The Design of Learning Environments to Foster the Ability of Students to Think, to Judge, and to Express Themselves

—Analyzing the Unit “Metal, Water, Air and Temperature” in Fourth Grade Science—

Abstract

In this study, to foster the ability of students to think, to judge, and to express themselves, we propose some perspectives on the design of learning environments in science teaching. These viewpoints are based on the proposal of Bransford et al., and we designed the science learning environment using these viewpoints. Our results indicate that the children’s abilities in scientific thinking and self-expression (the ability to think, to judge, and to express themselves in science education) improved after implementation of the designed teaching environment.