• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.305-321
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• 2015

This study started with wondering whether the nonproportional model used in unit assessment for 2nd graders is appropriate or not for them. This study aims to explore the applicability of the nonproportional model to 2nd graders when they learn about numbers. To achieve this goal, we analyzed elementary mathematics textbooks, applied two kinds of tests to 2nd graders who have learned three-digit numbers by using the proportional model, and investigated their cognitive characteristics by interview. The results show that using the nonproportional model in the initial stages of 2nd grade can cause some didactical problems. Firstly, the nonproportional models were presented only in unit assessment without any learning activity with them in the 2nd grade textbook. Secondly, the size of each nonproportional model wasn't written on itself when it was presented. Thirdly, it was the most difficult type of nonproportional models that was introduced in the initial stages related to the nonproportional models. Fourthly, 2nd graders tend to have a great difficulty understanding the relationship of nonproportional models and to recognize the nonproportional model on the basis of the concept of place value. Finally, the question about the relationship between nonproportional models sticks to the context of multiplication, without considering the context of addition which is familiar to the students.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.49-65
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• 2018

Astronomy is the subject that can easily draw students' interest in studying science, therefore plays an important role in developing scientific core competence. However, it is difficult to develop spatial thinking that is required in understanding astronomical concepts through the classroom lessons. Planetarium, along with the science museum, is one of the most representative informal educational institution where astronomical concepts can be taught beyond time and space constraints. In this study, we developed the astronomy education program that is operated in the planetarium and applied the program to the elementary, middle and high-school students to investigate the effects of the planetarium lesson compared to the classroom lesson. The duration of this research was about 8 months, and the number of the students involved is 761, including participants of the 1 night and 2 days camps in the Daegu National Science Museum. The newly developed planetarium lesson is comparable to the previous classroom lesson of which topics are cardinal points, constellation, and the rotation of the earth. Test items were developed to evaluate the understanding of the astronomical concepts. The study was conducted based on the pre- and post-test with non-equivalent groups design comparing classroom and planetarium lessons. The results of this study are as follows. First, planetarium lesson is more effective for understanding astronomical concepts such as the cardinal points, earth's rotation, and the constellation than classroom lesson. Second, planetarium has a positive effect irrespective of gender and previous knowledge. Third, planetarium for high school students has the same effect as additional observation activities followed by the classroom instruction. Therefore, planetarium can be used as an alternative, effective tool when night observation is not available. In summary, planetarium is an effective tool that helps students to understand the astronomical concepts.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.193-201
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of ICT on tenth grade students' understandings of and attitude toward reproduction. The subject of the study was 8 classes of 267 students. Four classes learned with help of lCT, but another four classes learned on the basis of a textbook. Understanding of reproduction and the attitude were assessed using a written test and a survey, respectively. The lCT was found to be effective to foster understanding of reproduction concepts and consciousness toward human reproduction. Discussions in the web enabled students get some feedbacks on their preconceptions from other students.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.359-374
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• 2020

This study is a complex type consisting of survey study and self-study. The former investigated elementary teachers' epistemological beliefs on convergence knowledge and teaching. As a representative of the result of survey study I, as a teacher as well as a researcher, was the participant of the self-study, which investigated my epistemological belief on convergence knowledge and teaching and my execution of convergent science teaching based on family resemblance of mathematics, science, and physical education. A set of open-ended written questionnaires was administered to 28 elementary teachers. Participating teachers considered convergent teaching as discipline-using or multi-disciplinary teaching. They also have epistemological beliefs in which they conceived convergence knowledge as aggregation of diverse disciplinary knowledge and students could get it through their own problem solving processes. As a teacher and researcher I have similar epistemological belief as the other teachers. During the self-study, I tried to apply convergence knowledge system based on the family resemblance analysis among math, science, and PE to my teaching. Inter-disciplinary approach to convergence teaching was not easy for me to conduct. Mathematical units, ratio and rate were linked to science concept of velocity so that it was effective to converge two disciplines. Moreover PE offered specific context where the concepts of math and science were connected convergently so that PE facilitated inter-disciplinary convergent teaching. The gaps between my epistemological belief and inter-disciplinary convergence knowledge based on family resemblance and the cases of how to bridge the gap by my experience were discussed.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.85-108
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• 2012

The comprehensive implication in justification activity that includes the proof in the elementary school level where the logical and formative verification is hard to come has to be instructed. Therefore, this study has set the following issues. First, what is the mathematical justification type shown in the Number and Operations, and Geometry? Second, what are the errors shown by students in the justification process? In order to solve these research issues, the test was implemented on 62 third grade elementary school students in D City and analyzed the mathematical justification type. The research result could be summarized as follows. First, in solving the justification type test for the number and operations, students evenly used the empirical justification type and the analytical justification type. Second, in the geometry, the ratio of the empirical justification was shown to be higher than the analytical justification, and it had a difference from the number and operations that evenly disclosed the ratio of the empirical justification and the analytical justification. And third, as a result of analyzing the errors of students occurring during the justification process, it was shown to show in the order of the error of omitting the problem solving process, error of concept and principle, error in understanding the questions, and technical error. Therefore, it is prudent to provide substantial justification experiences to students. And, since it is difficult to correct the erroneous concept and mistaken principle once it is accepted as familiar content that it is required to find out the principle accepted in error or mistake and re-instruct to correct it.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.211-230
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• 2016

The study aimed to investigate the characteristics of algebraic thinking of the mathematically gifted students and search for how to teach algebraic thinking. Research subjects in this study included 93 students who applied for a science gifted education center affiliated with a university in 2015 and previously experienced gifted education. Students' responses on an algebraic item of a creative thinking test in mathematics, which was given as screening process for admission were collected as data. A framework of algebraic thinking factors were extracted from literature review and utilized for data analysis. It was found that students showed difficulty in quantitative reasoning between two quantities and tendency to find solutions regarding equations as problem solving tools. In this process, students tended to concentrate variables on unknown place holders and to had difficulty understanding various meanings of variables. Some of students generated errors about algebraic concepts. In conclusions, it is recommended that functional thinking including such as generalizing and reasoning the relation among changing quantities is extended, procedural as well as structural aspects of algebraic expressions are emphasized, various situations to learn variables are given, and activities constructing variables on their own are strengthened for improving gifted students' learning and teaching algebra.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.277-290
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• 2013

As the deployment of digital learning environment has been accelerating in rapid changes in information and communications technology, a tool is required to practically measure and evaluate the level of information education (IE) for freshmen in the University in order to propose an appropriate direction of IE in a teachers college. According to such current trends, ICT literacy is a tool to assess a specific level of capabilities such as a variety of real-world problem-solving skills, creativity, critical thinking, analytic reasoning, and communication skills. This study has developed a test tool to measure ICT literacy competence on the basis of the concept of test questions defined from the previous research. It was used to measure ICT literacy competence of 360 university freshmen of education and analyze if there is a difference among them depending on overall ICT literacy levels and genders, content areas, competence factors, and completion of IE course in high school. The result of this study would be expected to determine the current location of IE for freshmen in the University of Education and to be able to take advantage of basic data of the direction for IE course that university students need to essentially acquire in preparation for the coming future.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.394-405
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• 2012

This study is aimed at developing a tool to measuring school police's job performance, and verifying its credibility and validity. This study collected the sample to 250 subjects using a significance collection method to parents of elementary schools school police work. But excluding dishonestly responding data, this used total 210 people for the final analysis. This study executed experts' meeting, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and item analysis to verify reliability, and verification of internal consistency and reliability. This study extracted and confirmed 7 factors for specialization, attitude, program, prevention activity of school violence, effect, basic duty, teaching for school time and home time, and correlation with related people. Through the above research approach and procedure, this study arrived at the following conclusion. First, validity to school police's job performance and measurement tool to job performance is very high. That is, school police's job performance was explored and confirmed through correlation with specialization, attitude, program, prevention activity of school violence, effect, basic job, teaching for school time and home time, and related people, and of them, explanation of attitude is the highest. Second, reliability to the measurement scale for school police's job performance is very high. That is, school police's job performance has high correlation between items, sub-factors, and total scores, and reliability of internal consistency, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ value, is over .708. Putting them together, measurement scale for school police's job performance is a questionnaire sheet with very high level of validity and reliability.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.219-233
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• 2012

Practicality and value of mathematics can be verified when different problems that we face in life are resolved through mathematical knowledge. This study intends to identify whether the fraction teaching is being taught and learned at current elementary schools for students to recognize practicality and value of mathematical knowledge and to have the ability to apply the concept when solving problems in the real world. Accordingly, contextual problems and noncontextual problems are proposed around fractional arithmetic area, and compared and analyze the achievement level and problem solving processes of them. Analysis showed that there was significant difference in achievement level and solving process between contextual problems and noncontextual problems. To instruct more meaningful learning for student, contextual problems including historical context or practical situation should be presented for students to experience mathematics of creating mathematical knowledge on their own.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.479-498
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• 2016

Time is important in children's lives since their preschool years. However, previous studies indicate that many children struggle with the acquisition of time concepts. Also teachers do not know how to help them. This study aims to investigate elementary school students' understanding about time and induce its educational implications. To do this, about 130 children from first to fifth grades were tested for their ability to recognize(read and record) the analogue and digital times and to solve elapsed-time problems. The results showed that even first graders were able to read and record the minute times on digital clocks. And second graders were able to read and record the minute times on analogue clocks. Therefore, the ability to recognize analogue times was mastered by second grade. In case of the elapsed-time problems, there was statistically significant difference according to school years or types of problems. Students were successful in solving simple problems. However, the problems that include regrouping hour and minute remained difficult even for the older children. Based on these results, we made a few suggestions for teaching practice about time.