The effect of argumentation activities in teaching socioscientific issues on 7th grade students' science literacy, attitudes towards socioscientific issues, critical thinking tendencies and decision-making skills

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of socioscientific issue-based argumentation activities on secondary school students' science literacy levels, attitudes towards socioscientific issues, critical thinking dispositions and decision-making skills. The sample of the study consists of 66 secondary school 7th grade students. Mixed method was used in the research. In the research, studies were carried out with three groups and the research was in the pre-test and post-test experimental design. groups and students belonging to groups were selected by random assignment. The lessons were conducted with the technology-supported argumentation method in the experimental Group 1. the argumentation method in the experimental Group 2, and the 5E model in the control Group. Lesson plans and activities covering solar energy, organ donation, space pollution, recycling, light pollution and environment, each consisting of 4 lesson hours and lasts 6 weeks were prepared by the researcher. In order to obtain quantitative data, the "Science Literacy Test" developed by the researcher and containing six related topics were used. In addition, "Pupils attitudes towards Socioscientific Issues Scale" adapted into Turkish by Küçükaydın et al. (2021), was used to measure attitudes towards socioscientific issues, "Critical Thinking Disposition Scale for Secondary School Students" developed by Yıldırım-Döner and Demir (2021) was used to measure critical thinking dispositions, for decision making skills, the "Decision Making Skills Test" developed by Özgün (2018) and Gürkan (2018) and adapted to the student level by the researcher was taken from the literature. The three tests mentioned were taken from the literature and used. In order to obtain qualitative data, semi-structured interview forms and in-class observation forms were used. As a result of the study, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the pre-test scores of the three groups in all variables (levels of science literacy, attitudes towards socioscientific issues, critical thinking and decision-making skills). In addition, it was observed that there was no significant difference between the post-test scores of the three groups in all variables. When the students' science literacy level pre-test and post-test scores were compared, it was determined that there was a significant difference in all groups. It was reported that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-tests of the experimental group 1 and the experimental Group 2 in decision-making skills, while there was no significant difference in the control Group. It was observed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of only experimental Groups 1 in critical thinking disposition. On the other hand, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of all groups in the scores of attitudes towards socioscientific issues. As a result, it was determined that the applications made with the Web 2.0 tool improved science literacy, critical thinking disposition and decision-making skills better than other applications. Considering the results obtained and the studies in the literature, some suggestions are given.