AN ANALYSIS OF JAPANESE CHILDREN’S RULE SYSTEMS USED FOR INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING IN SCHOOL SCIENCE―An Approach for Categorizing the Rule Systems by Means of Mental Simulation―

Abstract

In this study, the present authors intend to categoraize Japanese children’s rule systems used for international understanding, since this kind of study has not been investigated yet. This study tries (1) to identify phases where Japanese children interpret the gap between their culture and that of foreign children, (2) to categorize Japanese children’s rule systems used for international understanding, by means of mental simulation, and (3) to discuss the teaching of international understanding in the Japanese school science education. The authors have made some findings: (1) Japanese children have four phases to understand the gap between their culture and that of foreing children. Those are the phases to distinguish true from false, to examine the cause of misunderstanding, to distinguish good from bad, and to intend to remove misunderstanding. (2) In addition to the rule systems derived from natural science, various rule systems of Japanese children are used for international understanding. (3) To advance Japanese children's international understanding, the instruction and the curriculum of Japanese school science have several problems to be solved.