Abstract:

This article intends to give insight into tools designed for and applied in a research project in which the kamishibai story telling technique (Brandt, 2016) was merged into a setting of inquiry-based learning (Hofer et al., 2016 & Reitinger, 2013b). Thus new forms were coined which were subsumed under the innovative term KamiScience (Pustak, 2019). In short, KamiScience is a neologism, concretely speaking a blended word of the terms 'kamishibai' and 'science'. Its concept allows two approaches: on the pedagogical level KamiScience offers various possibilities to spot, foster and assess talents in students of all age groups. Furthermore the formats of KamiScience can be used as research instruments to create data for further investigation. All theses aspects will be explained in detail to give a compact, informative introduction to this innovative approach.

After a short outline of the crucial facts (design, learning environment, research questions, theoretical background, research instruments, outcomes) of the research project "Auf den Spuren von Albert - Ein Theaterstück als Impuls zum forschenden Lernen" [https://www.ph-online.ac.at/phst/wbLDB.detailLeistung?pOrgNr=18516&pIdentNr=&pLstNr=1841] the following tools will be introduced and characterized: KamiScienceStory, KamiSciencePoster, KamiScienceSlam (Pustak, 2019). The role of learners as well as the role of the pedagogues in this particular learning environment will be discussed. The potentials of the KamiScienceStory 'Albert and Alberta Exploring Stones' (Pustak, 2019) for inquiry-based learning, possible ways to successfully integrate story-telling and elements of theatre pedagogical elements in a learning environment will be sketched out by a practical example. Thus readers will be able to understand the particular design and the aims of a KamiScienceStory. In short the two main purposes of such a story are to raise the interest in young learners in doing research on a topic and to explain the activities involved in a research process in a playful, easy-to-understand way. Since the KamiScienceStory has already been told in an inclusive environment with participants of various kinds of handicaps the article will as well include likely reactions and guidelines to use this method in such a setting.

Factors that have to be taken into consideration to allow creativity in this particular self-dependent learning setting will be outlined in a final section and related to talent—fostering conditions pointed out by Urban (Urban, 2007). Since KamiScience was applied in groups of elementary, primary and secondary age levels, this article provides practice based information for pedagogues of these specific age groups amongst others.

References:
Brandt, S. (2016). Das Kamishibai Erzähltheater. In: Textor, M. R. & Bostelmann, A. (Hrsg.): Das Kita-Handbuch. Verfügbar unter: https://www.kindergartenpaedagogik.de/fachartikel/bildungsbereiche-erziehungsfelder/sprache-fremdsprachen-literacy-kommunikation/2346 [01.10.2019]
Hofer, E., Abels, S. & Lembens, A. (2016). Forschendes Lernen und das 5E-Modell. PLUSLUCIS,1,4.
Verfügbar unter: https://www.univie.ac.at/pluslucis/PlusLucis/161/S04.pdf [25.01.2019; 21.00]
Pustak, S. (2019). Albert und Albertina erforschen Steine. CD. Graz: bnb-edutrainment.
Pustak, S. (2019). Albert und Albertina erforschen Steine. Kamishibai Erzählung, pädagogischer Leitfaden & Bildkarten. Graz: bnb-edutrainment.
Urban, K. (2007). 25 Anregungen zur Kreativitätsförderung.

Keywords:

inquiry-based learning, Talent spotting, giftedness, Story-telling, creativity, kamishibai, Research methods.