The effect of argumentation-based concept cartoons on elementary school students' conceptual understanding, argumentation skills and attitudes toward science

This research aims to develop conceptual cartoon activities enriched with argumentation, implement them in a classroom setting, and subsequently assess their effects. The argumentation-based activities were derived from a public school located in the Yapılca district of Düzce Province during the 2021-2022 academic year. The study group comprises 38 fourth-grade students from a primary school. The argumentation-based concept cartoon activities, conducted as part of the science curriculum under the topic "Matter and its Nature," spanned a duration of seven weeks. The primary objectives of this study are to investigate the impact of these activities on students' conceptual comprehension, their ability to construct arguments, and their attitudes toward the science of fourth-grade elementary students. To achieve its objectives, the study employs a mixed research design that combines both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data is gathered through the use of the Misconception Achievement Test and the Science Attitude Scale. On the other hand, qualitative data is obtained through semi-structured interviews and observational notes. While the researcher actively participates in the classroom activities of the experimental group, the control group is managed by the regular classroom teacher under the researcher's guidance. In the experimental group, concept cartoon activities with argumentation support are conducted, while the control group follows conventional textbook-based activities. The data collected from these activities are analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The Misconception Achievement Test, consisting of 30 true/false items developed by the researcher, is administered twice: once as a pre-test at the beginning of the study and again as a post-test at the conclusion of the study. Similarly, the Science Attitude Scale is administered both before and after the activity period.The results of the research indicate that although there was an increase in average scores for both the Misconception Achievement Test and the Science Attitude Scale in both the experimental and control groups, this change did not reach statistical significance. Notably, the execution of the concept cartoon activities led to a reduction in existing misconceptions among students in the experimental group, and positively contributed to the development of argumentation skills. Furthermore, it was determined that the students in the experimental group exhibited significantly more positive attitudes toward the science course after participating in the activities. The qualitative analysis of students' opinions yielded codes and categories that underscore the positive impact of argumentation-based concept cartoon activities. Students expressed that these activities made science lessons more engaging, promoted active participation, and fostered an enjoyable learning environment. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided to educators at the primary school level regarding the design of argumentation-based activities.