• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1077-1091
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of argumentation-based general chemistry laboratory on preservice science teachers' chemistry concepts understanding and writing. Five topics about argumentation-based general chemistry laboratory activities were developed using Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. Summary Writing Test, and Chemistry Concepts Test were developed as tools to examine the effects of this approach. Both Argumentation-based general chemistry laboratory activities and traditional general chemistry laboratory activities were implemented for the experimental group (23 students), and traditional general chemistry laboratory activities were implemented for the comparative group (16 students). Results of this study indicated that there were significant differences in both groups' chemistry concepts understanding and summary writing. The experimental group showed significantly higher mean score than comparative group in chemistry concepts understanding and summary writing. In the analysis of the sub-component of Summary Writing, there were no significant difference between both groups in 'Big Idea.' However, the experimental group gained significantly higher mean score in 'argumentation,' 'understanding of science concepts,' and 'rhetoric structure.' The results showed that argumentation-based general chemistry laboratory programs were effective in achieving chemistry concepts understanding and writing in general chemistry laboratory.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1259-1272
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) laboratory class on the creative thinking and critical thinking of middle school students. Science writing heuristic programs were developed based on SWH strategies developed by Keys et al (1999). This study was conducted on 63 students from two classes as the comparative group and 63 students from two other classes as the experimental group. The cognitive level of the group as a homogeneous group was similar, and the program was applied to a total of 18 periods based on nine topics from March to July 2011. Evaluation instruments used in pre-test and post-test were the creative and critical thinking tests. To consider the score for creative and critical thinking. the SPSS 20.0 program was used. The study made use of technical statistics and ANCOVA. The result of this study showed that creative problem solving skills were improved by SWH in laboratory class. Therefore, persistent presentation of SWH teaching strategies and developing various experiment topics are required.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1027-1038
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• 2012

We investigated the effect of Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) on elementary students' concept formation and their retention. Also we explored the interaction effect of those with scientific attitudes. We developed mirrors/lenses lessons incorporating SWH. An experimental group of fifth grade students (n=25) had been instructed with SWH lessons for six periods while a control group (n=25) taught according to the normal science lessons based on the Korean national curriculum using teacher's guides published by the Ministry of Education. Results of pre- and post-test of understanding the concept of mirrors and lenses showed a positive impact of SWH on both male and female students. However, the retention effect after post-test revealed that SWH only had an effect on female students' scientific attitudes. SWH, therefore, could be an effective teaching approach especially on concept formation, retention effects by fostering female students' scientific attitudes.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.505-514
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• 2010

This study aims to explore group inquiry using science writing heuristic in elementary school science. We observed and examined what elementary students experienced in their science classes and moreover how they used their data to support their claims in the view point of scientific epistemology. The research question of this study is 'what is the result of coherence measurement for figuring out the relationship between argument and ground in group inquiry activity?'. To solve the study question, one fifth-grade class at an elementary school was selected. Four lessons in group inquiry using a worksheet of science writing heuristic were videotaped and transcribed. It was found that the hours of group inquiry when students can discuss meaningfully occupied approximately 37 to 45%. When measuring coherence in each lesson by developing a scale from one to five to estimate the coherence of the work sheet designed, the total average was 3.424. It implicated that students had their claims supported by some of their evidences. Although the figure was not enough to assist that they found strong bonds between their claims and data, they started to move forward to epistemological approach in their science lab works.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1470-1488
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• 2012

This study examined changes in the quality of written arguments produced by freshman students in general chemistry laboratory classes using the SWH approach over a semester; difference in the quality of written argument between the original writing template (year I) and the extended writing template (year II); and any difference between Total Argument and Holistic Argument scores. 140 writing samples from 14 students on the year I and 228 samples from 19 students on the year II were collected. Results indicated that despite fluctuations, the students were producing stronger argument by the end of semester compared to the beginning of the semester. Original SWH template group received significantly higher argument scores than extended SWH template group. For the most of year I laboratory investigations, there was no significant difference in the quality of argument between Total Argument and Holistic Argument scores. An implication of this study would be to provide opportunities for students to practice constructing arguments using the original SWH writing template including questions, claims, evidence, and reflection.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.323-336
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' written arguments embedded in scientific inquiry investigations using the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. Argument components defined in this study are questions, claims, questions-claims relationship, evidence, claims-evidence relationship, multiple modal representations, and reflection. A set of criteria for evaluating each argument component was developed to evaluate writing samples of students from college freshman general chemistry laboratory classes. Results indicate that students produced, on average, moderate to powerful questions, claims, and evidence. They also constructed reasonable questions-claims relationship and claims-evidence relationship. Compared to other component scores, the average score for reflection was relatively low. Overall, the average Total Argument score was 21.4 out of a possible 36, that is, the quality of the written arguments using the SWH approach during a series of inquiry-based chemistry laboratory investigations was moderate to powerful. The findings of this study suggest that students, on average, developed reasonable scientific arguments generated as part of scientific inquiry. In other words, students are capable of putting together reasonable arguments as they participate in inquiry-based laboratory classrooms.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

In this study, a science writing heuristic class with emphasis on social interaction and tool improvement for 10 middle school students at the National University Science-Gifted Education Center in Jeollanamdo was conducted to investigate the perception of STS (science technology society) relationship and students' perception of the effects of class. After science writing heuristic class emphasizing social interaction and tool improvement, the students became aware of the STS relationships as follows: Science-gifted students have come to perceive that experimental tools and technology contribute to the development of scientific theory, that it is difficult to solve all social problems with only science and technology, and that science is a social interaction activity. In addition, science-gifted students responded that they became aware of the relevance of STS through intensive inquiry conducted on the same subject for several hours, communications with colleagues in another group through peer reviews, communication to solve problems with colleagues in the same group, activities to improve tools in the process of inquiry, inquiry using familiar materials and phenomena. In order for students to effectively recognize the relationship of STS in science-gifted class for middle school students, it is necessary to provide experience to solve problems using various experimental tools, experience to have trial and error in the process of solving inquiry problem under the same subject, experience to improve tools in the process of solving inquiry problem, experience to communicate with colleagues who conduct inquiry activities under the same subject, experience to share the results with other groups, and inquiry activities using familiar materials and phenomena.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.569-580
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• 2013

This study examined how a Structured Reading Framework (SRF) is related to improving students' critical thinking ability in an argument-based inquiry approach, called the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. A total of 75 $8^{th}$ graders participated in the study, with 34 in the control group and 41 in the treatment group. The gains in critical thinking skills were compared between two groups, and relationships among the components of the reading framework and the critical thinking skills were explored at the group level. Result indicates that the treatment group who used the SRF had larger gains in critical thinking scores than control group who used the Original Reading Framework (ORF). In addition, results show that the correlations between Reading Framework (RF) components and critical thinking scores are statistically significant in the treatment group, while no correlations exist in the control group. It appears that using the SRF have an impact on developing students' critical thinking ability by providing a scaffold to assist argumentation practice.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.175-199
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• 2021

The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach is described as an immersive argument-based science inquiry focusing particularly on learning through epistemic practices. In the literature, several previous studies indicate how academic achievement is positively influenced by the SWH. In addition to these previous studies, several meta-syntheses of qualitative data have been conducted on this particular topic. With these literatures in mind, a quantitative meta-analysis was conducted with ten studies (N = 724) to examine the effectiveness of the SWH on student achievement in Turkey. To present a thoroughly detailed report, this study also examined the following moderators: grade level, subject area, school location, intervention length, and report source. Overall, this study found that in Turkey, the SWH classrooms performed better in academic achievement tests than traditional lecture-based classrooms. Additionally, the SWH is more likely to be effective regardless of grade levels, subject areas, and school locations.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.135-158
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• 2022

This study aimed to building models to understand the relationships between reasoning resources and content knowledge. We applied Support Vector Machine and linear models to the data including fifth graders' scores in the Cornel Critical Thinking Test and the Iowa Assessments, demographic information, and learning science approach (a student-centered approach to learning called the Science Writing Heuristic [SWH] or traditional). The SWH model showing the relationships between critical thinking domains and academic achievement at grade 5 was developed, and its validity was tested across different learning environments. We also evaluated the stability of the model by applying the SWH models to the data of the grade levels. The findings can help mathematics educators understand how critical thinking and achievement relate to each other. Furthermore, the findings suggested that reasoning in mathematics classrooms can promote performance on standardized tests.