11:30 AM - 11:45 AM
[O05-08] Current Situation and Issues of Teaching and Learning of Meteorological Disasters and Climate Change in Lower Secondary Science
★Invited Papers
Keywords:meteorological disaster, climate change, textbook analysis, lower secondary science, education for disaster preparedness, climate change education
This study analyzed lower secondary science textbooks to understand the current situation of teaching and learning of meteorological disasters and climate change. “Natural benefits and meteorological disasters” was added to “weather and its changes” in the science of the courses of study for Grade 2 in lower secondary schools, when revised in 2017 (hereinafter referred to as “current courses of study”). It became clear that meteorological disasters were understood in relation to changes in weather as well as Japan’s weather. In this learning, meteorological disasters and weather are examined from scientific viewpoints, such as temporal and spatial relations as well as the relationship between cause and effect. Among meteorological disasters, those caused by heavy rain with a high frequency of occurrence and a large degree of damage are important natural disasters for which learning is desired in lower secondary science (Matsuo and Yoshimoto, 2021).
There was a description of typhoons, heavy rain, and natural hazards in the science textbooks (hereinafter referred to as “previous textbooks”) of four out of the five publishers for the courses of study in lower secondary schools, revised in 2008 (hereinafter referred to as “previous courses of study”). However, the description of the Baiu front, heavy rain, and natural hazards was included in one publisher’s textbook; in particular, the improvement of the description of the Baiu front was considered an issue. In the presentation, the analysis results of descriptions in the textbooks based on the current courses of study (hereinafter referred to as “current textbooks”) will be reported on heavy rain mainly caused by typhoons and the Baiu front and natural disasters.
For Grade 3 in lower secondary science “nature and humans,” the covered content changed from “global warming” in the previous courses of study to “climate change” in the current course. Thus, it is expected to deal with not only the warming of the Earth’s surface, but also various changes in the climate system, such as changes in the cryosphere and extreme weather events. In the previous textbooks, “atmospheric warming” and “increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases” were described by all five publishers. However, in the current textbooks, an “increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases” was not described in the textbook of one publisher. In addition, “ocean warming” and “changes in extreme weather events” were described in some previous textbooks, but not in any of the current textbooks. While there was a textbook that grasped climate change multilaterally and the number of description items increased, the number of description items decreased and dealt only with “atmospheric warming” in a textbook. It is desirable to discuss to what extent climate change should be handled in lower secondary science to clarify the learning object.
Reference
Matsuo, R., and Yoshimoto, N. (2021): Content analysis of lower secondary science textbooks on precipitation: On “weather and its changes” in Grade 2. Education of Earth Science, 73, 55-69.
There was a description of typhoons, heavy rain, and natural hazards in the science textbooks (hereinafter referred to as “previous textbooks”) of four out of the five publishers for the courses of study in lower secondary schools, revised in 2008 (hereinafter referred to as “previous courses of study”). However, the description of the Baiu front, heavy rain, and natural hazards was included in one publisher’s textbook; in particular, the improvement of the description of the Baiu front was considered an issue. In the presentation, the analysis results of descriptions in the textbooks based on the current courses of study (hereinafter referred to as “current textbooks”) will be reported on heavy rain mainly caused by typhoons and the Baiu front and natural disasters.
For Grade 3 in lower secondary science “nature and humans,” the covered content changed from “global warming” in the previous courses of study to “climate change” in the current course. Thus, it is expected to deal with not only the warming of the Earth’s surface, but also various changes in the climate system, such as changes in the cryosphere and extreme weather events. In the previous textbooks, “atmospheric warming” and “increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases” were described by all five publishers. However, in the current textbooks, an “increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases” was not described in the textbook of one publisher. In addition, “ocean warming” and “changes in extreme weather events” were described in some previous textbooks, but not in any of the current textbooks. While there was a textbook that grasped climate change multilaterally and the number of description items increased, the number of description items decreased and dealt only with “atmospheric warming” in a textbook. It is desirable to discuss to what extent climate change should be handled in lower secondary science to clarify the learning object.
Reference
Matsuo, R., and Yoshimoto, N. (2021): Content analysis of lower secondary science textbooks on precipitation: On “weather and its changes” in Grade 2. Education of Earth Science, 73, 55-69.