Organizing Active Learning Models in Science Classes (2)

The purpose of this study is to organize active learning models in science classes. Through classroom practice from elementary school to upper secondary school, we observed the followings: 1) the "reciprocal of internalization and externalization," which means collaborative and cooperative learning, is the key to active learning in science lessons; 2) by creating a "subject skeleton," teachers can gain clarity regarding the promotion of deep learning and organize active learning models in science classes

Theranostic Agent Combining Fullerene Nanocrystals and Gold Nanoparticles for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Developing photoactivatable theranostic platforms with integrated functionalities of biocompatibility, targeting, imaging contrast, and therapy is a promising approach for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Here, we report a theranostic agent based on a hybrid nanoparticle comprising fullerene nanocrystals and gold nanoparticles (FGNPs) for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. Compared to gold nanoparticles and fullerene crystals, FGNPs exhibited stronger photoacoustic signals and photothermal heating characteristics by irradiating light with an optimal wavelength. Our studies demonstrated that FGNPs could kill cancer cells due to their photothermal heating characteristics in vitro. Moreover, FGNPs that are accumulated in tumor tissue via the enhanced permeation and retention effect can visualize tumor tissue due to their photoacoustic signal in tumor xenograft model mice. The theranostic agent with FGNPs shows promise for cancer therapy

Organizing of Active Learning Models in Science Classes (2)

The purpose of this study is to organize active learning models in science classes. Through classroom practice from elementary school to upper secondary school, we observed the following: 1) the "reciprocal of internalization and externalization," which means collaborative and cooperative learning, is the key to active learning in science lessons; 2) by creating a "subject skeleton," teachers can gain clarity regarding the promotion of deep learning and organize active learning models in science classes

Active Learning Models in Science Classes

研究の第１年次に当たる本年は，理科におけるアクティブラーニング型授業の構造化に向けて，内化と外化の往還を取り入れた授業デザインとその実践に取り組み，具体的実践の蓄積を行った。小学校，中学校，高等学校それぞれで実践を行ったところ，１）学習内容の定着が図られる，２）発展的な内容や未習内容を生徒が主体的に理解することが可能である，３）協働的な学びの場面を加えることで理解の深化が図られる，４）どのような課題に取り組ませるのかといった課題の設定がカギである，５）アクティブラーニングであるか否かを判断するための要素を明らかにする必要がある，などの一定の成果と課題が明らかになった。The purpose of this study is to create active learning models in science classes. As the first-year research, the authors designed the classes which would include a round trip between externalization and internalization, and put them into practice. The designed models were adopted in elementary, junior high and senior high school classes. What have become clear are as the following; 1) Students’ acquisition of the learning contents can be promoted, 2) Students can understand advanced contents proactively, 3) Students’ learning can be deepened by adding collaborative activities, 4) The success or failure to active learning may depend on the quality of the tasks which students work on, 5) It is necessary to clarify the factors to determine active learning

The Role of Science Education in the Construction of a Knowledge-Based Society

知識基盤社会における理科の役割は，科学的に探究する活動を通して得られた結果（情報）を活用し，それらの情報から導き出した自らの考えを表現する能力を高めることである。これまでに明らかになったことは，授業者が実験結果に対して関連付けることができる事項を明確にし，分析・解釈する視点を与えることが重要であるということである。今年度は，小学校，中学校，高等学校の理科で，パフォーマンス課題を取り入れた探究活動を行い，多くの授業者が共有できる方向性を考えた。実践の結果，以下のことが明らかになった。１）小集団での話し合いの質を高めるためには，話し合いの目的と方法を明示することが重要であること。２）そのために授業者の関わり方を引き続き検討する必要があること。３）パフォーマンス課題の設計には授業者がよりメタ認知を働かせることが必要であること。今後は，このような実践経験を広く共有すべきであると考えている。Science education should help students to utilize results and information through activities, to investigate scientifically, and to develop their abilities to express ideas they have derived from those results. We have learned that it is important for instructors to clarify which results from experiments relate to each other and to give students some clear perspectives for analyzing and interpreting them. This academic year, we investigated performance tasks at elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels. Through our research we have learned that to improve the quality of discussion in small groups, it is important to make the purpose and method clear. We also showed that instructors should monitor how they engage with students in the course of discussion and that they need to function meta-cognitive abilities more to design performance tasks

A Research on a New Science Curriculum Development Based on ‘Nature Of Science’ Ⅲ : Reconstruction of a Coherence Science Curriculum from Elementary School to Upper Secondary School

本研究は，新しい科学観を取り入れた小学校から高等学校までの理科カリキュラムを開発することを目的としており，今年度は３年次にあたる。これまでの成果と課題をもとに，初等・中等教育で一貫して「科学の本質」を学ぶためのフレームワーク構築に向け，小学校から高等学校を通じて系統的に取り扱うことが可能な内容について検討を行った。 中学校における実践からは，理科教師が，科学者コミュニティーによる知，政策決定者や教師たちによる教えるべき知，児童・生徒の発達段階や文脈などを考慮した教える知，について可能な限り熟知する必要があることが示唆された。また，論証活動を行う際の，教師の振る舞い方も重要であることも明らかとなった。 また，小学校における実践では，学年による差異はあるものの，見たことや考えたことの違いを次第に意識化させることによって，観察や実験等のレポートの書き方の指導にも繋がることが明らかとなった。 以上の実践より，科学の本質を初等・中等教育で一貫して教えるためには，これまでの実践の視点の変容に基づく教師による授業方略の在り方や投げ込み的教材を使用する教師の意図が，いかに重要であるかを示唆している。This study develops a new science curriculum for elementary to upper secondary schools which include the concept of the “Nature of Science”. We examined possible content to build a systematic framework for mentioned above science education. The practice at junior high school shows that teachers should be familiar with scholarly knowledge, knowledge to be taught by the policy makers and teachers, and taught knowledge which students understand through learning along with the students’ ages and contexts. The teacher’s behavior in argumentation by pupils is also important. The practice at elementary school shows that perceptions of the crucial distinction between inference and observation lead students to write good reports. These practices exemplify that teaching Nature of Science consistently to elementary and lower secondary students should largely depend on the teachers’ methods of instruction and what material they develop from a new viewpoint

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Development of Lignin-Based Terpolyester Film and Its Application to Separator Material for Electric Double-Layer Capacitor

For new application of technical lignins as separator material for electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), we tried first to prepare bipolyester film by melt-polycondensation of polyethylene glycol lignin (PEGL) and maleic anhydride. The EDLC assembled with this film, however, showed lower electrochemical performance than the reference EDLC with commercial cellulosic separator. Porous bipolyester film was then prepared and the resulting EDLC exhibited improved specific capacitance, but high intrinsic and charge transfer resistances. Non-porous terpolyester film was prepared next, using polyethylene glycol 500,000 to improve flexibility of the film, which might lower the resistances. This film was flexible enough and provided the resulting EDLC with superior electrochemical performance to the bipolyester film. EDLC with porous terpolyester film was finally prepared and showed the highest electrochemical performance, comparable to the reference EDLC. Porous morphology and flexibility were key factors to fabricate lignin-based self-standing film as separator material for high-performance EDLC