M. Arikawa et S. Maruno, Improvement of tool-using skills through understanding mechanical laws andusing shop equipment, JPN J EDU P, 48(4), 2000, pp. 501-511
The present study investigated effective methods of teaching tool-using ski
lls to junior high school students. Students participating in the study wer
e having difficulty using tools. The relative effectiveness of 3 types of i
nstruction for helping the students improve working skills was analyzed by
a comparison of 3 groups of participants. In the first method, 21 students
were told how to use the claws of a hammer, and given a demonstration. In t
he secund method (22 students), charts and pictures illustrating the laws o
f leverage were explained simply, and a demonstration was given. The third
method (21 students) included the second method plus immediately having the
students practice pulling nails. When the 3 groups were compared, the resu
lts showed that participants in the third group improved their skills the m
ost. This group was also able to transfer the skill to other tools that use
the laws of leverage, such as a sheet metal cutter, even though the appear
ance of those tools is suite different from the tool the participants were
trained on. The explanation of the laws of leverage was effective, but imme
diately allowing the students to work with actual tools was an even more ef
fective method of instruction.