The Features and Roles of Simulation Software in the Classroom

Abstract

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) has been conducting large-scale comparative studies of educational achievement, with the aim of gaining a more in-depth understanding of the effects of policies and practices within and across systems of education (Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture 2001). The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was conducted in 1999 and results indicated that Japan was only slightly trailing the leading countries in both math and science achievement. One indication of this is that the math and science ability of Japanese students surveyed ranked as fifth and fourth, respectively. However, when students were questioned whether or not they liked these subjects, Japan ranked next to last. Only 48% of Japanese students liked math or liked it very much and 55% liked science or liked it very much. These figures were both 24 percentage points lower than the international average. Many researchers have pointed out the necessity to promote science and math education in Japan and a survey by the National Institute of Educational Research showed that student interest in science decreases as they progress through school from grades 5 to 12, as shown in Fig. 1 (National Institute of Educational Policy Research 2002). The Ministry of Education of Japan has established several governmental policies for promoting science education in schools. These include the Super Science High School (SSH) project, the Science Partnership Program (SPP) and the development of science teaching and learning software which makes use of advanced technologies. Under the guidance of these policies the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) has developed much high quality software for science education for use in both primary and high schools in Japan (Japan Science and Technology Corporation 2003). In order to make effective use of this software in education, a committee for the development and evaluation of