The development of argumentation and mobilization of chemical concepts through investigative experimental activity

Abstract

Investigative experiments are activities that require a more active participation from the student, and thus assist in the development of important skills in the learning process, such as argumentation. Colligative Properties, presents itself, in the literature, as one of the most difficult chemical contents to understand, besides, there is a certain absence of works that address experiments aimed at the same. This work focused on the cryoscopy property. Thus, the question that guided the research was "how are the arguments of high school students developed when they perform experimental investigative activities?". So, the objective was to analyze the development of the arguments and mobilization of chemical concepts of 2nd year high school students through investigative experimentation. The research had a qualitative character and the data were collected in a public school in the city of Manaus, having as instruments of collection activity cards and record in field diary. The elements present in the Toulmin scheme were considered to analyze the arguments made by the students at the end of the investigative experimental activity. Thus, the data obtained suggest that the argument can be developed through investigative experiments, as it was possible to perceive argumentative elements in the students' responses, such as data, justification and conclusion, in an attempt to describe the observed phenomenon, managing to analyze and understand the influence of a nonvolatile solute water freezing temperature.