The Effects of an Informal Online Science Program on Young Children’s Scientific Thinking and Understanding of Genes
2025 Volume 17 Pages 80-95
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2025 Volume 17 Pages 80-95
This study reports on the content and results of an online science program related to genes conducted with 22 children, aged 4–8 years, attending Japan’s Ehime University Kids Academia. Scientific reasoning abilities are present from early childhood, and it has been shown that young children can form evidence-based hypotheses during exploratory play. Therefore, we developed a science course on the theme of “gene”, with activities designed to explore the peculiarities of its structure and formulate hypotheses about its functions. The instructor lectured on genes and living organisms. The children then considered why genes have a helical structure while examining a genetic craft model. They inquired about the function of genes that enable Tibetans to live in high mountains with limited oxygen. Half of the children attempted to use their existing knowledge to provide a scientific explanation for their ability to survive. Furthermore, after completing the online science program, some children were able to apply their knowledge of the function of “gene” to explain other tasks as well. This case study demonstrates that young children can think critically and formulate hypotheses about advanced scientific concepts, such as “gene”, through simple online science activities.
Early science education in early childhood fosters curiosity and inquisitiveness, serving as a foundation for future science learning (Spektor-Levy et al., 2013). Children who have a strong curiosity about how things work or are skilled in a particular academic field are not satisfied with the formal educational program, the same play equipment and activities as their peers and are more likely to be influenced by the understanding and support of adults close to them, such as acquiring more advanced knowledge from books or the Internet or participating in informal classes (Kahn, 2023).
At Ehime University Kids Academia in Japan, where face-to-face science activities were previously conducted, an online science program using the Zoom videoconferencing platform was implemented in 2020 due to COVID–19–related social distancing constraints. During the pandemic, an online science program was conducted to focus on medicine, aiming to cultivate scientific and medical thinking among children and help them resist misinformation related to COVID-19 (Sumida and Kurata, 2023). Through these activities, the advantages of efficiency, convenience, and the potential of online science programs were demonstrated. The program also highlighted the benefits of allowing children living far away to participate, as regional differences and teacher expertise have been identified as challenges in early science education for gifted children (Kahn, 2023). Thus, the shift to online science programs—unexpectedly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—ensured educational continuity and opened new avenues for innovation in science education.
Among the many scientific topics that can be explored in online science program, genetics has become especially relevant in the post-COVID-19 world. Gene-targeted bioengineering, which has been applied in the development of COVID-19 vaccines, exerts significant influence across a wide range of fields, including agriculture, medicine, and environmental science. Given the ethical implications inherent in this domain, there is a growing consensus on the importance of providing educational opportunities for younger generations to develop foundational understandings of genetics (Strawhacker, 2020). In response to this need, recent efforts have developed educational tools such as CRISPEE, a bioengineering toy specifically designed for early childhood learners (Verish et al., 2018). Nevertheless, for children with a high level of scientific curiosity, introducing gene-related concepts—now increasingly relevant in contemporary life—can further stimulate their interest and engagement in science.
In this context, we developed and implemented a new online science program for young children that focused on the theme of “gene” and aimed to support scientific thinking and hypothesis generation. Children’s scientific reasoning abilities and understanding of scientific knowledge have traditionally been considered limited by their difficulty in making a fundamental distinction between theories or hypotheses and evidence (Kuhn, 2010). However, recent research suggests that even young children can engage in conceptual reasoning and apply prior knowledge effectively (Skene et al., 2022). For instance, Walker et al. (2017) demonstrated that five-year-olds can generate hypotheses based on prior knowledge. Furthermore, Köksal-Tuncer and Sodian (2018) showed that children aged 3 to 6 years demonstrated verbal argumentation competence in scientific reasoning tasks using a blicket detector paradigm that was entirely novel to them. These findings suggest that young children can utilize existing knowledge and build upon it. Based on this, we hypothesized that if young children become interested in genetics and actively engage in acquiring new knowledge, they may also be capable of applying that knowledge to think critically and formulate their hypotheses.
Purpose of the Present StudyWe implemented a new online science program in which young children engaged in simple hands-on activities at home to explore the theme of “gene.” The study aimed to evaluate an informal online science program on the theme of genes for children in terms of the following two points.
1. Are children able to engage in thinking and hypothesis setting using the “gene” knowledge presented in the lecture?
2. Did their interest in genes increase, and are they able to apply “gene” concepts to explain phenomena beyond the context of the online science program?
The online science program was conducted for young children registered in the Ehime University Kids Academia. Ehime University Kids Academia was established in 2010 as an informal science education program designed to engage young children in science (Sumida, 2015). This unique science program is meant for children, allowing them to explore their interests and think critically for themselves. Currently, approximately 240 children from Japan and abroad are registered in the program (as of 2025.06.20, https://kids-academia.com/).
ParticipantsThis study included children aged 4 to 8 years who were registered at Ehime University Kids Academia. Notification of this study’s activities was sent to the parents of registered children via e-mail to encourage participation. Participants included 22 Japanese children from various regions of the country. Permission was obtained from the children's parents to use photographs of them during the activities, their speech, and other information in the study. The parents agreed that this scientific activity constitutes participation in research and that they will receive no remuneration for their participation. They also promised confidentiality to all participants.
Online Science Program DesignThe online science program was conducted in Japanese as a 60-minute program in 2022. The scientific activities conducted in this study lasted for 45 minutes (Table 1). A genetic craft model kit (http://x2.gmobb.jp/sfa1/index.htm) was sent to the participants’ homes in advance (Figure 1), and they were asked to make the model in advance. Parents were allowed to support their children with the gene craft activity as needed. The activity was conducted in five steps (Table 1). In Steps 1, 3, and 4, the instructor’s lecture introduced the concept of genes to the children. In Steps 2 and 5, the children were asked to think independently and formulate hypotheses through a thinking activity. The lecturer for this science activity was the author, Arai, who specializes in molecular biology and has studied the mechanisms of gene regulation in skeletal and cardiac muscles.
| Step |
Time mm:ss |
Theme | Method | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 02:30 | Introduction | Meet the instructors | |
| 1 | 01:15 | What is a gene? | Lecture | The teacher explains what genes are using slides |
| 2 | 07:10 | Let's consider the features of gene structure. |
Thinking (free talking) |
Learn about genes by using a model of a gene Consider why it has a helical structure |
| 3 | 03:30 | We can easily obtain gene information! | Lecture | Introduction to HPs where genetic information can be acquired |
| 4 | 03:30 | What did Svante Pääbo discover? | Lecture | Explain what hypotheses can be considered by knowing the gene sequence. |
| 5 | 01:10 | Hypothesis about the function of genes | Explanation of the problem | Tibetans can live in high mountains |
| 03:00 | Thinking time | What is the function of genes that only Tibetans have? | ||
| 10:00 | Announcement | Presentation of hypotheses | ||
| 03:20 | Answer description | Description of the genes that Tibetan people have | ||
| 09:00 | Ending | Question time | ||
| Total | 44:25 |
This figure shows English translations of slides originally written in Japanese.
In Step 0, the lecturer described the kind of research she had been doing. She briefly explained the relationship between gene dysfunction and heart failure. To help children understand the concept of heart muscle deterioration, the cells that make up the heart were explained using the metaphor of a puzzle. It was then explained that when certain genes within those cells stop functioning, some of the puzzle pieces fall out, leading to impaired heart function.
In Step 1, the lecturer explained what genes are. She compared a cell to a piece of a puzzle and explained that a gene is one of the pieces that make up an organism, and that the gene serves as the blueprint for the organism, using a book as an analogy. She further explained that the gene, which serves as the blueprint for an organism, is a huge volume of information written with four letters (ATGC) and has a helical structure (Figure 1).
In Step 2, the children were asked to think and freely discuss why genes have a helical structure by comparing their own gene craft model and wool yarns bundled in a helical structure (Figure 2).
A. Gene craft (http://x2.gmobb.jp/sfa1/index.htm), B. Completed gene craft, C. wool yarns in a helical structure, D. Children thought about the structure of genes by using gene craft.
In Step 3, for children interested in genetic information, we informed them that genetic information is available free of charge from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Given that the NCBI website is available only in English, it poses accessibility challenges for children. Accordingly, rather than instructing them on how to use the site, we conveyed the idea that NCBI offers free access to comprehensive genetic information.
In Step 4, we explained the evolutionary process that can be revealed by understanding genetic information, using the example of Svante Pääbo, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2022 for decoding Neanderthal genes. This discovery revealed that Neanderthal genes are present in the genes of Homo sapiens (Figure 3-A).
In Step 5, as an activity to support the understanding that humans possess different traits depending on their living environments—traits that are determined by gene function—we used Tibetans living in high-altitude regions as a case example. The children were asked the question, “What genes allow Tibetans to live in high mountains where oxygen is scarce?” and they formulated their hypotheses (Figure 3-B). In response to this question, after the children had stated their hypotheses about the function of genes, the researcher explained the scientifically established function of the gene found in Tibetans and described why it is suited for living at high altitudes (Simonson et al., 2010).
This figure shows English translations of slides originally written in Japanese.
The activities were recorded by Zoom's recording function, and the speech was extracted from the data. The children are labeled C-1 through C-22. The grades of the labeled children are presented in Table 2. As shown in Table 2, each child is interested in a variety of things, not just science.
| Code | Grade | Interests |
|---|---|---|
| C-1 | K1 | Insects |
| C-2 | K1 | National Flag (Certification Level 1) |
| C-3 | K2 | Origami |
| C-4 | K2 | Insects |
| C-5 | K3 | History (especially Toyotomi Hideyoshi), Stars |
| C-6 | K3 | Language (Chinese, Japanese, Kanji) |
| C-7 | K3 | Cars (Investigation of windshield wipers) |
| C-8 | K3 | Elements (especially P), Minerals |
| C-9 | K3 | Cells, Human Body, Planaria |
| C-10 | K3 | Tag |
| C-11 | G1 | The beginning of time, Universe (dark matter), Reading (1,000 books so far) |
| C-12 | G1 | Space, Weather, SDGs |
| C-13 | G2 | Languages, Scientists |
| C-14 | G2 | Slime molds, Neanderthals, Bears |
| C-15 | G2 | Reading (600 books per year) |
| C-16 | G2 | Origami |
| C-17 | G2 | Reading (700 books per year) |
| C-18 | G2 | Electricity |
| C-19 | G2 | Money |
| C-20 | G2 | Snake venom, Elements, English, Slime molds, History |
| C-21 | G3 | Animals |
| C-22 | G3 | Silkworms, Space |
Parent feedback, including their child's behavior and response, was surveyed using a questionnaire sent to their parents (using the Google Forms survey instrument software). The questions used in this study are shown in Table 3. The response rate of the questionnaire was 82% (18/22).
| Item |
|---|
|
Q1. Familiarity with genes before the activity
Q2. Understanding of the program content
Q3. Interest in genes and the transfer of knowledge to other tasks after the online science program
|
The questions in Table 3 were administered by the parents. Specifically, for items such as "Understanding of the program content" and "Interest in genes and transfer of knowledge to other tasks after the online science program," the parents asked their children the questions. They entered the children's responses on their behalf. This approach was intended to reduce stress and help the young children respond more comfortably and naturally, without feeling nervous.
As background of “familiarity with genes before the activity”, more than half of the participating children (Q1-1, 59%, 13 out of 22) indicated that they had heard the word “gene” before. Among them, only one child, C-9 (K3), reported full knowledge of the term (selected “Knew everything” in response to Q1–2). Four children—C-5 (K3), C-11 (G1), C-13 (G2), and C-14 (G2)—answered that they had some prior knowledge (selected “Knew a little” in response to Q1–2). Building on the above, this study aims to clarify the following two aspects regarding the online science program for these children.
Result 1: The scientific thinking and hypothesis in the online science programIn Step 1, the lecture explained that “genes are the blueprints that shape organisms and contain a great deal of information for life” and “genetic information is folded and stored in cells” (Figure 1), comparing them to books.
In Step 2, the children were asked to consider why genes have a helical structure, and they actively shared their ideas (Figure 4). In their comments, the children focused on the fact that the genes shown in Step 1 were information, and they thought that the helical structure might be used to read the information. The children discussed genes from the perspective of reading them as information, using expressions such as “to read,” “to write down the genetic information,” and “read books about genes” (Figure 4). However, since the helical structure is a physical property that depends on stability, the children were asked to compare the structure of wool yarn, which had been prepared in advance as a familiar object, with the genetic model. As a result, C-18(G2) said, “It is hard to break!” The children noticed the stability of the model. This child’s comment seemed to convince all the children of the properties of the helical structure. Among the four children who spoke here, three of them (C-9, 14, and 18) had heard the word “gene” before, and only C-9 fully understood the content of the lecture.
Note.T=Teacher; C-x=Children; ( )=Grade.
In Step 4, before the introduction, there was one Grade 2 child who knew about Svante Pääbo (Table 2, C-14; this child was very interested in Neanderthals and had expert knowledge about their characteristics and why they became extinct). The gene sequence allowed us to formulate a new hypothesis about racial characteristics (the hypothesis that Neanderthal genes are retained in Asians and that Asians may have genes that lead to why there are fewer severe cases of new coronaviruses compared to Europeans (Zeberg and Pääbo, 2020).
In Step 5, children hypothesized the function of the gene. Specifically, Tibetans can live in high mountains where oxygen is scarce (Simonson et al. 2010), whereas we cannot live in high mountains due to the scarcity of oxygen. The children were told that this is because Tibetans have a gene with a characteristic that we do not have, and they were asked to hypothesize about the function of the gene (Figure 3). The children were given 3 minutes to think about their hypotheses and were instructed to write them down on the provided paper. The children then presented their hypotheses. The children freely made hypotheses using the various knowledge they had. The C-14(G2), who is interested in Neanderthals, associated their short stature with a difference between apes, and hypothesized that Tibetans are also short and use less oxygen. Children who knew more about the human body and its need for oxygen hypothesized that the Tibetans would be able to convert less air into oxygen in their bodies, or that they would not need oxygen in the first place. In response to the mention of oxygen during the presentation of hypotheses, C-9(K3) explained about mitochondria that produce energy from oxygen. This suggests that children not only have knowledge but also can use it to explain their hypotheses scientifically (Figure 5). Twelve children expressed their own opinions on the hypothesis in question. Among them, only four children (Figure 5; C-22, C-18, C-12, and C-17) formulated their hypotheses about the function of genes. Another child was able to draw based on their existing knowledge—such as the function of human lungs or body constitution—to support their statements. Interestingly, some children generated new hypotheses or shared their knowledge after listening to the ideas proposed by others. For instance, C-20 (G2) initially stated, “I think their body is now strong enough not to run out of oxygen.” However, after hearing the opinions of other children, this child formulated a new hypothesis by incorporating personal knowledge about temperature changes in high-altitude areas and air pollution in urban environments. Furthermore, in response to the knowledge shared by C-20 (G2) and C-9 (K3), C-9 (K3) said, “I have something to add,” and went on to explain the relationship between living organisms and oxygen, specifically noting that mitochondria were incorporated during the evolutionary process. Among the 12 children who spoke here, 9 of them (C-9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 22) had heard the word “gene” before.
Note. T=Teacher; C=Children; ( )=Grade.
An analysis of their statements supported their hypothesis, which was based on underlying knowledge, including aspects such as “Gene Function”, “The relationship between the human body and oxygen”, “The human body and its need for oxygen” and “Some short apes were present” (Figure 6).
Bold rectangular boxes represent explanations connected to genes, while arrows indicate the associated content.
The results of “Understanding of the program content” showed that 54.6% (12/22) of the children demonstrated a partial understanding of the lecture on genetics (Table 4). Half of the children understood (13/22, 54.6%). However, five children did not understand (5/22, 22.7%).
| Grade | N | Understood everything | Understood a little | Understand very little | Did not understand at all | Unanswered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| K-2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| K-3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| G-1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| G-2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| G-3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Total | 22 | 4 (18.2%) | 9 (36.4%) | 3 (9.1%) | 2 (13.6%) | 4 (22%) |
After the online science program, we tested whether the children could provide explanations using the knowledge of genes as information about living organisms, which we lectured on in this research activity. The questions “Do you think there is a gene in rice? (Q3-3-1)” and “Why do you think some people have golden hair? (Q3-3-2)” were designed to assess the children’s understanding of two concepts: that all living organisms have genes, and that genes serve as a blueprint for the characteristics of living organisms, respectively. The relationship between the responses to these questions and the children’s understanding of the online science program is shown in Table 5. Based on the results (Table 5), children who demonstrated an understanding that rice possesses genes were able to provide scientifically accurate explanations. For example, participant C-8 (K3) stated, “Living things cannot take shape without a blueprint.” Similarly, regarding the idea that genetic information determines the traits of organisms, some children offered appropriate explanations such as, “Because they have genes that make their hair golden.” Moreover, children who reported a high level of comprehension of the lecture—categorized as “Understood everything” or “Understood a little,” were able to provide accurate explanations concerning genes. Table 6, which summarizes the relationship between lecture comprehension and the accuracy of responses, indicates that in the online science program focusing on “gene,” the level of understanding of the lecture had a significant influence on children's ability to correctly explain genetic concepts.
| Code | UPC | Do you think there is a gene in rice? (Q3-3-1) | Why do you think some people have golden hair? (Q3-3-2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-1(K1) | 1 | None | None |
| C-3(K2) | 2 | No (shaking one's head) | I don't know. |
| C-4(K2) | 3 | I think not. | None |
| C-5(K3) | 3 | I think yes. Because rice is also made from genes. | I don't know, but it's possible that someone with black hair could suddenly mutate. There's also a possibility, however small, that someone with albinism could be born. |
| C-6(K3) | 2 | I think no. Because they are found in living things. | I wondered if it depended on where you were born. But Japanese people have black hair no matter where they are born... I wondered why. |
| C-7(K3) | 1 | I think no. Because rice is food. | Because their hair is blonde (because it's hair) (I'm writing the person's words exactly as they said them). |
| C-8(K3) | 3 | I think yes. Living things cannot take shape without a blueprint. Food is originally alive. | Because blueprint is gold, the reason is that there must be a reason why people with golden hair were more likely to survive in their environment. Just as animals change color to attract mates, it makes them more noticeable and easier to attract mates. |
| C-9(K3) | 4 | I think yes. Rice originally comes from rice plants, which are plants. Plants have DNA inside their cells. | It's because everyone's genes are different. It may be related to the difference between adenine and thymine, coming after cytosine and guanine instead of guanine and cytosine. |
| C-10(K3) | 3 | none | none |
| C-11(G1) | 4 | I think yes. Because rice is alive. Because plants are alive. | Because they have genes that make their hair golden. To attract females. If they don't attract females, they can't reproduce. |
| C-12(G1) | 3 | I think yes. The answer was that it depends on the type of rice. The reason is that there are many different types of rice, such as brown rice, mixed grain rice, mochi rice, Himehikari, and Himenrin. The color, shape, size, and weight of the grains are all different. Mochi rice is softer and stickier. That's why it's different, I think. | I saw it in an encyclopedia, but I forgot. Each strand of hair has genes, and maybe it's because the genes are different. |
| C-13(G2) | 3 | I think yes. Food also decays, which means that living things are living things, and living things have genes because they use the components of food. | I think it's because of genetic factors or because of the influence of substances in the mother's womb. |
| C-14(G2) | 4 | I think yes. It is a plant that grows from seed to seedling and then to rice. | Because I have the golden gene. |
| C-15(G2) | 3 | I think yes. There are various types and origins of rice. | Because they're foreigners, maybe it's because their genes are different from those of Japanese people. |
| C-16(G2) | 2 | No (shaking one's head) | I don't know. |
| C-17(G2) | 3 | I think yes. I had read about genetically modified wheat in a book. | I think it's a special mutation from when humans were originally particles. |
| C-18(G2) | 4 | I think yes. Fruits have genes, so I think that cooking them means they have genes. | The pigment in their hair is different. That's because their genetic information is different. |
| C-22(G3) | 3 | I think yes. Since it is a plant, I think it has genes. I'm unsure if the genes remain after being heated. | It's because people with less pigment were born in places where there isn't much sunlight. |
UPC: Understanding of the program content (Q2-1; 4: Understood everything, 3: Understood a little, 2: Understood very little, 1: Did not understand anything at all)
| Understanding of the online science program lecture | Understood everything | Understood a little | Understood very little | Did not understand anything at all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Gene Availability | 4/4 (100%) | 8/9 (89%) | 0/3 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) |
| Relation to gene function as a race | 4/4 (100%) | 6/9 (67%) | 0/3 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) |
In Table 3, “Did your child seem motivated to learn more or explore today’s topic further? (Q3-1)” 50% (11/22) of the children were “Very positive” or “Somewhat positive” (Table 7, Figure 7). Of these 11 children, the parents of 10 provided responses to the free-text question (Q3-2): “If your child showed a strong interest, what kinds of things did they say they wanted to learn more about?” Two parents described their child’s (C-4, 18) behavior after the activity, noting that their child read illustrated books or texts about genes. Five children expressed specific questions to their parents about the nature of genes, such as: “when genes are produced in babies” (C-11), “how genes increase when cells increase” (C-12), “characteristics of genes” (C-10, 15) and “how genes are produced” (C-13). Three children related their interest in genes to other areas of personal curiosity, saying things like: “the genetic differences between dinosaurs and birds” (C-22), “evolution from sexual reproduction to loss of sexual differentiation” (C-9) and “the genetic differences between species (interested in the reasons why Neanderthals became extinct)” (C-14). Thus, most of the children, regardless of age, were not only interested in gaining new knowledge about genes through the activities of this study but were also curious about the questions that arose during the activities. However, when examining this result concerning the level of understanding of the lecture, it was found that children with low comprehension did not show increased curiosity about genes after the online science program (Figure 7). Among the five children who learned about genes for the first time during this program, only one responded as “Somewhat positive”, while the others showed similar trends of “Somewhat negative” or “Negative”.
| Grade | N | Very active | Rather active | Rather inactive | Not positive at all | Unanswered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| K-2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| K-3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| G-1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| G-2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| G-3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Total | 22 | 6 (27.3%) | 5 (22.7%) | 4 (18.2%) | 3 (13.6%) | 4 (22.7%) |
The left side shows the level of understanding of the lecture, and the right side shows the level of curiosity about genes after the Online Science Program (Table 3). The numbers indicate the number of participants who selected each response option. A Sankey diagram was created using SankeyMATIC ( https://sankeymatic.com/).
This paper aimed to examine whether children can actively engage in thinking through participation in an informal online science program focused on the topic of “gene”. Based on children’s verbal responses during the online science program and the results of the post-program parent questionnaire, the following findings emerged:
Considering that formal education on genetics typically begins in junior high school, this difficulty may be inevitable. Nevertheless, for some children with an interest in the topic “gene”, the program enabled them to understand genetic concepts—normally taught at the secondary level—and to connect that understanding to real-life examples such as differences in rice varieties or human populations (Table5). Today, bioengineering plays a significant role in the fields of medicine and food that surround us, and the outcomes of the online science program presented in this study may serve as a valuable new learning resource for introducing the concept of “gene” from an early childhood perspective. This suggests that informal learning may hold meaningful value. Below, we summarize the outcomes of using “gene” as a discussion topic in the online science program and outline challenges to be addressed in the future.
A belief and hypothesis in science are a theoretical explanation of what can be proved or disproved to clarify phenomena under assumed knowledge and conditions (Okasha, 2002). Therefore, explaining hypothetical reasoning theoretically is one of the most important skills for science, and is also incorporated into problem-solving learning in elementary school education in Japan (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 2018). Additionally, the method of setting up hypotheses, which requires a certain level of skill to set up as a theoretical explanation, has recently been studied in Japanese elementary school education to foster the ability to construct arguments (Tanaka et. al., 2021). However, since previous arguments suggest that even preschool children can use their prior knowledge to generate hypotheses (Köksal-Tuncer and Sodian, 2018), in this study, we conducted an online science activity to formulate hypotheses about the structure and function of “gene” for young children. As a result, the children were able to explain their hypotheses by drawing on their knowledge of events they had not previously encountered. After the online science program, children who understood the lecture and actively participated in discussions began to develop new questions based on their interests—such as the evolution of dinosaurs—from a genetic perspective. Some children also expressed a desire to learn more specific details about the nature of genes. These observations suggest that the online science program, with “gene” as its central theme, enabled children to encounter genetic concepts for the first time or to deepen their understanding, while stimulating their thinking. Therefore, it can be regarded as a highly valuable educational experience. Additionally, activities involving thinking and hypothesis setting could be easily and effectively adapted to online activities.
In recent years, efforts to develop educational policies for children with specific talents have been gradually advancing in Japan. These children attend public schools like their peers, but their advanced abilities often leave them feeling unchallenged and bored with regular school lessons. One way to support them is by providing opportunities for deeper exploration and learning beyond the classroom. In this context, it may be important that each child has expertise in a field in which they excel and that the teacher empathizes with their comments, finding value in them. In the activities conducted in this study, some children had scientific knowledge that the teacher did not know and who spoke up (e.g., why Neanderthals became extinct). The lecture showed respect for the child's statement, and the child seemed to experience a sense of self-affirmation. In the online science program studied, there were instances when children unexpectedly demonstrated their expertise in topics unrelated to the activity content. It seemed that they wanted to share their knowledge with others rather than just behaving selfishly—that is, children not only acquire specialized knowledge through their interests, but they also need a place to express the desire to share their knowledge with others. In this sense, compared to face-to-face activities in which children from only a specific region participate, online activities provide a place where children with similar interests can gather and discuss on a national scale, stimulating not only their self-esteem but also their awareness of the existence of others who have greater knowledge than they do.
However, the most critical issue identified in this activity was that the effects described above were not observed in children who were unable to understand the lecture on “gene”. Previous studies on science education programs have also reported that a certain number of children may struggle to grasp the content presented (e.g., Hong and Diamond, 2012). This may point to the inherent limitations of designing lectures that are fully comprehensible to all children. Our findings suggest that prior understanding of genes was associated with a higher level of comprehension during the lecture. Therefore, one possible approach to address this issue is to conduct a pre-assessment and recruit participants based on their existing knowledge of the topic.
This study did have some limitations. This study focused on an online science program themed around “gene”; however, no comparison was made with face-to-face activities. It is conceivable that face-to-face interaction may have yielded different levels of comprehension and engagement. Furthermore, the participants in this study were children registered with the Kids Academia program, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Whether an online science program on the topic of genes can be broadly applied remains uncertain. These limitations underscore the need for future research that incorporates in-person implementations and involves a broader range of children.
This paper was partly presented at the PECERA Conference in Bali, July 2023.
In this study, it has been determined that ethical approval is not required. The focus of this research involves anonymizing and de-identifying speech data to prevent the identification of individuals, thus ensuring adequate protection of the participants' privacy. Additionally, consent has been obtained from guardians, and appropriate ethical procedures have been followed in conducting the research. Therefore, it has been concluded that ethical approval is unnecessary for this study.
We would like to thank Dr. Yuri Onishi for organizing the online conference for this study. We would also like to thank the children and their parents who participated in this scientific activity.
A.S and S.M: Conceptualization, writing, and methodology. A.S: Data collecting, data analysis, review, and editing. S.M: supervision.
We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 22K02969.
Participants are informed that their responses will only be used for the purposes of this study. Therefore, the data set will be used by the authors to use the content of the responses for the purposes of this study only. In this study, certain illustrations (Figure 1, 3) have been sourced from free materials available at (https://www.irasutoya.com/), and are being used in accordance with their respective copyright information and usage conditions. The use of the Gene craft (Figure 2, http://x2.gmobb.jp/sfa1/index.htm) has been permitted by its inventor, Mr. Eiichi Yoshida.
