A cross‐cultural study of the effect of a graph‐oriented computer‐assisted project‐based learning environment on middle school students' science knowledge and argumentation skills

Abstract The purpose of this mixed‐methods study was to explore how seventh graders in a suburban school in the U nited S tates and sixth graders in an urban school in T aiwan developed argumentation skills and science knowledge in a project‐based learning environment that incorporated a graph‐oriented, computer‐assisted application ( GOCAA ). A total of 42 students comprised the treatment condition and were engaged in a project‐based learning environment that incorporated a GOCAA . Of these 42 students, 21 were located in the U nited S tates and 21 were located in T aiwan. A total of 26 students comprised the control condition and were engaged in a project‐based learning environment without the GOCAA . Of these 26 students, 15 were in the U nited S tates and 11 were in T aiwan. In each country, verbal collaborative argumentation was recorded and the students' post‐essays were collected. A one‐way analysis of variance ( ANOVA ) was conducted for each measure of science knowledge about alternative energies. The results showed a significant treatment effect for the outcome of scientific explanation among U . S . students, while among Taiwanese students, a significant treatment effect on scientific facts was observed. A one‐way ANOVA was additionally conducted for each measure of argumentation skills and a significant treatment effect on counterarguments and rebuttals was observed among the U . S . students, while in T aiwan, a significant treatment effect on reasoning and rebuttals was observed. A qualitative analysis was conducted to examine how the GOCAA supported students' development of argumentation skills in different countries. This study found distinct argumentation patterns between the U . S . and Taiwanese intervention teams. Additionally, a distinct gender difference in the use of evidence and division of labour was noted when the T aiwanese teams were compared with the U . S . teams, which may be explained by cultural differences. This study concluded that, in both the U nited S tates and T aiwan, a project‐based learning environment incorporating a GOCAA was effective in improving students' science knowledge and developing their scientific argumentation skills.