Towards a Reconstruction of Rika (natural science) Education : Unification of "Nature Study" with "Science Education"

Abstract

There have been two attitudes as to the purpose and method of Rika education in Japan. One is the so called "nature study" which teaches pupils natural phenomena through observation and experiments, and the other, "science education" which insists firmly that the educational objective of Rika is to teach natural science which human beings have developed. In spite of the efforts of teachers with either attitude, pupils have been left out of knowing and enjoying nature because of the defects in both attitudes. To avoid the poor results of such teaching methods a reconstruction of the Rika education program towards the full recognition of nature by unifying the both attitudes is argued for. This unification of both attitudes is arrived at in a later comprehensive recognition process when learners practise by themselves to understand phenomena through the study of such phenomena and the synthesis of the scientific principles, such as natural laws and theories, involved. In the last phase of the new program learners can form a comprehensive image of nature which includes the whole knowledge of the various phenomena of nature and scientific principles.