Perception and Practice of Elementary Teachers about Using Visual-Thinking in Science Classes - Focus on the Teacher's Online Community Materials -

과학 수업에서 비주얼씽킹 도입에 대한 초등교사의 인식과 실행 - 교사 온라인 커뮤니티 자료를 중심으로 -

The purpose of this study is to investigate how elementary teachers perceive and practice using Visual Thinking (VT) in science classes. For this, we collected 161 VT teaching materials for science that uploaded on the elementary teacher's online communities, and analyzed the characteristics. Also we interviewed four elementary teachers who have used VT in science class. The results are as follows. First, VT teaching materials shared in teacher's online communities were most often used to review the science concepts that students learned. Most of the materials required 'remember' among the Cognitive Process, and most of them provided layouts for VT activities. Second, the participants were using VT materials to review the science concepts they learned, so that students remember them. Third, the participants were satisfied because of the beliefs of effects as follows: facilitating learning and reviewing what students had learned; increasing students' positive reactions and confidence; learning through the interation among learners; the formation of habits thinking visually; indirect experiences of science class; possibility of class corresponding to learner characteristics. Fourth, the participants had difficulties in preparing for the VT science class, such as the burden of making VT materials, the long preparation time, concerns over overlapping contents, consideration of learners' VT skills, and the themselves' drawing ability. Furthermore, they also had difficulties in proceeding for the class, like different preference among learners about Visualization and loss of objectives in science class using VT. Fifth, the participants needed support as follows: platform to share students' VT results; VT case books and teachers' guidebooks; physical environment.