[O05-P41] Educational Effects of Screening a Geopark Film at a Local Science Museum
Keywords:Tateyama Kurobe Geopark, Science museum, Planetarium dome, Education
1. Introduction
Kurobe Yoshida Science Museum is a science museum located in Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture. The museum functions as one of the base facilities of Tateyama Kurobe Geopark and, as such, conducts various educational activities utilizing the Geopark. Additionally, a variety of programs are screened in the museum using its 20-meter-diameter planetarium dome. One such program is "Ken no Yama," a film which features Tateyama Kurobe Geopark. This publication provides an overview of the film and the results of a questionnaire survey conducted among viewers of the program.
2. Overview of "Ken no Yama"
“Ken no Yama” is a live-action science drama film produced by Kurobe City and LIVE Company Ltd. set in Tateyama Kurobe Geopark. The film was created to fit the specifications of a full-dome screen, and when projected, fills the entire planetarium dome. The story of “Ken no Yama” concerns the journey of a boy who lost his father in a mountain-related accident as a young child. Through climbing the mountain with his friends, the protagonist is able to connect with the nature of Tateyama and Kurobe and thus re-examine the relationship between himself and the mountain.
The film is screened once per day at the museum, excepting days on which the museum is closed. In addition, since October 2018, the museum has provided all sixth-grade elementary school students within Kurobe City the opportunity to view the film.
3. Questionnaire Results
At the museum, a questionnaire survey was given to all students who viewed “Ken no Yama”. The survey was conducted in two parts: students answered a pre-viewing questionnaire prior to watching the film, then a post-viewing questionnaire after seeing the film. The survey asked students about their level of interest in scientific fields as covered by the film on a scale of one to five: 1 (Very interested), 2 (Somewhat interested), 3 (Neutral), 4 (Not very interested), 5 (Not at all interested). The post-viewing questionnaire also included the one-to-five rating scale in addition to providing a free-response space in which viewers could write any additional thoughts they had.
The results of the survey were as follows: in the pre-viewing questionnaire, the average degree of interest in water, rocks, topography, Earth, space, and living things was 2.7, 2.9, 2.6, 2.2, 2.1, and 2.3., respectively. Conversely, the post-viewing questionnaire indicated averages of 2.3, 2.5, 2.3, 2.0, 2.0, and 2.2, respectively. In the free-response area, the answer, “I learned for the first time that mountains change,” was seen frequently.
4. Discussion
Based on the results of the pre- and post-viewing questionnaires, this program can be considered an appropriate teaching material for elementary school students to cultivate interest in geology and topography. It can also be said that, through this film, the imagery of how topography changes over time can be conveyed to elementary school students.
From the above, we may consider that educational activities carried out by the Geopark in cooperation with science museum facilities such as planetariums can provide even stronger educational effects.
Kurobe Yoshida Science Museum is a science museum located in Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture. The museum functions as one of the base facilities of Tateyama Kurobe Geopark and, as such, conducts various educational activities utilizing the Geopark. Additionally, a variety of programs are screened in the museum using its 20-meter-diameter planetarium dome. One such program is "Ken no Yama," a film which features Tateyama Kurobe Geopark. This publication provides an overview of the film and the results of a questionnaire survey conducted among viewers of the program.
2. Overview of "Ken no Yama"
“Ken no Yama” is a live-action science drama film produced by Kurobe City and LIVE Company Ltd. set in Tateyama Kurobe Geopark. The film was created to fit the specifications of a full-dome screen, and when projected, fills the entire planetarium dome. The story of “Ken no Yama” concerns the journey of a boy who lost his father in a mountain-related accident as a young child. Through climbing the mountain with his friends, the protagonist is able to connect with the nature of Tateyama and Kurobe and thus re-examine the relationship between himself and the mountain.
The film is screened once per day at the museum, excepting days on which the museum is closed. In addition, since October 2018, the museum has provided all sixth-grade elementary school students within Kurobe City the opportunity to view the film.
3. Questionnaire Results
At the museum, a questionnaire survey was given to all students who viewed “Ken no Yama”. The survey was conducted in two parts: students answered a pre-viewing questionnaire prior to watching the film, then a post-viewing questionnaire after seeing the film. The survey asked students about their level of interest in scientific fields as covered by the film on a scale of one to five: 1 (Very interested), 2 (Somewhat interested), 3 (Neutral), 4 (Not very interested), 5 (Not at all interested). The post-viewing questionnaire also included the one-to-five rating scale in addition to providing a free-response space in which viewers could write any additional thoughts they had.
The results of the survey were as follows: in the pre-viewing questionnaire, the average degree of interest in water, rocks, topography, Earth, space, and living things was 2.7, 2.9, 2.6, 2.2, 2.1, and 2.3., respectively. Conversely, the post-viewing questionnaire indicated averages of 2.3, 2.5, 2.3, 2.0, 2.0, and 2.2, respectively. In the free-response area, the answer, “I learned for the first time that mountains change,” was seen frequently.
4. Discussion
Based on the results of the pre- and post-viewing questionnaires, this program can be considered an appropriate teaching material for elementary school students to cultivate interest in geology and topography. It can also be said that, through this film, the imagery of how topography changes over time can be conveyed to elementary school students.
From the above, we may consider that educational activities carried out by the Geopark in cooperation with science museum facilities such as planetariums can provide even stronger educational effects.