생명 현상에 대한 정보 제공 유형에 따른 초등학교 학생의 협동적 의미 구성

Abstract

This study examined the effects of cooperative interactions on the construction of meaning about biological phenomena by the elementary school students. In particular, the focus of the study was at emergent properties. Two factors, that is the ways of constructing the meaning (individualistic vs. cooperative) and the modes of information provided (image only vs. image and verbal) in the form of video, were considered. A task was selected from three tasks according to the complexity and variability of responses of children to each task. Four groups of the 4th graders were selected for the study. Two of the groups were provided information only with image and with image and corresponding narration on the biological phenomena, then individually constructed meaning of these. Another two groups performed same task except the ways of activities to construct meaning, that is, cooperative. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The major results were as follows. First, in quantitative aspect of the meaning constructed by children, the cooperative activities were more effective than individual ones. Second, more emergent properties were appeared when the children experienced the information in the form of only image rather than both of image and narration, and when activities were performed in cooperatively rather than individually. Third, in verbal behaviors in cooperative groups, the providing of content and the question on content were frequently appeared. These results have some important implications in the designing of curriculum and instruction in science.