• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore the teaching and learning experiences to improve the positive experiences about science (PES) of scientifically-gifted elementary school students. For this study, 36 students in grades 5~6 at a gifted science education institutes in Seoul were selected and conducted pre-test and post-test for 'Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES).' After the weekly science classes of the institutions were over, individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with some students to explore the teaching and learning experiences for improving their PES. The analysis of the results reveals that the science classes for scientifically-gifted students have been shown to improve PES of scientifically-gifted elementary school students. The teaching and learning experiences to improve their PES included eight teaching and learning experiences that appeared in general elementary school students of previous study such as 'practice-centered exploratory activities,' 'student-led class,' 'positive and professional feedback,' 'construction of knowledge through exploration,' 'class considering student's interest and aptitude,' 'use of materials related to real life,' 'smooth communication and collaboration in group activities,' and 'appropriate difficulty in learning content.' There were also six teaching and learning experiences that newly emerged from science-gifted students: 'Learning experience through the strategies for improving scientific creativity,' 'inquiry experience as a little scientist,' 'advanced or accelerated learning experience,' 'learning experience with excellent students,' 'experience helping other students,' and 'experience with high or low achievement'. Based on these results, the practical implications for improving the student's PES are suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.299-309
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to categorize specific factors and characteristics of positive science experience by qualitatively analyzing the positive science experience cases in the memories of pre-service elementary school teachers. For this purpose, 101 essays written by pre-service teachers on the theme of 'my enjoyable science class experience' were analyzed. The collected data were analyzed using an inductive analysis method, and as a result, the characteristics of positive science experience cases in the memories of pre-service teachers were categorized into 4 categories and 12 topic groups. Specifically, 'experience of exploratory activities using special materials', such as long-term raising and observation of animals and plants, experiments using edible materials, and using special experimental tools had a positive effect on scientific experience. In addition, 'experience of activities emphasizing scientific inquiry' such as emphasizing observation activities, experiments accompanied by clear experimental results, making activities, and using various materials also had a positive effect on science experience. In addition, 'student-centered activity experience' such as strengthening student autonomy, emphasizing collaboration between students, and performing science activities outside of the curriculum also had a positive influence on the science experience. Lastly, 'positive influence of teachers', such as teachers' encouragement and enthusiasm, helped to positively recognize science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.279-293
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• 2019

This study investigated the effects of national science leading school programs on students' positive experiences about science (PES) and teachers' perceptions of curriculum implementation factors affecting students' PES. For this study, Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES) was administered to a total of 11,488 students from 117 national science leading schools and 1,315 students from 50 normal counterpart schools. In addition, a total of 105 teachers were given a survey asking their curriculum implementation levels and perceptions on importance and performance levels of each identified factor that was known to influence students' PES. Students' total PES scores and scores in five sub-components of PES were widely varied across science leading school program types. In general, participating teachers reported common curriculum implementation factors that most positively affected students' PES including 'science-related activities out of school,' 'student-centered research projects,' 'ICT-related materials' and 'performance assessment.' Based on these results, implications for science education were discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.335-346
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• 2017

In this study, we developed and examined the validity and reliability of the Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES) that measures students' positive experiences about science. We have developed TIPES through literature reviews, development of the preliminary version of TIPES, a pilot test and revisions of the preliminary version, and the test of the final version. Through literature reviews and Delpi methods, we developed the preliminary version of TIPES, which consists of five categories such as science academic emotion, science-related self-concept, science learning motivation, science-related career aspiration, and science-related attitude. Using the preliminary version, we conducted a pilot test with 198 students consisting of 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th graders, and modified the first version based on the results from the pilot test and expert meetings. We then conducted a main test with the revised version of TIPES with 1,841 students consisting of 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th graders. According to a confirmatory factor analysis, a reliability test and descriptive statistics analyses, TIPES found to have a good validity as well as reliability. In addition, there are statistically significant differences in the norm distribution and scores of TIPES by student's grade, gender, school location, and level of participation in science-related activities. Discussed in the conclusion are the implications of this research for science education research and science teaching and learning practices in the school.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.337-346
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• 2020

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of students participating in Science Core high schools classes and their relevance to Positive Experiences on Science (hereinafter, PES), and factors causing PES, presented by the students of Science Core high schools. A total of 20 students and five teachers in four regions across the country participated in the in-depth interview, which were conducted with the focus group of students first, and then in-depth interviews with teachers. Based on the interview results, we explored teaching and learning experiences helpful to the PES, assessment experiences resulting in the PES, and ways to support Science Core high schools to enhance their PES. Students and teachers of Science Core high schools argued that students' participation will increase only if they engage in classes while drawing attention within the range that students can understand, students' PES such as scientific interest can be improved through experiments in which students choose topics or design their own exploration process, science competencies such as science problem solving ability and scientific thinking ability should be developed through exploratory experiment activities that fit the nature of science, etc. In addition, regarding ways to improve and support Science Core high schools to enhance PES, securing science class hours, restructuring the contents of science elective courses, and necessity of maintaining Science Core high schools are suggested. Based on the research results of science high school students' PES, ways to improve the PES of general high school students are discussed.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.214-229
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of science-based STEAM program on the positive science experience of elementary school students. The participants of this study were 64 fourth graders of S elementary school located in Gyeonggi-do. They were divided into the experimental group of 30 students and the comparative group of 34 students. The program was reorganized into the STEAM program, which emphasized communication with students in the second semester of 4th grade, centered on 'Earth and Moon' unit which were carried out in total 16 times. The experimental group was giving the science-centered STEAM program, and the comparative group was giving the general instruction model based on the instructional book guidelines. The results of the study are as follows. The science-centered STEAM program showed a further influence on the positive science experience of elementary school students. Based on these results, it can be confirmed that the class using the science-centered STEAM program positively influenced the improvement of students' positive science experience.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2022

This study analyzed the trends and causes of the decline in Korean students' positive experiences about science (PES). To do this, 4th to 10th grade students were sampled by grade at general elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul, and then a questionnaire was administered to ask the students about their PES and the causes for their decline. The results of one-way ANOVA for Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES) revealed that there were no statistically significant differences according to grade and school level in the overall mean of TIPES scores. However, the results were slightly different for each sub-component. That is, in 'science academic emotion,' the mean of elementary school students was statistically significantly higher than that of middle school students. In addition, the mean of 4th graders was significantly higher than the mean of middle school 1st graders, middle school 3rd graders, and high school 1st graders, respectively. The mean of high school students was statistically significantly higher than that of middle school students in 'science-related career aspiration.' In the 'science-related self-concept', 'science learning motivation,' and 'science-related attitude,' the differences in scores according to grade and school level were not statistically significant. The main causes of the decline in each sub-components of PES were somewhat different depending on the school level. Based on these results, the ways to improve students' PES were sought according to grade and school level.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.455-466
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• 2023

This study explored the relationship between science academic passion, positive experience about science and scientific creativity in elementary science-gifted students. To do this, 108 science-gifted students from grades 3 to 6 were selected. After conducting the tests on their science academic passion, positive experience about science and scientific creativity, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results revealed that the students exhibited relatively high levels of science academic passion and positive experience about science, but their scientific creativity was not relatively high. While there was no statistically significant correlation between the overall science academic passion and scientific creativity, there was a significant negative correlation with scientific creativity in the aspect of 'obsessive passion' of the five subcategories ('importance', 'like', 'time/energy investment', 'harmonious passion', and 'obsessive passion'). Furthermore, the five subcategories, particularly 'like', 'harmonious passion', and 'obsessive passion' were statistically significant predictors of scientific creativity. However, the five subcategories of positive experience about science ('science academic emotion', 'science-related self-concept', 'science learning motivation', 'science-related career aspiration', and 'science-related attitude') did not exhibit statistically significant correlations with scientific creativity and did not had a significant influence on it. Additionally, neither the overall science academic passion nor the overall positive experience about science had a statistically significant effect on scientific creativity. Educational implications of these results were discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.507-521
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate a meaningful path model among the components of students' positive experiences about science and science learning to understand the interactive relationships among different variables of affective domains. Positive Experiences about Science (PES) means whole experiences that have positive effects on students' affectional achievement related with science learning, which consists of science academic emotion, science-related self-concept, science learning motivation, science-related attitude, and science-related career aspiration. We conducted an online survey with 1,841 students consisting of 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th graders from 17 provinces and cities using Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES). To explore the structural relationships among variables, we selected and analyzed an optimal structural equation model and then conducted multigroup analyses among groups. According to the analysis of the structural equation model, 'positive as well as negative science academic emotion' has effects on science learning motivation, science-related attitude, and science-related career aspiration via science-related self-concept. According to the independent t-test results for TIPES scores by participants' characteristics, there were statistically significant differences in the average scores of five sub-components of PES depending on gender, school-level, school location, and participation in science-related activities. According to the multi-group analysis results, the difference of path coefficients by gender and school-level were statistically significant, whereas the difference of path coefficients by school location and participation were not significant. Discussed in the conclusion are the implications of this research for science education research and ways to help students' affectional achievement related with science learning.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.293-311
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• 2022

In this study, a restriction enzyme mapping inquiry experiment was developed for cultivating basic knowledge on molecular biology and the effects on inquiry experiment ability and positive experience on science through student-centered molecular biology inquiry experiment class for second graders of a general high school was analyzed. First of all, it was found that the experimental class through the inquiry experiment was significantly effective as the percentage of high school students who answered 'yes' or higher in the positive science experience of general high school students was higher after than before the test. As a result of developing and applying a series of five classes for the creation of restriction enzyme maps, not only did the students' interest in science studies, but also their class participation increased. They were also used as effective specific science learning motives, science career aspirations and experience data. The science environment of the inquiry experiment class led to the improvement of students' learning attitudes and positive science experience, which had a positive effect on the importance of class concentration and class quality, active communication and mutual cooperation among students. In addition, inquiry and experiment classes will provide opportunities for career experience, which will become the foundation for cultivating basic knowledge on molecular biology and advancing to science and engineering.