Collaborative Inductive Problem Solving Using an ICT Tool in an Elementary Science Classroom

Abstract

This paper describes the effect of a real-time tool, MetaMoji ClassRoom, on collaborative discussions around the varied results of science experiments in an elementary school. The principle of our science education is to find materials and scientific questions from everyday experiences and investigate these questions with experiments and observations. Sharing the results of varied group experiments, the class attempts inductive inference to arrive at a generalized conclusion. The effects of the collaboration tool on students’ awareness of other groups’ results were suggested from their notes. Significantly, more texts referring to others’ results were found in the students’ notes when the experimental results were shared using the tool. We then measured the time process of commenting on the results of the group experiments, visualized by the collaboration tool. Comments fulfilling students’ discussions were indicated within 20 min. This efficiency of collaboration enables the classroom to take enough time to carry out inductive inference to arrive at a generalized conclusion based on the variety of experimental observations.