The Effects of Science Writing on Cognitive-Affective Aspects of Elementary School Students

과학 글쓰기 활동이 초등학생들의 인지적.정의적 측면에 미치는 효과

The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of science writing on organizing scientific knowledge and improving science process skills and science attitude, as science educators have indicated. For this study, two classes of $5^{th}$ grade students were chosen in the same elementary school. Subjects were divided into an experimental and a control group. The students in the experimental group took part in a science writing program for 14 lessons of science classes. The students in the control group were taught according to the traditional science program using standard science textbooks. To identify the effects of science writing, both groups' students were tested on science achievement, science process skills, and science attitude before the program implementation and were tested on science concept, science process skills, science attitude after the program implementation. The results of this study showed that the experimental group gains significantly higher scores than the control group in science concept and science attitude, but there was no significant difference on science process skills for either group. In conclusion, science writing had positive effects on science concept and science attitude of elementary school students, helping them to express their thinking logically and systematically, but science process skills were not affected.