Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Inter-Brain Synchrony in Open-Ended Collaborative Learning: An fNIRS-Hyperscanning Study
Published on: July 21, 2021
Arguing to learn in science: the role of collaborative, critical discourse
1School of Education, Stanford University, 485 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. osbornej@stanford.edu
Abstract:
Argument and debate are common in science, yet they are virtually absent from science education. Recent research shows, however, that opportunities for students to engage in collaborative discourse and argumentation offer a means of enhancing student conceptual understanding and students' skills and capabilities with scientific reasoning. As one of the hallmarks of the scientist is critical, rational skepticism, the lack of opportunities to develop the ability to reason and argue scientifically would appear to be a significant weakness in contemporary educational practice. In short, knowing what is wrong matters as much as knowing what is right. This paper presents a summary of the main features of this body of research and discusses its implications for the teaching and learning of science.
Related Concept Videos
Critical Thinking
Colleges and universities are...
Critical Thinking II
Critical Thinking I
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Cognitivism
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
Vygotsky's Cognitive Development in Cultural Context