Collaborative learning of socioscientific issues in virtual environments: a study of a teacher training experience

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the collaborative dynamics established during a distance teacher training course on a socio-scientific issue. The proposal was to solve, in collaborative groups, an open problem about transgenic plants. Ninety-six biology and chemistry teachers participated as students. A case study was carried out and information on the process was collected through questionnaires, interviews, analysis of interactions in forums, wikis, metacognition essays and final application papers. The analysis was organized on the basis of two dimensions: group cognitive and individual cognitive. From the results obtained, it is highlighted that group work allowed a collaborative construction of convergence towards the common goal of solving the problem posed. Although dialogic interactions tending to build knowledge in a collaborative way were identified, some groups still had summative or individual ways of facing the task. In terms of knowledge construction, the proposed work broadened the perspective of analysis of the socio-scientific question posed, fostered the interpretation of scientific information, the evaluation of different sources of information, the analysis of evidence and the construction of arguments.