國小學童在STEM整合學習中的知識建構研究：以氣候變遷議題探究為例

Abstract

本研究旨在探討國小學童根據氣候變遷議題進行STEM（科學、科技、工程、數學）整合學習的知識建構與識知取徑，主要透過質性研究取徑探究學生的「氣候變遷」先備知識和對「氣候變遷」概念的理解，並探究學生以氣候變遷議題進行STEM整合學習時建構的知識內容、類型與識知取徑，進而瞭解各學科知識與識知取徑在STEM整合學習中發生的交互作用，最後則根據研究發現提出對未來發展STEM整合課程與教學的建議。研究首先對108位國小六年級學生的氣候變遷先備知識與概念理解進行調查與分析，其後則透過課堂討論影音紀錄以及相關學習文件的蒐集與分析，聚焦於探討10組共24位學生在以氣候變遷議題進行STEM整合學習時的知識建構過程與樣態。研究發現如下：一、 國小學生普遍缺乏「氣候變遷」先備知識，對「氣候變遷」的理解亦顯模糊且存有不少迷思概念，並在設想探究方法時會輕忽論證程序。二、 STEM整合學習，不僅有助於學生立基於真實的在地氣候資料來建構「氣候變遷」知識，亦能幫助學生建構內容豐富、類型多元、跨科密切連結的科學、資訊科技與數學學科知識，從中也揭露了學生在各學科潛存的迷思概念，以及迷思概念可能跨越學科產生影響。三、 學生在STEM整合學習中會交互運用多元的學科識知取徑來建構知識，展現出以科學識知取徑導引探究發展、以資訊科技識知取徑支持探究實踐、並且以數學識知取徑豐富探究內涵。四、 學生的科學、資訊科技與數學學科知識或識知取徑在進行STEM整合學習時會產生交互作用，促使學生精煉各學科的知識建構；但也可能因誤用不同學科知識或迷思概念而轉移學科學習焦點，導致學生建構學科知識時增加認知負荷。另外，學生的語文知識對其建構與溝通科學、資訊科技與數學等學科知識至關重要，而人際知識亦可能影響學生建構知識的效能。根據研究發現，建議STEM整合學習的課程規劃應結合與真實生活情境相關的議題，並透過不同學科教師協同合作，以增加教師對相關學科知識與課程主題的敏覺；STEM整合學習的教學設計須奠基於對學生先備知識的理解，隨時根據學生學習發展調整教學策略並提供學習支援。而在「氣候變遷」議題融入教學時，則可透過STEM整合學習來引導學生強化「論證」能力。This study aims to explore elementary students’ knowledge construction in STEM （Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics） integrated learning on climate change issues. The study mainly adopted a qualitative research approach to examine students’ prior knowledge and their understanding of “climate change” concepts, and to explore the knowledge substance and dimensions students constructed as well as the approaches they applied toward knowledge construction when they engaging in STEM integrated learning on climate change issues; and then to understand the interaction between students' knowledge of various subjects and different ways of knowing in the STEM integrated learning process. This study first investigated into the prior knowledge and understanding of “climate change” concepts among 108 sixth-grade elementary students, and then, based on the audio-visual records of students’ discussions and their learning worksheets and related documents, the analyses were focused on the knowledge construction processes and patterns of 10 groups of 24 students in STEM integrated learning on climate change issues. The research findings are as follows:1. Elementary students generally lack prior knowledge of"climate change", have unclear understanding and myth conceptions of the concept of "climate change", and may ignore the reasoning and argumentation procedures when constructing their inquiry methods. 2. The STEM integrated learning not only allows students to construct knowledge about "climate change" based on the real local climate data, but also helps students construct rich, multi-dimensional knowledge in science, information technology and mathematics subjects that are closely connected toeach other subject. It also reveals that the myth conceptions students have in various subjects may have certain knock-on effects in other subjects.3. In STEM integrated learning, students would interrelatedly use multi-disciplinary approaches to construct knowledge, demonstrating that they use scientific ways of knowing to guide the development of inquiry, use information technology approaches to support the practice of inquiry, and use mathematical approaches to enrich the connotation of inquiry.4. Students’ subject knowledge or approaches toward knowledge construction in science, information technology and mathematics will have interactive effects during STEM integrated learning, prompting students to refine knowledge construction in each subject; however, students may also misuse subject knowledge or myth conceptions to shift their focus of subject learning which may cause students to increase their cognitive load when constructing subject knowledge. In addition, students’ language literacy is crucial for them to communicate and construct knowledge in science, information technology and mathematics, and their interpersonal knowledge and skills may also affect the effectiveness in constructing knowledge.Based on the research findings of the study, it is recommended that the curriculum planning of STEM integrated learning should respond to authentic real life issues, and through the collaboration of teachers from different subjects, teachers can increase their sensitivity of relevant subject knowledge and curriculum themes. Also, the teaching design of STEM integrated learning should be based on understanding of students' prior knowledge, and then to adjust teaching strategies and provide learning support according to the development of students’ learning. As for integrating the "climate change" issue into classroom teaching, more emphasis should be placed on guiding students to learn "reasoning and argumentation" through STEM integration.