Online Scientific Argumentation Strategy on Improving Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Scientific Reasoning through Experiment Activity: A Case Study in Indonesia
Authors:   Universitas Negeri Semarang, Parmin Parmin , Khusniati Miranita ,   Universitas Negeri Semarang, El Islami R. Ahmad Z. ,   Ageng Tirtayasa, Serang, Indonesia, Deta Utama A. ,   Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Saregar Antomi ,   Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung
Published: March 2022

The problem and the aim of the study. Pre-service science teachers have to do some experiments to teach students to find scientific truth. As a result of COVID-19 and the distance learning situation, the unqualified experimental process is found in the ability of pre-service science teachers to discuss findings that lack the support of reliable data. This study aims to see the effectiveness of the online scientific argumentation strategy on the pre-service science teachers' scientific reasoning through a basic science experiment course during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research methods. The research method used is a mix-methods research design. The data were collected using scientific reasoning tests and interviews and analyzed quantitively and qualitatively. Participants in this study were pre-service science teachers at Universitas Negeri Semarang in Indonesia, consisting of 32 pre-service science teachers in the experimental class and 32 pre-service science teachers in the control class. Results. The essence of scientific argumentation is the delivery of ideas or statements accompanied by valid evidence by a group of people or individuals so that others can accept them. Considering the previous statement, the essence of the online scientific argumentation strategy is to deliver ideas or statements with valid and acceptable evidence through online media. The mean score for the experimental class is 9.9 and 8.5 for the control class. The mean score of pre-service science teachers' scientific reasoning with online scientific argumentation strategy is better than those without online scientific argumentation strategy. However, the number of correct answers for difficult essay questions is more significant than easy multiple-choice questions in some items. Therefore, an interview with pre-service science teachers who answered correctly was conducted. The respondents from the experimental class have no difficulty, while respondents from the control class have difficulty applying Archimedes' law and understanding questions with more than two variables. In conclusion, the implementation of the online scientific argumentation strategy effectively improves the pre-service science teachers' scientific reasoning through experiments at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. They learn to use the online scientific argumentation strategy in claims and evidence from the experiment results repeatedly to have proven new learning methods. For proper scientific reasoning, understanding is needed by integrating the data and facts so that the online scientific argumentation strategy becomes an alternative practical solution during a pandemic. This study will provide new insight into the online scientific argumentation strategy to improve scientific reasoning for universities. The results of this study may serve as a tool for further studies to explore other learning strategies to improve scientific reasoning or determine other skills that can be improved using the online scientific argumentation strategy.