The Science Education in Proletarianism ; A Phase of Idea of Science Educat on in the Early Showa Era

Abstract

After World War I though science education in Japan has developed greatly in the method of teaching, there was not very much change in the basic idea; it is practica!ism, holism and positivism New viewpoints, however, have been brought up in proletarian education. Hidehiko Wakita (1910~1941), a representative teacher or elementary school, criticized science education in those days as follows: 1. As the science textbook compiled by the State lacks connections based on science between one chapter and another, information here does not lead to commentary there. 2. The textbook is written without considering the development of child's recognition. 3. Descriptions of the textbook are too simple. 4. The experiments and obseravations in the tewtbook are treated lightly. Children, therefore, cannot understand the basic laws and concepts of science nor grasp the building of science as a whole. He insisted that the above mentioned things have been caused by the old view on science of the Department of Education; i. e. the traditional view of Japan on science tends not to inquire into the principles under the various kinds of matter. He emphasized essentialism in compiling teaching materials and child-centered principle in teaching. Such Kinds of ideas existed in proletarianism in the 1930's. It was an innovation in Japan, but it did not become popular due to the pressure of the government.