Development of a Hands-On Learning Tool for Junior High School Science: Exploring the “Nature of Sound” with a Thumb-Sized Microcomputer

This study aims to contribute to the advancement of STEAM education and foster independent learning experiences for students. The focus is on proposing and developing a hands-on learning tool tailored for the “Nature of Sound” unit in junior high school science classes. The learning material, centered around a thumb-sized microcomputer, facilitates an interactive approach. Students engage by holding and shaking the device, exploring the relationship between wave amplitude and frequency, and the resulting volume and pitch of sound. The tool responds by displaying a waveform and generating corresponding sounds based on the amplitude and frequency of the shake. Through repeated observations of waveforms and sound outputs, students are encouraged to discern the connection between their shaking motion and the resulting sound characteristics. In this paper, we introduced the ViVi, a hands-on learning material utilizing a thumb-sized microcomputer, designed for the “Nature of Sound” unit in junior high school science classes. The ViVi stands out for offering experiential learning, where “the learner becomes the source of sound” by physically shaking the materials. This paper Also outlines the design and implementation of the learning material and presents the evaluation results obtained during its application in a formal class at a Japanese public junior high school.