ABSTRACT
With foundations in scientific argumentation/discourse literature and transfer literature, this study describes the potential of a new ritualized and repeated classroom activity, the Rules of Thumb practice, in developing the conceptual understanding, scientific reasoning, and transfer ability of physical science students in project-based inquiry classrooms (e.g., Learning By Design). Teachers employ an experimental Rules of Thumb practice with more or less fidelity to develop student science talk (defined as the skill or act of communicating and explaining, both in written and/or verbal form, the science concepts and principles within a context in an abstract, generalized form) using scaffolded, iterative instructional practices. Comparison and experimental classrooms completed two post-treatment writing assessments, which were coded and analyzed. This paper presents the results of that analysis and reports that the Rules of Thumb practice may have an effect in developing conceptual understanding, scientific reasoning, and transfer ability and that teacher implementation of the Rules of Thumb practice does indeed affect student outcomes.
