O papel da argumentação na mudança conceitual e suas relações com a epistemologia de Lakatos

The general aim of this paper is analyse the role of argumentation on students’ conceptual change process. In order to do so, we used Lakatos’ theoretical framework to base the analysis of data gathered in a modelling‐based teaching of intermolecular interactions. Data were gathered from video recordings of all lessons involving such learning in a grade 11th class, the researcher's field notes, and the copy of all written activities produced by students. From the results, we propose that the element ‘hard‐core’ of the Lakatosian philosophy plays the role of the claim in the arguments, whilst the element ‘protective belt’ is built by auxiliary hypotheses that can play the role of three elements of argumentation: evidence, claim or arguments. We conclude and advocated that the Lakatos’ theoretical framework is a viable tool for basis the analysis of the students’ knowledge construction since it can support the understanding of the conceptual change process, and of the influence of argumentation on this process in a broad perspective.