Productive failure and learning through argumentation: Building a bridge between two research traditions to understand the process of peer learning

ABSTRACT

Empirical evidence demonstrates the effect of productive failure (Kapur, 2008) on disciplinary knowledge. However, there is no clear theoretical explanation for why this is the case. Empirical evidence on argumentation and education shows the impact of curricular embedded deliberative argumentation on learning. However, these two trends of research have been mainly isolated, with insufficient synergy. Through the analysis of a group of sixth-graders collaborating around problems of natural selection, the aim of this paper is the theoretical exploration of the process of learning in productive failure designs through a focus on argumentative peer dialogue. The paper proposes an articulation of these two fields of research (productive failure and argumentation), which sheds light on both the learning dynamics in productive failure settings and the relevant insights for argumentative designs. The new possibilities for empirical research on learning through peer interaction opened up by these interconnected fields of research are proposed and discussed.

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the students who participated in the study and the teachers who helped with the data collection. The authors are grateful to Dra. Christa Asterhan, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for the access to the tests and to Dr. Angel Spotorno, Universidad de Chile; Dr. Kester Bull, Museo de Historia Natural de Santiago de Chile; and Dr. Hernán Cofré, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, who act as experts in the validation of the materials on theory of evolution. The authors are also grateful to the anonymous reviewers and, especially, editors for their detailed reading, constructive comments, and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ Representation and solution methods

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT 1170431, 1210264) project n° 1170431 and 1210264.