2021 Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 197-209
The key to learning and understanding astronomy is the development of an ability to shift points of view and perspectives: in other words, a student’s ability to grasp movement in three-dimensional space. We prepared a transparent celestial globe modified with a built-in wearable camera to check the status as seen from the inside. We evaluated the “concreteness” of this celestial globe, which is a property by which students themselves can surely and easily analyze, manipulate, and integrate using their five senses, locomotorium, and thinking ability. We used the globe in four classes, during three of which students operated the celestial globe. After these classes, 57 out of 70 students answered that using the celestial globe helped them to understand the movements of celestial bodies, while twelve students reported that it was difficult to become accustomed to celestial globe operation. However, after three practical operation experiences, most students became able to operate this celestial globe and were assessed as capable of thinking about the relation between the rotation and revolution of the earth and the movement of astronomical objects in a sophisticated, three-dimensional way. Based on these results, we evaluated this celestial globe as having “concreteness” as a teaching material to support the transition from the active locomotion of the viewpoint as the concrete operation of the students to passive locomotion of the viewpoint as the mental operation. We also assessed it as useful to foster students’ acquisition of perspective shifting and mental viewpoint operation abilities.
