Expanded Understandings of the Connective Approach in Helping Students Construct Scientific Explanations

Abstract

The connective approach is developed by Sir Peter Strawson, emeritus professor of philosophy at Oxford University, as an effective way to understand the fundamental structure of human thinking in the field of analytical philosophy. This article provides insights for extending the work of Strawson, Tay, and Tay et al. to education, in particular, how we can equip students with the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions for answering science questions. The connective approach uses three dimensions, namely, ontology, epistemology, and logic. The scaffolding strategy that we have developed, consisting of DINE (whereby “D” is describe, “IN” is interpret, “E” is evaluate), the logic dimension; Bite-Size Teaching, the epistemological dimension; and focal lesson, the ontological dimension, is an integrated network of connected concepts that enable students to construct arguments and explanations needed for phenomena at a higher level of complexity. This article also extends the use of the connective approach to learning in social constructivist classrooms.