Review of Research concerning Manipulative Skill of Instruments in Science Education

Abstract

Manipulative skill of instruments has been one of a main component in laboratory work in science education. The importance of encouraging students to acquire the skill has been repeatedly stated by teachers. White (1988) indicated whether laboratories actually fulfils its function is examined from manipulative skill (e.g., Kruglak (1958) and Yager, et al. (1969)), not examined from a learning theory until around 1970. The purpose of this study is to review researches concerning manipulative skill of instruments in science education from 1970 to 2009. These researches are divided broadly into teachers' and students' fact and developing teaching method. Since 1970, subjects of laboratories have been gradually shifted to problem-solving and actively approached from constructivism. On the other hand, students' physical and mental processes that they overcome problems and fell manipulative skill of instruments into their hands had not been investigated from the learning theory. Afterwards, teachers do not competently acquire the skill and some students manipulate and advise while others only watch them, and students can not hence acquire the skill and males' skill is better than females'. There are also teaching methods that encourage students to advise each other, simulate manipulation, and use these methods simultaneously. Simulating manipulation is only ancillary method. Using simultaneously "Circulatory-Styled Question-and-Answer Criticism Learning" that encourage students to advise each other and "Each student makes model material and rehearses manipulation with it" helps them overcome the problems. They can hence acquire the skill. However, the teaching method has applied to only the gas burner. As a problem to be solved, we develop science teachers training course curriculum that encourages students to acquire the manipulative skill of instruments on the base of forming attitudes, problem-solving, and developing cognitive strategies. We also investigate whether experiences of making and using model materials influence developing teachers' and students' facilities of reusing resources.