科學敎育의 硏究論 小考

Abstract

Owing to the belief that research for science education will definitely contribute to the fundamental and long-term improvement of teaching science, the characteristics of science education research are investigated in detail with respect to the nature of science and the basic I factors of teaching science. Three objectives of research for science education are established; the first is. to collect and analyze information on science education including historical and status surveys the second is to construct both experimental-explanatory and factor-deduced theories; and the third is to perform the applied research in science education including action study. The subject areas of the research in science education are categorizod in four different ways which correspond to four-dimensional characters with research tasks; the first way is according to the areas of science: physics, chemistry, biology and earth science; the second way is according to the levels of students: elementary, secondary and higher education of science for literacy , teacher education ,for the corresponding levels, education for specialists of science, technology, philosophy and history of science; the third way is by domain of behavior: psychomoter skill, three parts of cognitive, and two parts of affective domain; and the fourth way is by educational functions: philosophy, curriculum, learning, instruction, facilities and equipments, evaluation, supervision and administration, professionality, and comparative research in science education. The specific examples of the subjects are given according to the linear arrangement by the way of educational function. After discussion of the principles of approach in science education research, the specific methods are introduced; direct-experience, descriptive, experimental, reference-deducing, theoretical, developmental, biological and historical methods. And then some of the important tools and techniques for research are discussed. The last discussion is related to competance of science education researchers and to the desirability of establishing full time positions in research and development. It is expected that the research does not only improve science teaching but also contributes to formation of general theory of instruction, and to communication between natural scientists and humanitists because the nature of science education can not but confront the aspects of both natural sciences and social studies.