Integrated classes are emerging in preparation for the pending “explosion of knowledge” in modern society; these classes cultivate the creative convergent talents required by the societies of the future. The integration and convergence classes can... Integrated classes are emerging in preparation for the pending “explosion of knowledge” in modern society; these classes cultivate the creative convergent talents required by the societies of the future. The integration and convergence classes can go beyond the limits of present curriculum education and allow students to explore solutions to problems through various perspectives and approaches, thereby fostering creativity. In the present arts curriculum, famous artworks are usually been presented, and tasks and activities typically occur in the framework of art-expression activities; however, more attempts are now being made to get out of the framework. In other words, art is beginning to integrate and converge with other fields, such as science, and aspects of society beyond the aesthetic sense and technique that have been traditionally learned in art class. Character design is a typical example of this trend. The character can function not only as entertainment and an economic aspect but also as a medium for conveying knowledge and information. Therefore, creative thinking is far more central in character design areas compared to others, and its range of application is thus increased. Therefore, it is a very suitable field for applying the fusion education method. It has not been long since character design appeared in the art curriculum, but the character itself has already been a communication medium and popular artwork form familiar to the public. It can be seen in manga, animation, stationary, and advertisements, and imaginary animals created by our ancestors. However, unlike the character's history, character education in the curriculum has not been around for long, and many aspects thereof remain to be studied. Before starting the research, I suggested that research on character design should have two aspects, materials and methods, just as diverse food items are created according to ingredients and cooking methods. The first was the question of where to get the materials needed for character design, and the second was the question of how to dissolve the materials in the characters. To answer the first question, I observed primitive, imaginary animals created by ancestral humans and discovered that they shared points with modern animated characters. I discovered that someone originated from an existing creature, as if it were “nothing new in the world,” and it was a funny curiosity to say, “What about integration with the ecological observation area of science?” To answer the second question, I reviewed previous research on the creative method. Among the many research methods that have been studied so far, I have concluded that SCAMPER is the easiest and the most effective way to dissolve these materials properly. The purpose of this study is to summarize the educational significance of “integrated art and science education” through previous studies, to explain the merit of applying art and science integrated lessons and the SCAMPER technique to character design, and to suggest alternatives through concrete examples of instruction. The following conclusions were drawn in this study. First, in the character design class of elementary school art, integrating with the biological observation area of the science subject led to a more scientifically meaningful result. Because the drawing process was preceded by observing and describing the creatures of the science subject, it was possible to describe parts of the character in more detail, and it was possible to depict the scientific expression by painting the figure with reference to each of its functions. Second, by using the SCAMPER technique, students were able to express characters easily and effectively. The most difficult part of the design was coming up with the initial idea. However, students could start easily and quickly without fear of the idea by applying it according to the steps of SCAMPER technique, and the students were able to effectively make a new form using existing creatures. Third, creative expression through character design and lessons integrated with science were possible using the SCAMPER technique. When the works of the groups were compared, many stereotypical expressions of imitated characters or anthropomorphic animals occurred in the control group, whereas that expression type was seen little in the experimental group. Fourth, the process of applying the observation with the biological observation area of the science subject to character design became an opportunity for students to think fusedly. This is because the scientific knowledge other than the art subject was inevitably needed to solve the problem of “designing the character by applying the features and functions of the animal's organ.” This situation resulted in students being able to think comprehensively.
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