The Dramatic Arc in the Development of Argumentation Skills of Upper Secondary School Students in Geography Education

Geography education can facilitate learners’ critical thinking and argumentation skills to make well-reasoned decisions on social environmental issues. This study reports a geography course consisting of 18 lessons, each them 75 min, designed afford intensive practice in upper secondary school students (n = 21) following the dramatic arc. The produces examples different developmental pathways students’ during course. In this qualitative case study, data were collected from learning diaries analyzed using content analysis ARRA-analysis (Analysis Reasoning, Rhetorics Argumentation), which is based Toulmin’s model. results indicated that most developed justified arguments composed clear claims relevant rhetorical modes such as qualifications, questions rebuttals. Justification categories mainly used backings, grounds warrants. However, some had difficulties recognizing main claim arguments. their They possessed prerequisites for argumentative reasoning writing but needed further analytical writing.