Doug Lombardi|Janelle M. Bailey|Elliot S. Bickel|Shondricka Burrell
Scaffolding scientific thinking: Students’ evaluations and judgments during Earth science knowledge construction
Temple University|Temple University|Bronx High School of Science|Temple University
critical evaluation underpins practices science threeyear classroombased research project developed tested instructional scaffolds earth science content students evaluate lines evidence respect alternative explanations scientific phenomena climate change fracking earthquakes wetlands land use formation earths moon present paper documents quasiexperimental study high school earth science students completed instructional scaffolds including explanation task scored evaluative levels erroneous descriptive relational critical along measures plausibility reappraisal knowledge repeated measures analyses variance reveal significant increases plausibility knowledge scores students completing instructional scaffolds promoted students evaluations connections lines evidence two alternative explanations whereas evaluations connections lines evidence one alternative show change scores structural equation model suggests students evaluation may influence post instructional plausibility knowledge results study demonstrate students active evaluation scientific alternatives explicit reappraisal plausibility judgments support deeper learning earth science content