Cognitive Complexity through Collaboration in Argumentative Student Blogs

In order to investigate instructional planning strategies that impact student improvement in argumentative writing the teacher-as-researcher implemented an Integrated Writing intervention (MacArthur, Graham, & Schwartz, 1993) in a seventh grade urban school classroom. Utilizing a mixed methods action research study the teacher-researcher collected both qualitative and quantitative data during two four-week instructional units that involved status checking, mini-lessons, student writing, peer and teacher conferences, and group sharing of published student writing. Two iterations of data were analyzed for the inclusion of argumentative elements in the students’ writing, and data samples were coded for cognitive complexity through analysis of their levels of depth of knowledge (Webb, 2005). This study showed the effectiveness of using the Integrated Writing intervention in promoting students’ ability to write effective cognitively complex arguments