Use of ICT to promote and analyze argumentative and metacognitive processes in higher education

Abstract

The main objectives of the research is to explain and analyze the processes of argumentation and metacognitive thinking that activate university students when they undergo a process of systematic discussion to solve a problem and evaluate the effectiveness of the software Digalo2 for the development of argumentative and metacognitive competences. The research has characteristics of a mixed study, qualitative predominant method (Cuanti + CUALI). Through a quantitative methodology, instruments of measurement of the aforementioned competences will be applied and statistical analysis will be carried out. Through the qualitative methodology, the development process of the aforementioned skills will be analyzed from each student's individual self-records and the argumentative discussions of the student teams. The original study corresponding to the Doctoral Thesis used a sample of 250 students distributed in 6 courses who study the subject, ICT in Education from the Education Department of the University of Salamanca. However, for the purposes of this paper, the results of a single course consisting of 56 students will be presented. The main results are the characterization of the sample in terms of their argumentative, motivational and learning strategies, showing an average level reached. Likewise, it was possible to carry out within the framework of a curriculum subject to pedagogical activity supported by software and oriented towards the development of argumentative and metacognitive skills.