Abstract
Today, the necessity of marine education is being stated. Especially raising awareness about biodiversity is important in marine education. Museums not only house exhibits but also have the function of storing specimens. They hold specimens not available to the public daily that can be used for educational and research purposes. Samples of creatures that are difficult to keep and of unusual organisms are often stored in museums. Also, since immersion specimens do not move, they are suitable for observation. The forms of fish are especially diverse. Observations of fish of various forms facilitate the understanding of fish morphology and awareness of biodiversity. Therefore, we conducted a marine biology course using museum fish specimens. In that course, in order to encourage learners’ activeness, we implemented quizzes and organized sessions with story nature. Before the lecture, the awareness of the morphology of the fish was low. The lecture was able to make the diversity of fish form understanding. Learners actively attended, observed and deepened their understanding. Also, we were able to tell learners about the function of the museum. It was found that the use of museum specimens is beneficial for observing precious biological specimens.
Highlights
Japan is an ocean country, and the necessity for marine education is currently increasing (Kohno et al, 2016)
Fish are regarded as representative of marine life, and they are familiar through fishing and other common Japanese activities
In the quiz we gave the students on fish, they recognized typical streamlined fish as fish, but before our explanations other forms of fish were not so recognized (Figure 4)
Summary
Japan is an ocean country, and the necessity for marine education is currently increasing (Kohno et al, 2016). The number of fish species is overwhelming among vertebrates, and their shapes show great diversity (Magurran, 2004; Matsuura, 2005; Sfakiotakis et al, 1999). Both the sizes and the forms of fish are very diverse; the smallest fish is about 8 mm long (Paedocypris progenetica), and the largest fish is a whale shark (Rhincodon typus), reaching over 13 m in length (Matsuura, 2005). It is useful to explain fish as an introduction to the diversity of the shapes of marine life
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