The Study of Scientific Understanding of Students who do not Major in Science : Research on Students on a Kindergarten and Nursery Teacher Training Course

Abstract

A movement away from the study of science has been a concern in Japan for a number of years. This research was conducted to determine the degrees of understanding of science among the students studying at a vocational college to be kindergarten or nursery teachers, who do not major in science. It was also conducted to clarify the problems which exist in compulsory science education. The research shows the results as follows. As regards the students' static knowledge, more than 60% of respondents could choose the correct answer for the question of "Direction of electrical current", "The organ not in the abdomen", and "The diurnal motion of the sun observed in Japan". However, in the case of problem-solving questions involving deeper thinking, the students could not solve questions related to matters such as the diurnal motion of the sun observed in the Southern Hemisphere. Moreover, basic concepts of science were rarely understood when answering such questions as calculations based on the theory of speed and the setting of control experiments. Scientific concepts based on modern science are within the understanding of the respondents. This result shows that science education in recent years has had a good effect on the construction of scientific concepts among students. However, it was also found in this survey that approximately 30% of students do not realize the connection between science and daily life. Therefore, it is necessary for science education to further promote the recognition of this connection.