CREATING A SOUND ARGUMENT WORKSHOP
Creating a Sound Argument Workshop
Step 1: State a thesis statement on your topic.
Thesis: Does training in virtual reality (VR) environments benefit students compared to conventional methods of education?
Step 2:
Present your main reason or reasons in favor of your thesis.
Premise 1: All training in VR allows for increased knowledge and skills
Conclusion: Therefore, training students in VR is more effective
Step 3: State the new premise (or premises) that would be needed in order to make this argument valid.
Premise 2: All knowledge and skills gained are more effectively learned. Step 4: Discuss whether the new premise is true (in your view) and why.
The new premise (premise 2) is true as it is a form of active learning. Following the learning pyramid model, the average retention of knowledge and skills learned is increased to around 75%. Whereas conventional lecture learning only has a 5% retention of knowledge
Step 5: State the new version of the argument in standard form, adding any other premises needed to complete the reasoning (meaning to make it valid).
Premise 1: All training in VR allows for increased knowledge and skills
Premise 2: All knowledge and skills gained are more effectively learned.
Conclusion: Therefore, training students in VR is more effective
