Scientific arguments as learning artifacts: designing for learning from the web with KIE

We designed Knowledge Integration Environment (KIE) debate projects to take advantage of internet resources and promote student understanding of scien ce. Design decisions were guided by the Scaffolded Knowledge Integration in structional framework. We report on design studies that test and elaborate on our instructional framework. Our learning studies assess the arguments s tudents construct using the Knowledge Integration Environment debate projec t about light propagation and, explore the relationship between students' v iews of the nature of science and argument construction. We examine how stu dents use evidence, determine when they add further ideas and claims and me asure progress in understanding light propagation. To a modeate degree, stu dents' views of the nature of science align with the quality of the argumen ts.