How Life Environment Studies Classes Change the Way in which College Students Think of the subject

Abstract

A scale to measure understanding of life environment studies was created, and factor analysis was carried out with 145 college students before and after life environment studies classes. Based on the factor construction derived from Takagaki (2003), life environment studies classes were designed and carried out. Analysis of the results demonstrated the following points '・ "Development beyond domains" was extracted as a first factor in the understanding of life environment studies by the students after classes. This factor comprised four subscales, including "Connections with other curricula". The second factor extracted was "Significance of curriculum", and this factor comprised three subscales, including "Newly-established details". The third factor extracted was "Enrichment of new scholastic ability", and this factor comprised five subscales, including "Ability to study by oneself. The fourth factor extracted was "Guidance tasks", and this factor comprised five subscales, including "Difficulty of evaluation". These results showed that teaching strategies which specialize in 'learning style' and learning acquired from direct experience' diversify students' understanding of the subject.