Manabu Sumida
Ehime University, Japan
Title: Enquiry for Innovation in a Primary Science Classroom - A Pilot Study Focusing on a Lesson on ‘Dissolving’ in Grade 5
Biography
Biography: Manabu Sumida
Abstract
The 21st century is the era of ‘a knowledge-based society’ where new knowledge, information and technology are becoming increasingly important for activities in all walks of life, and science is the driving force. The purpose of this study was to examine the contemporary science lessons in primary science classrooms. A pilot study was conducted in a grade 5 regular science classroom related to the process of ‘dissolving’. The pilot lesson had three stages: 1) sharing scientific language, 2) practicing scientific methods and experimental skills, and 3) innovative application. This lesson model was based on an idea of science education as a second language education. The children did not consider the introduction part of sharing scientific language to be difficult and their self-evaluation of keenness to learn was high. In the second part which involved practicing scientific methods and experimental skills, the difficulty level of the lesson showed an increase in their self-evaluation. It seemed that self-confidence also increased slightly at this stage. In the final stage involving innovative application, the children designed their original experiments, and discussed what was new in their findings. In the final stage, the self-evaluation of difficulty of the lesson further increased while their self-confidence and self-evaluation of keenness to learn rose as well. In conclusion, primary students can consistently and intentionally manipulate ‘scientific language and metaphor’, confidently face difficult questions and discuss something new about their findings collaboratively.