Educational Technology Research
Online ISSN : 2189-7751
Print ISSN : 0387-7434
ISSN-L : 0387-7434
Translation
Study on Elementary School Teacher Discussion Guidance in Science Observations and Experiments*
Hiroyoshi KINOSHITA
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2018 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 41-52

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to survey teachers’ guidance in activities involving discussion of observational and experimental results. Further, this study aims to provide suggestions for improving guidance methods based on the survey’s results. To achieve these aims, we created a questionnaire with 25 items and surveyed 151 elementary school teachers.Results concerning the first aim of the study showed that (1) guidance in initiating discussion among students tended to be insufficient compared to guidance in forming hypotheses or anticipating results, (2) young teachers had difficulty in knowing what guidance to provide in discussions and how to give it, while mid-career teachers presented children with discussion before showing them how to think or respond. We identified two points regarding experienced teachers: they experienced difficulty while both ascertaining the necessary elements for discussion and paying attention to guidance.Thus, based on results (1) and (2), and the results of examining causal structures, we provided suggestions for improving guidance methods in response to the second aim of this study: for children to interpret results based on their own hypotheses and engage in learning activities that yield discussion, teachers need to carefully guide children when forming their own hypotheses.

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© 2017 Japan Society for Educational Technology
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