Effects of Persuasion and Discussion Goals On Writing, Cognitive Load, and Learning in Science
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v61i1.56022Keywords:
Writing, writing to learn, argumentation, science learning, cognitive load, Mots clés, rédaction, écrire pour apprendre, apprentissage des sciences, charge cognitiveAbstract
Argumentation can contribute significantly to content area learning. Recent research has raised questions about the effects of discussion (deliberation) goals versus persuasion (disputation) goals on reasoning and learning. This is the first study to compare the effects of these writing goals on individual writing to learn. Grade 7 and 8 students learned about buoyancy through argument writing. A 2 x 2 x 2 between-subjects pretest-post-test randomized experiment was used to investigate the effects of two types of argument writing goals (persuasion versus discussion), two distributions of writing sub-goals (segmented versus clustered), and two levels of writing achievement (low versus high) on bias/balance in reasoning, cognitive load, and learning. Results showed that segmented sub-goals were rated less difficult than clustered sub-goals. In a three-way interaction, for high-achieving writers, sub-goal segmentation reduced cognitive load in discussion writing, but increased it in persuasive writing. Argument goal type and sub-goal distribution affected bias/balance in claims and inferences. These results suggest that the effects of argument goal type are moderated by sub-goal distribution and previous writing achievement.
L’argumentation peut contribuer de façon significative à l’apprentissage dans les cours à contenu. Des recherches récentes ont soulevé des questions quant aux effets des objectifs de la discussion (délibération) par rapport aux objectifs de la persuasion (contestation) sur le raisonnement et l’apprentissage. Cette étude est la première à comparer les effets de ces objectifs de rédaction sur des élèves apprenant à écrire. Des élèves en 7e et 8e année ont appris au sujet de la flottabilité en écrivant des textes argumentatifs. Une expérience 2 x 2 x 2 inter-sujet avant-après avec randomisation a porté sur les effets de deux types d’objectifs de textes argumentatifs (persuasion ou discussion), deux distributions de sous-objectifs de rédaction (segmentation ou regroupement) et deux niveaux de rendement en écriture (bas ou élevé) sur l’équilibre quant au raisonnement, la charge cognitive et l’apprentissage. Les résultats ont indiqué que les sous-objectifs segmentés étaient perçus comme étant moins difficiles que les sous-objectifs regroupés. Dans une interaction à trois, la segmentation des sous-objectifs a réduit la charge cognitive dans les rédactions explicatives, mais l’a augmentée dans les textes argumentatifs chez les écrivains de haute qualité. Le type d’objectifs et la distribution des sous-objectifs ont affecté l’équilibre dans les affirmations et les inférences. Ces résultats portent à croire que les effets du type d’objectifs sont modérés par la distribution des sous-objectifs et par le rendement antérieur en rédaction.
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