A Study on the Student's Spatial Cognition in Science Education (Ⅲ) -On the categorization of the locomoting viewpoint-

Abstract

In the science education, it is one of the most important abilities in the spatial cognition to observe the enviromental events from another position by locomoting the viewpoint. In this study the author surveyed the theories of locomoting the viewpoint with respect to the science education and psychology. Following these theories, he classified the functional properties on the viewpoint locomotion into 4 categories (IA・IB・ⅡA・ⅡB). The categorization types were as follows : Type IA (Active locomotion of the viewpoint as the concrete operation) : The learner actively moves to some other place. Type IB (Passive locomotion of the viewpoint as the concrete operation): The object possively moves to some other place. Type ⅡA (Active locomotion of the viewpoint as the mental operation): The learner mentally moves to some other place, without the concrete operation. Type ⅡB (Passive locomotion of the viewpoint as the mental operation) : The object is mentally moved to some other place by the learner, without the concrete operation. On the ground of the cognitive ability on left-right direction in 1st grade, "Cognitive functional hierarchy of the locomoting viewpoint" was clarified (IB→ IA→ ⅡA・ⅡB).