• Journal of Science Education
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.270-285
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore what a science lesson using a digital textbook looked like and what kinds of implications could be drawn from the lesson. The study qualitatively described a 4th grade science lesson in the unit of Earth and Moon, analyzed the structure of the lesson, and critically interpreted the meaning of it. It was revealed that the introduction of a digital science textbook did not bring about changes in the already patternized structure of elementary science instruction as well as in the manner of classroom interaction. The result was followed by discussion concerning the ways the use of a digital textbook could change elementary science instruction and enable new types of classroom interaction. It was suggested that negotiations should be reached about the nature of digital science textbooks and their developments and that the teacher's own pedagogical roles in the science classroom should be improved.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.68-79
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• 2010

This study utilized the What Is Happening In this Class (WIHIC) questionnaire to examine students' perceptions of their science learning environment. Data was collected from 587 middle school students in seven coeducation schools in Seoul. Higher mean scores occurred on the scales of Student cohesiveness, Task orientation, Cooperation and Equity in the WIHIC, whereas lower mean scores occurred on Teacher support, Involvement and Investigation. The effects of gender on students' perceptions of their science learning environment were not statistically significant overall, but girls perceived Student cohesiveness and Cooperation more positively than boys. Correlations between the WIHIC scales of the low-level group that perceived their learning environments negatively (10 percentiles) and the high-level group that perceived their learning environments positively (90 percentiles) were computed. Teacher support, Involvement, Task Orientation and Investigation were highly correlated with each other in the low-level group, whereas only Teacher support and Equity were correlated in the high group. Educational implications were discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 1995

본 연구는 우리 나라의 성인들이 자신의 초중등 학교 시절 경험하였던 학교 과학교육에 대해 어떤 종류의 즐거운 혹은 괴로운 기억들을 현재까지 갖고 있는가를 탐색하였다. 성인들은 오래 전 경험하였던 매우 인상적인 활동이나 장면들을 통해 학교 과학교육을 기억할 것이고, 이러한 기억은 그들의 학교 과학교육에 대한 전반적인 태도에 결정적인 역할을 할 것이다. 따라서 성인들의 학교 과학교육에 대한 이러한 기억들을 살펴보면, 학교 과학교육의 특징을 이해하고 장기적으로 학교 과학교육을 보다 즐거운 경험의 장으로 만드는 데 도움이 될 것이다. 본 연구는 소규모의 설문 조사를 통해 이루어졌으며, 설문 대상은 대구지역의 30-50대 성인 88명이었다. 설문은 현재 과학과 관련된 특정한 직업을 갖고 있지 않은 사람을 대상으로 하였으며, 설문에서 응답자들은 자신들의 초중등 학교 과학교육을 받으면서 가장 즐거웠던 기억과 가장 괴로웠던 기억이 구체적으로 무엇이며 이러한 경험은 초중고 어느 때이었는가를 응답하였다. 성인들이 가장 즐거웠던 기억으로 지적한 것은 실험 실습 활동(65.9%), 야외학습 활동(19.3%) 등으로 전통적인 교실수업 이외의 활동이 약 86%로 나타났다. 그리고 효과적인 교실수업, 교사의 인성적 특징, 과학전람회 참가 등의 경험을 언급한 경우도 부분적으로 있었다. 성인들이 가장 괴로웠던 기억으로 지적한 것은 따분한 교실수업(51.1%), 실험 실습 활동의 부정적인 측면(28.4%) 등으로 나타났으며, 부분적으로 과다한 숙제, 교사의 인성적 특징, 야외학습 활동, 과학수업의 부재 등을 지적한 경우도 있었다. 또한 전체적으로 즐거웠던 기억은 국민학교 시절의 경험에서(56.8%), 반면 괴로웠던 기억은 고등학교 시절의 경험에서(44.3%) 많이 나타났다. 특히, "개구리 해부 실험" 의 경우, 7명이 가장 즐거웠던 기억으로 8명은 가장 괴로웠던 기억으로 언급하여 매우 상반된 견해를 나타냈다. 따라서 동일한 활동일지라도 학생들에게는 매우 상반된 경험으로 작용하게 되며, 이 경우 생명체에 대한 과학실험의 윤리적 문제와 이에 대한 갈등을 분명하게 드러냈다.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.331-341
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore relationships among the structural elements of Science Classroom as Community of Practice (SCaCoP). For this, we investigated the case of small-group activities in practical work of elementary school science in a qualitative way based on the five structural elements of SCaCoP, such as responsibility for learning, common interest, open participation, mutual relationship, and practice. We observed and interviewed five small-groups during five lessons with video- and audio- recording to collect data. The results of analysis are as follows. First, 'mutual relationship' was a necessary-condition for 'open participation.' We also found that 'common interest' has two dimensions related to their interest and related to learning topic. The former interacted with 'open participation,' and the latter was influenced by 'responsibility for learning. Lastly, 'practice' enhanced the features of other elements with dynamic relationships. Based on these results, we suggested the relationships among the structural elements of SCaCoP and discussed implications related to the perspective that regards learning as participation.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.135-145
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate elementary teachers' views on the democratic scientific inquiry and the methods for promotion of democratic citizenship in science classroom, and to conduct exploratory discussions about science classroom for promotion of democratic citizenship based on their views. Data were collected from 96 elementary teachers. AS results show, the elementary teachers in the study thought that the features of democratic scientific inquiry was 'communication and cooperation', 'autonomy and fairness', and 'contribution to the benefit of mankind and society'. In addition, the participants regarded the 'inquiry/activity focused on communication and cooperation' as the best method for promotion of democratic citizenship in science classrooms. Finally, several suggestions on the science education for promotion of democratic civic literacy and the democratic inquiry were given.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.506-514
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• 2006

purpose of this work was to study the applied effects of out-of-class Chemical Experience Learning (CEL) Programs on scientific process skills and science-related attitude for middle school students. The out-of-class CEL Programs which were developed to make the funny out-of-class chemistry and the exciting science class', included the nature-friendly chemical experiments suitable for natural environment and composed of real life-centered experiences. The out-of-class CEL programs were applied to natural environment through all-day improvement activity. The science club students in D middle school in Busan were selected as the objects of the study consisting of one experiment group and one control group. The out-of-class CEL programs were applied to the experiment group and traditional class method was applied to the control group. The change of scientific process skills and science-related attitudes between two groups were compared and analyzed. And students reaction on the out-of-class CEL programs was investigated. As a result, out-of-class nature-friendly chemical experiments were improved scientific process skills and science-related attitudes of middle school students. Also, more than 70% of students in the experimental group gave positive feedbacks to the out-of-class CEL programs and increased attention, interest, and degree of self-participation in science.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.269-278
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• 2006

In this study, we used Virtual Reality (VR) materials on an introductory earth science course consisted of thirty six pre-service science teacher program students. Before and after class an instrument of Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) was administered. The main focus of the CLES was to evaluate how the classroom was prepared for student centered learning environment. The pre and post tests of student perceptions regarding their learning environment were compared in six domains: personal relevance, critical voice, shared control, student negotiation, scientific uncertainty, and attitude. Questionnaire regarding the general perception of the VR materials was administered as well. How future science teachers valued the use of VR materials in their classrooms was found from this study. Based on these results, we intend to contribute for a more complete understanding of the potential of VR materials in achieving better learner-centered classroom environment.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.787-797
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated the features of using smart devices in socioscientific issues (SSI) debate classes. Twenty-seven high school students in Gyeonggi-do participated in this study. The processes of the SSI debate classes with smart devices were classified into five stages: data searching, data sharing, summary and organization of data, debate in the classroom, and online debate. Then some features at each stage were identified. It was found that they collected self-directed and in-depth data while reflecting their knowledge and experience, and selected data which were easy to understand at the stage of data searching. The specificity and validity of the evidences gathered and the clarity of the sources were improved at the stage of data sharing, although they shared more data offline than online. They organized their data by using paper rather than smart devices at the stage of summary and organization of data. Most of them failed to use the summary in debate. They argued and refuted based on concrete grounds at the stage of debate in the classroom, which raised students' interest in debate and led students to participate actively. At the stage of online debate, they were able to rearrange and review the arguments of both sides, and the participation of the students who were passive in classroom debate was enhanced. Based on these results, we suggest some effective teaching methods for SSI debate classes using smart devices.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.119-130
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• 2019

The TIMSS assessment is conducted every four years, and Korean fourth grade cohort in TIMSS 2011 participated in TIMSS 2015 again as eighth graders, which produced the first achievement data of the cohort group of elementary and middle schools. In this study, in order to investigate the causes of the decline in Korean students' science achievement with grade changes from the fourth to the eighth grade, we analyzed educational context variables such as characteristics of students, teachers, and classroom instructions of the top 5 achievement countries participated in both TIMSS 2011 and TIMSS 2015. According to the results, students' sense of school belonging increased, whereas students' positive attitudes toward science teaching decreased with the grade change from the fourth to the eighth. As for the teacher characteristics, the teacher's professional development activity increased, and the teacher's confidence in science teaching showed similar tendency to the international average. Regarding classroom instruction characteristics, the frequency of inquiry-related science activities was highest at the fourth grade, and lower than the international average at the eighth grade. Based the results, we suggested implications for science teaching and learning as well as further studies including development of differentiated strategy by the school level to improve students' achievement, the necessity of converting into more student-engaging science classes, and the necessity of in-depth study on the teacher related educational contextual variables.

• 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.