of pupils' obstacles establish a teaching strategy that promotes the quality of pupils' dialogic argumentation.