A Case Study on Teachers' and Students' Perception regarding Small Group Study in Elementary Science Instruction

초등학교 과학 수업에서 소집단 학습에 대한 교사와 학생들의 인식 사례 연구

The purpose of this study was to help elementary teachers to design systems for small group study to improve the efficiency of both teaching and learning in science education. This was done by examining how teachers form and manage a small group study, and by observing students' perceptions regarding small group study. For this study, an in-depth interview was conducted with 8 elementary teachers and 8 sixth grade elementary students chosen according to their levels of class participation and scientific achievement. The results showed that although elementary teachers preferred a group of 4 students, 6 students were randomly picked to form a group due to the physical aspects of the educational environment in most of the cases examined. It was also found that when the small group was composed of students with different personalities rather than according to their level of achievement, this better encouraged research activities and fostered scientific attitudes as compared to educating solely for the transference of scientific knowledge. On the elementary students' part, a change of perception on their new role and skills of interaction was also required. Elementary students preferred to compose small groups so that they resembled a group of close friends, and from their perspective, small group study was useful, interesting, time efficient, and helpful to each other in studying science.