This paper examines the motivation of research on childrens' conceptions. For the purpose of this study, the similarity of research on childrens' conceptions and educational anthropology is first pointed out and then, research trends of educational anthropology from the research on 1960s in the United States are examined. Through the investigation, the motive of research on childrens' conceptions is found in the social situation in 1960s and 1970s, such as the struggle to solve the problem of culturally deprived children. The research can be seen as one of these struggles. This paper describes not only the motive of the research but also hidden tendencies of western culture, through a brief description of humanity based on Christianity and on the concept of "civilization". This motivation might be evident for researchers in western country especially in the United States, but it is unknown to almost all science education researchers in Japan. The importance to recognize such a cultural base is pointed out.

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From the viewpoint of science education conducted in the non-Western world, I examined what in science education is called "the relativization of science". Based on structural linguistics, the distinction between relativization in synchronic and diachronic perspective is emphasized, and the methodological priority of synchronic over diachronic relativization is also emphasized. In the process of the synchronic relativization of science, a superordinate concept is necessary for expressing all types of so-called ethno-science as well as Western Modern science. Since such a superordinate concept is lacking, the term "science" is frequently used as the superordinate concept of itself. Under the influence of this usage, Japanese science researchers have hardly realized that the Japanese traditional view of "nature" is synchronically comparable with Western Modern science. Consequently, the term "relativization" means the relativization of science merely in diachronic perspective. According to this perspective, Japanese science researches have regarded Western Modern science as absolute. If science education in Japan accomplishes the synchronic relativization of Western Modern science, it will be accepted as the vital subject which can teach the remarkable diversity of human culture.

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High school science teachers, who have not been keen engage in STS education, often insist that there is virtually no time to treat it in their science classes because (1) there is much science content to teach and (2) STS education has no relevance for the University entrance examination. The aim of this paper is to present evidence which indicates that a significant number of essay tests on STS issues has been appearing in University entrance examinations. Content analysis of essay tests showed that (1) more than 20% of essay tests were on STS issues, (2) popular themes among STS issues in essay tests were natural and environmental protection, health and medical issue, science and scientific thinking, food-population-development issues, and science and technology assessment, (3) more essay tests on STS issues were found in the examinations of Science and Technology related faculties than in those of other faculties, and (4) faculty-specificity was found among STS issues in the essay tests. The results indicate that University entrance examinations are not free from STS issues. Though we realize that STS education should be taught to every high school student regardless of their taking the University entrance examination, and this finding will give a basis and motivation to science teachers to teach STS issues in high schools.

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Students have five electric models (collision, circuit, one way, one way emission, two-way emission). Some students use these models depending on the context. For example, a student uses a collision model for a bulb problem, but has a circuit model are given for a motor problem. In the present study, the effect of simultaneous presentation was investigated. First, students are given a motor problem and a bulb problem separately, answering one problem. Two week after this, students answer the other problem. Another two week after this, students answer a motor problem and a bulb problem simultaneously. As a result, students who have context-dependent electric models in separate presentation have a consistent electric model in simultaneous presentation. Simultaneous presentation effects were used together with the proof/disproof teaching method. This new method makes students apply their electric models consistently

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The Osborne models (Unipolar model, Attenuation model, Clashing model, Scientific model) are widely accepted in the field of study about children's ideas about a simple electric circuit. There are many studies which are based on Osborne's study. But there are few studies which reconsider the models proposed jointly by Osborne and his colleagues. The aim of this study is to reconsider children's ideas as proposed by Osborne and his colleagues. We conducted interviews to determine children's ideas about electric current. An electric bulb or a motor is used as a load of a circuit. The subjects were selected from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders of primary School and 7th and 9th graders of the lower secondary school. The number of samples was ten per grade. The following suggestions were obtained from the investigation : 1. Students of all grades can use primitive ideas about current. 2. Some of the children's ideas could not be predicted from the Osborne models. 3. The difference of load does not necessarily lead the children to acquire different ideas

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I teach the students physics with the following two points in mind. The first is what to teach in the physics class, and the other is how to teach it. So far as the first point is concerned, I took dynamics in driving as a theme, and as for the latter point I taught through student discussion. Better results were obtained in the latter class.

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