2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
An Investigation on the Methods to Foster Learners' Thinking Skills in School Science at Primary and Lower Secondary Schools Levels
| Project/Area Number |
10680183
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Science education
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| Research Institution | Shizuoka University |
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Principal Investigator |
HISADA Ryuki Shizuoka University, Faculty of Education, Professor, 教育学部, 教授 (40022214)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KAYANO Takahiro Shizuoka University, Faculty of Education, Technician, 教育学部, 教務員 (30293591)
OKAZAKI Taizo Shizuoka University, Faculty of Education, Professor, 教育学部, 教授 (80021905)
KUMANO Yoshisuke Shizuoka University, Faculty of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (90252155)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 2000
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| Keywords | Primary school science / Lower secondary school science / Science textbooks / Nature of science / Scientific method / Scientific thinking skills / Scientific enquiry / Material science |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to suggest the strategies to foster pupils' thinking skills, especially scientific thinking skills in school science at primary and lower secondary schools levels. The following findings have been obtained during the proposed period.
1. Researchers have constructed "material science" database which is composed of the sentences in various American and British science textbooks on the personal computer. Using this database, contents of textbooks were analyzed among them. Scopes and sequences of teaching materials in textbooks were also compared. It was found that their contents described in each science textbook are quite different each other, but that ones in Japan are similar.
2. Descriptions in textbooks on nature of science, scientific methods, scientific enquiry, process skills, etc., were collected, and analyzed. Several American science textbooks have entered into details about these items. On the other hand, Japanese ones have not at all.
3. Explanation on scientific thinking skills in textbooks are seen most often in American's, and then British ones.
4. Ninth grade pupils' and university students' conception of "school science (RIKA, in Japanese)" and "science" were surveyed. From results several problems on scientific thinking skills were pointed out.
5. Teaching materials to foster scientific thinking skills are developed. They have been allowed to try to pupils. It has been proved that these materials are effective. Further assessment is in progress.
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