한국과 일본의 초등학교 과학교과서 삽화 비교 분석

Comparative Analysis on Illustrations of Elementary School Science Textbooks in South Korea and Japan

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the illustrations of elementary science textbooks in Korea and Japan, and to determine whether the types of illustrations were appropriately presented by grade level in consideration of the students cognitive developmental level. And another purpose of this study was to examine how the 3rd graders perceived the illustrations of elementary science textbook in Korea and Japan. The frequencies of illustrations were counted by the types of illustration such as photographs, pictures, illustrations, diagrams, and cartoons. And the ratios of the illustration types were calculated by areas of science contents and grades. And this study determined whether the types of illustrations were presented appropriately according to students cognitive levels. In addition, this study analyzed the students perceptions through questionnaires and interviews on the illustrations of elementary science textbooks in Korea and Japan. The results obtained through the study were as follows: First, Korea used photographs mostly but Japan, more various illustration types than Korea. Earth and space area in Korea used more illustrations and diagrams gradually according to increasing grades. Second, Korean elementary science textbooks used diagrams and illustrations gradually more according to increasing grades which were regarded as they considered the cognitive developmental levels of elementary school students. Third, Korean 3rd graders perceived the illustrations of Japanese science textbooks were more interested than Korean science textbooks, which owed to using various types of illustrations in Japanese elementary science textbooks. In Korea, the actual size of caterpillars is expressed in millimeters, so many students answered that it is difficult to estimate the size of caterpillars at once because they learn the length unit in mathematics later. On the other hand, in the Japanese, the actual size of the caterpillar is displayed as a picture so that students can easily know the actual size. The elementary 3rd graders preferred illustrations in the order of photos, cartoons, and pictures, but differently the frequency analysis of textbooks in this study showed in the order of photos, pictures, and cartoons, we may consider the preference of elementary students. The results of this study could be used for the future science textbook development.