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.

The purpose of this study is to show the validity of introducing the "scientific terminology" in classroom teaching at elementary school for understanding of scientific contents by a learner. In particular, for the unit of fifth-grade science "functions of running water", we introduce the "scientific terminology" of "erosion", "transportation", "deposition" in the process of classroom teaching, and analyze and consider the learners' work & record books to elucidate the process of understanding of the current contents, we deduce the following results; (1) When students come to learn new materials, they utilize the acquired scientific terminology. (2) They can also explain natural phenomena observed around them by making use of scientific terminology they learned. (3) They can acquire the proper scientific knowledge regarding the "functions of running water". Therefore, we could show the validity of introducing "scientific terminology" for the understanding of scientific contents in elementary classroom.

The study was to demonstrate the efficacy of class to determine whether or not teaching combination after resolution in chemical changes. The results of this investigation revealed the following points. 1) From questionnaire in chemical changes, there were a lot of students who understood the combinations more easily than the resolution 2) 65% or more of the study body answered that they had studied the resolution prior to studying the combination, which made it easier for them to understand the process as a whole. This point was more prominent when it comes to the students with low science scores performed. 3) 60% or more of the students who had learned the combination process before resolution process recall that they had learned them in reverse order. The reason is as follows. One reason is that the students gained a very valuable learning experience which gave them a long lasting deep impression. The other reason is that it is an easier concept to understand that combing two different elements produces a new molecule. In order to maintain the students' willingness and motivation to learn, the teacher should assemble the class based on the results of the survey.

In this study, we developed the Digital Fortune Line System for supporting the visualization and sharing of students' multiple ideas and their commitment to those ideas. We used the Conceptual Ecology Model as a theoretical base, which has received much attention from researchers and teachers aiming to promote conceptual change. In process of developing the DFL, we put importance on three principles: 1) students express their own commitments, 2) students refer commitments each other, and 3) teachers and students grasp the change of commitments. To evaluate how the DFL is effective as a learning support tool in school science, while designing a science curriculum for the elementary school, we have conducted three pilot surveys as below: 1) interviews with 5 teachers prior to the lessons, followed by posterior surveys of 2) paper questionnaire targeting 37 pupils in fourth-graders, and 3) interviews with 20 pupils by random sampling among the targeting group. We obtained a result that shows that most pupils recognised their conceptual changes in implementing the characteristic functions of the DFL: Representation, Layer display, and Summary. The result indicates that the DFL has a possilbility of enhancing classroom teaching and curricula in promoting students' conceptual changes.

This paper presents a process of evoking and resolving cognitive conflict with the help of analogies to teach the "direction of electric current" in secondary science classes. This process was examined with questionnaire and protocol analysis. Consequently, following points were revealed. (1) Two kinds of analogies played an important role in this process. The first was represented as the students' model of electric current, and it implied that electric current begins at one pole and arrives at the other. In contrast, the second resembled a scientific model, and it implied that electric current/free-electrons in every place begins to flow/move at the same time. (2) After the first analogy was evaluated by a reduction of the absurd, the students became aware of the difficulties of their model and this evoked a cognitive conflict. (3) This (the above mentioned (2)) was an opportunity to encourage the students to modify their analogies/models or to generate alternatives. The introduction of an alternative analogy, which was intelligible and plausible for the students to understand the direction of electric current, resolved the students' cognitive conflict, and they were comfortable with this change in cognitive status. (4) This structured analogy was employed with conceptual differentiation in relevant scientific concepts that involve the flow rate of electric current (electrons) and the time required for electric energy transmission in series circuits.

The purpose of this study was to analyze students' view of science based on understanding of the nature of science and affective factor on science of seventh-grade students during five months' science instruction. To achieve this purpose, we examined evaluation schemes by Roth et al. (1997). We obtained the following results through questionnaire-based data. 1) Students' understanding of the nature of science gradually formulated with a development of scientific knowledge. 2) There has been a negative shift in the students' affective factor on science. In conclusion, the evaluation scheme of this study can be identified as one useful method of analysis of the students' view of science.

In junior high school physics courses, it is essential to teach magnitude of force and the elongation of springs by allowing student to conduct an experiment, accurately represent its results graphically, and thus find a relationship between the magnitude of force and the elongation of springs. This study was intended to find, through a practice in which students were instructed to build up a hypothesis based on the four-question strategy (4QS) and conduct an experiment, the effects of teaching such hypothesis building on their graph-making capability. For that purpose, we assigned our students to an experimental group in which they built up a hypothesis based on 4QS and conducted an experiment to determine the relationship between the magnitude of force and the elongation of springs. We also allotted some to a control group in which students conducted an experiment after the whole class discussed and built up a hypothesis without using 4QS. Both groups were compared in the level of learning of their graph-making capability and the application of questions to test the capability. As a consequence, we found the following: First, the experimental group using 4QS showed a significantly higher percentage of students who successfully learned graph-making capability than did the control group. Second, for the application of questions to test their graph-making capability, the experimental group had a higher percentage of students who applied the 4QS strategy.

The importance of language activity has been claimed recently and coordinated learning through discourse has been actively practiced. In this study, we discussed dialogical teaching in science classes by referring to learning-support studies by Scardamalia, M. Analysis of the protocol revealed the following: (1) In classes where construction of scientific ideas is intended, 12 factors were confirmed to work as the intention of the teacher in teaching behavior. (2) It was confirmed that children try to construct scientific ideas through appropriation of the language they express in the classes. (3) Teachers coordinate the learning activities by playing the role of a hub in dialogues with children so that construction of scientific ideas can be contemplated. (4) The theory of Scardamalia, M. about learning support and the theory of Palincsar, S. about teaching behavior can be utilized as structures of teaching analysis.

In this study, we focused on egg color of silkworm "Bombyx mori" as teaching materials of heredity and held classes for lower secondary school students. We discussed effectiveness of the teaching materials based on students' awareness and the examination results. As a result, the teaching materials were found to be effective in three aspects of increased learning motivation that includes understanding of learning content, consciousness for life (recognition of life continuity and mystery), and attitude of valuing life. Especially, regarding the understanding of learning content, those aspects were also effective to help the students to have the sense of purpose, to find and understand heredity regularity, to understand heredity equally passed from both parents, and to understand probabilistic nature of heredity.

The purpose of this study was to make clear how the drafts about the contents of "Shogakusei-no-kagaku (Science for school children)" for the fifth and sixth grades (1949) were adopted and modified as science textbooks for elementary school. Through the study of documentary records, it became clear that the drafts of them were adopted by the Advisory Science Committee and modified by the committee and the Civil Information and Education Section (CIE) in the General Headquarters of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (GHQ/SCAP). Among the 19 units included in above science textbooks, the drafts of 17 units written by the Kyushu District Science Committee, one of nine local district science committees in Japan, were adopted. When the Advisory Science Committee adopted the drafts of these science textbooks, it was seemed that there were the following standards: (1) To take up many experiments for pupil. (2) To use the suitable kinds of animals and plants for learning. (3) To eliminate the incomprehensible contents for pupil. (4) To delete the same contents between the stopgap science textbooks (1946) and the drafts of them. (5) To refer "the Basic Science Education Series" written by Bertha Morris Parker. The Compilation of the science textbook for school children with collaboration of the Advisory Science Committee and the local district science committees was a decentral and democratic system which reflected the opinion of elementary school teachers. It was an uniq method that had not been applied to other subjects but science.

Rapid movement of ICT increases internationalization of society and demands structural switch of industry in each country. Because rapidity of technological innovation is accelerated in industrial community, companies must keep creating new technologies for existence. Japan must tackle development of excellent researchers and engineers to resolve this situation and to exist as world leader in science and technology. It is necessary to foster leaders who have out-of-the-box ideas as well as to gain the number of scientists and engineers for this approach. This is because that drastic technical innovation by the idea that far exceeds current science level ensures a post of world leader for Japan. It has just started in Japan though various attempts were made in various foreign countries to develop the leader who is able to contribute it to this drastic reformation. It is necessary to examine the educational contents and the methods to continue the attempts in Japan. Therefore, this paper investigates and analyzes education for gifted children in Republic of Korea which has similar educational system in Japan. As a result, following characteristics are revealed. (1) It aims to develop an individual to a maximum extent. (2) It functionally ties up with the educational system to find and foster gifted children. (3) To ensure approach described above, it sets up special exception in traditional school system and nationally promote it. (4) It adapts original methods and improves curriculum in the educational system. (5) It uses the power of University to a maximum extent.

This paper surveyed the effect of introducing problem solving in the lesson at the University of Education. The obtained findings are as follows. (1) To compare with the lesson before introducing the problem solving. the students' attitude become better after introducing it. They listen to the lecture explanation: they talk about science matter each other, they think about science. (2) The students won high score of average in the final test after introducing problem solving. As for the problem that the students had not been able to solve before. most of the students successfully solved it in the final test. (3) As for research program. the students conducted the interesting topics. They could solve them by themselves. As they listened to the students' presentation carefully, they seem to be interested in science. Thus. I can conclude that the introducing problem solving in the lesson is very effective to enhance the students' science ability. The students could acquire the knowledge of science teaching materials and inquiry ability.

This study aimed at investigating how newly introduced teaching materials facilitated students' ability of drawing and understanding ray diagrams for convex lenses. Science (n=31) and education (n=130) undergraduates and junior high school students (n=43) completed a questionnaire on how they drew ray diagrams for convex lenses. Students' ability and their understanding were evaluated both before (pre-test) and after (post-test) reading the teaching materials. We obtained the following four results: 1. Pre-test results revealed that more than 70% of science undergraduates (real image: 97%, virtual image: 90%) and junior high school students (real image: 81%, virtual image: 70%) were able to draw scientific ray diagrams for convex lenses. 2. In the pre-test, both science and education undergraduates tended to think that they would be able to draw scientific ray diagrams but may not understand them. In the post-test, almost all of them confirmed that they could both draw as well as understand scientific ray diagrams. 3. Post-test results revealed that 84% of science and 65% of education undergraduates were able to draw scientific ray diagrams for convex lenses, even when portions of the lens were covered. Moreover, 40% of education undergraduates could completely explain how the object can be seen under a light microscope. 4. Junior high school students, on the other hand, barely acquired new knowledge despite reading the teaching materials; as a result they were unable to answer the advanced task well.

We developed teaching materials on separation and purification of mixtures that students could use to make experiments using their own materials individually. In chemistry textbooks for upper secondary school, the experiments of filtration, distillation, sublimation, extraction, recrystallization, and chromatography were introduced as a way to separate and purify mixtures. Whereas government guidelines for teaching in upper secondary school mention the necessity of experiments, it is difficult to make them because of lack of time, costs, and preparation and sequencing difficulties. In this study, we made teaching materials based on a microscale experiment of separation and purification of mixtures, using small size test tubes, electronic balances, and experimental gas ranges. We were able to do several experiments within a limited time by using microscale experiment teaching material. Individual experiments were more effective for developing students' understanding of chemical properties of matter than group experiments are. With developed teaching materials, we taught upper secondary school students. In a hundred minutes, students did six experiments using their own materials. The amount of waste fluid decreased down to about one-tenth of ordinary scale experiments. The analysis of a questionnaire in case of the trial for upper secondary school students confirmed that it is important to make individual experiments when students learn separation and purification of mixtures.

Students' science learning progression includes conversion process of the different functions of representation. For a good understanding of science, students are demanded representational competences. Kozma, R. and Russell, J. (2007) presented representational competences' levels that are representation as depiction, early symbolic skills, syntactic use of formal representations, semantic use of formal representations, and reflective, rhetorical use of representations. This structure corresponds to a developmental trajectory that generally moves from representations as depiction to rhetorical use of representations which is characteristic of expert behavior. We used this structure for analysis that engages students in the use of representations to describe and explain natural phenomena. In addition, we analyzed the interrelation between developing representational competences and constructing scientific concepts. In conclusion, embodiment of the autonomous operation of the representation helps to organize students' knowledge. Therefore, students understood the different functions of representations of natural phenomena and were able to translate and relate the different functions of representations.

The new course of study for elementary schools introduces Hand Generators (HGs) and Electric Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) into 6th grade science classes. These inexpensive equipments enable teachers to develop various teaching materials for children. We explored the features of HGs and EDLCs through a series of trial lessons and discussed their safe use in lower grade classes. For example, we must maintain the appropriate voltage level when we use an HG to turn on a miniature bulb, otherwise the bulb may be damaged. We also have to be careful with withstand voltage and polarity of EDLCs. If the capacitor is subjected to voltage exceeding its working voltage, or if it is connected with incorrect polarity, it may burst. Based on these trials and experiments, we prepared a teachers' manual on the safe use of HGs and EDLCs at elementary schools. We compiled it in the form of questions & answers so that it helps teachers to answer students' questions in class.

The study in "the period for integrated study" is one of the most important studies to acquire the ability of "zest of life". This paper reports the feature and the effectiveness of the new study program in "the period for integrated study" for the third grade students of Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen Junior High School. In this study, the students learn about environmental problems through problem-solving learning, discussions and experiments which were designed by their selves. Teachers who majored in special science subjects support the students in deciding on their experiments. The experience of experiments and learning of the other group's research makes the students more aware of how global environmental problems are related to their lives. Also the students make concept maps at the beginning of the research and at the end of the learning in this program. Using a concept map with "myself" label as a study tool, presentation tool, and evaluation tool, the students can understand that the environmental problems which researched are connecting to their own life. The discussion making a concept map promotes students' awareness about diversified ideas and reconstruction of concepts. Through this learning, the students understand how important it is that their own action can help to save the environment. In this school, this program has been used for several years by some teachers. Every year, we can get almost the same result. Therefore, this study program in "the period for integrated study" is a meaningful tool in the future of science education.

An experimental vessel was used to observe various magnetic fields. The experimental vessel including iron powders, iron wire, small permanent magnets, etc. was developed through experiment. In this study, a magnetic field observation device using magnetic fluid has been produced experimentally. The trial manufacture was carried out so as to observe in three dimensions the suction and repulsion force which arises between magnets. The change in the magnetic fluid for both tap water and an appropriate amount of magnetic fluid in various transparent containers and subjected to opposite and homopolar magnetic poles (face to face) was observed. As a result of trial and error, an observation vessel for observation of the different movements of the magnetic fluids has been constructed for viewing both opposite and homopolar magnetic pole arrangements. In particular, the magnetic fluid shows that in the presence of increasing repulsive force the fluid behaves quite unlike solid matter.

We examine the effect of providing external resources that can be manipulated by students on the formation of scientific concepts. Observations were carried out during a lesson on the path of a typhoon. Students were divided into one experimental group and one control group. Weather satellite pictures were prepared for both groups, whereas clear sheets and colored stickers were provided only to the experimental group as external resources. The result was that the experimental group was more effective in forming the scientific concept. In the experimental group, many students used the clear sheets and we could see that they talked about noticing the visualization of the path of the typhoon by using those sheets. In addition, we found many utterances of the students' comparing the path of the typhoon they had obtained against that of other students and discussing it with others by superimposing clear sheets. This suggests that the operatability of the external resources had enhanced the learners' interest in using them. Since the answer to the question could be visualized by the operation of those external resources, it was easier for the learners to solve the question, which aided them in the efficient formation of the scientific concept.

The purpose of this study was to create a proposal for enriching explanation activities in grade three of a lower secondary school. As a setting, our classes performed Exercises 1 through 4 of an activity to investigate the relationship between an electrolyte solution and two types of metals. We implemented the use of explanation activities in asking students to consider the results of the experiments. A class of 45 students was divided into two groups referred to as the "Taiwa Method" class and the "General" class. The "Taiwa Method" class was comprised of 23 students who expressed their ideas and opinions using the "Taiwa Method", a technique which aims at organizing one's thoughts through creating a dialogue onabout the subject matter. The "General" class was comprised of 22 students who expressed their ideas using only ordinary expressions in their explanations. We studied how the students in these two groups developed their ability to explain their results. As a result of this research, we concluded that the "Taiwa Method" works well for enriching explanation activities. The following points became clear: 1 In the "Taiwa Method" class, through asking the question "Why?" students were able to clearly describe their evidence. 2 In the "Taiwa Method" class, students were able to clearly define and organize their evidence and conclusion. Furthermore, students were able to give their explanations to others in a manner that was clear, logical, and easy to understand. 3 In the case of Exercise 4, during which the students were asked to describe their opinions using ordinary expressions, students in the "Taiwa Method" class were able to reach a conclusion based on their experiences working on Exercises 1 through 3 in which they explained their own experiences and opinions and checked their conclusions while being mindful of others. 4 The results of the pre-and post-questionnaire showed that the students in the "Taiwa Method" class were able to actualize the following: 1) to effectively explain their own opinions 2) to make others understand their opinions

The purpose of this study was to examine the students' collaborative process of construction of scientific concept using the others' metaphor. To this end, this study focused on an activity called "appropriation" in socio-cultural approach. The case which this study analyzed was sixth-grade science class on the human body. The first step of analysis was to identify the metaphor in students' utterances in the dialogue. The second step was to trace the change of semantics of metaphor through the dialogue. The results are as follows: First, the students' appropriation transformed the semantics of metaphor in the dialogue. Secondly, the each student developed her/his own scientific concept through the appropriation of metaphor. Thirdly, it was suggested that the teacher could utilize the students' metaphor to organize the dialogue.

The aim of the present experiment is to help children understand function of proteins. For this purpose we chose pepsin assayed under various conditions. To measure the enzyme activity we applied a simple (and less expensive) method consisting of BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) combined with BPB (Bromophenol Blue) as a substrate and an electrophoresis using horizontal agarose gels for the detection of protein digestion. Activity of the enzyme was rapidly and easily measured by the disappearance of the protein bands without staining the gels. Using this simple method, students can easily perform their own experiments designed by themselves. They will have enough time to discuss the results to understand the function of the enzyme. In this report we present some data of protein digestion obtained by this method.