Promoting Argumentation Skills Among University Students: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT Argument‐based pedagogies have the potential to help develop knowledge and 21st‐century skills in university students. However, our knowledge of the processes and outcomes of argument‐based pedagogies in higher education is scattered. To provide an overview of how argumentation is studied and promoted in higher education, a systematic scoping review was conducted across four databases. A total of 129 empirical articles published between 2008 and 2023 were analysed. The results show a growing interest in the field in recent years, with studies distributed around the world, although to a lesser degree in Latin America and Africa, and more studies focusing on “learning to argue” (LTA) than “arguing to learn” (ATL). In terms of activities promoting argumentation, a variety emerged, with a focus on active learning methodologies such as dialogic argumentation instruction, argumentative inquiry, and argument mapping. Other known active learning methods such as structured debate, role‐playing, or game‐based learning appeared less frequently in our corpus. Moreover, there were observable differences between the LTA and ATL studies, in particular when it comes to the field of study, with the former being more applied in social sciences and the latter more present in sciences. Implications for higher education practices and policies are discussed.