Issue Familiarity as a Predictor of Turkish Middle School Students’ Informal Reasoning Regarding Socioscientific Issues


Uygun C. B., Yılmaz Tüzün Ö.

The 15th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA), Nevşehir, Türkiye, 28 Ağustos - 01 Eylül 2023, ss.301-302, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Nevşehir
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.301-302
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The present study investigated how well Turkish middle school students’ issue familiarity predict their informal reasoning modes (in terms of the total number of subject areas used) regarding three different SSI, namely, space explorations (SPE), genetically modified organisms (GMO), and nuclear power plants (NPP). Correlational research design was adopted, and a total of 465 students constituted the sample. Instrument of the study included Demographic Information Form, SSI Survey asking students’ argument, accompanying reasons, and counter-argument(s), and Issue Familiarity Form developed by the researchers. Students’ written arguments were coded based on the SEE-SEP Model including six subject areas (sociology/culture, environment, economy, science, ethics/morality, policy). Descriptive analyses indicated that the middle school students’ informal reasoning modes varied across different SSI. It was also revealed that the students were able to consider multiple perspectives (i.e. using more than one subject area regarding GMO and NPP, and more than two subject areas regarding SPE) while negotiating SSI. Regression analyses showed that students’ issue familiarity significantly predicted their informal reasoning modes (in terms of the total number of subject areas used) regarding the SPE and NPP topics. However, the students’ issue familiarity was not a predictor of their informal reasoning modes regarding the GMO topic.