Development of a Learning Support System Aimed at Acquiring the Ability to Evaluate and Improve the Logical Validity and Persuasiveness of Arguments

Aiming to support the acquisition of the ability to evaluate and improve the logical validity and convincingness ofarguments, which is an important part of logical thinking, we formulated a model of argumentation based on the Toulminmodel and the deductive triangular logic model. We also implemented a learning support system based on this model andconducted a learning experiment with undergraduate and graduate students as the subjects. The results of this experimentrevealed the followings findings: (1) Learning on a system based on this model worked as an exercise, and the support of thesystem improved the subjects' understanding in some tasks. (2) For undergraduate and graduate students, the simpleargument structure of 'reinforcing uncertain data that lead to a claim with other facts' was relatively easy to understand,regardless of the type of reasoning used or whether or not it was limited. They were also able to recognize the differencebetween deduction and abduction, and make improvements according to the characteristics of each. (3) Understanding ofthe scientific reasoning of 'negating a competing hypothesis to increase the credibility of a hypothesis' was improved andmore firmly established by making the argument structure explicit with the support of the system. (4) Regarding theargument structure of 'accumulating data that leads to a claim in an abductive manner,' significant difficulties arose whenit was necessary to limit abduction by making background knowledge explicit, and the support of the system did not workeffectively. From the above, the usefulness and limitations of the argument model and learning support system proposed inthis research have become clear, and we have gained certain knowledge and insight for future improvements and practicein education.