• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.247-260
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• 2014

Purpose of this study is to analyze the roles and strategies of imagistic simulation observed in mental simulation about problematic situation of prediction, and thereby identify the process of generating prediction, explanation and sophistication. For this study, a framework for mental simulation process and strategy based on literary research was developed and content was validated from four experts of science education. This study was participated by 10 preliminary elementary school teachers, and a total of 20 cases were gathered for two thought experiment tasks based on the think-aloud method. The results were as follows: First, mental simulation process described based on the seven elements of 'perception,' 'interpretation,' 'statement of initial representation,' 'running imagistic simulation,' 'identifying result of simulation,' 'identifying alignment' and 'restatement structured representation.' The study confirmed that initial representation by interpreting related concepts and running imagistic simulation a number of times to develop explanation and prediction. Second, the study identified the use of strategies to enhance simulation such as 'zoom in,' 'partition,' 'dimensional enhancement,' 'dimensional reduction,' 'remove,' 'replace' and 'extreme case.' Running spatial transformation that uses strategy to enhance simulation contributed to discovering mechanism elements in problematic situations.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.768-778
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• 2002

Science teachers often suppose that students are able to know the symbolical meaning of graphs when they see the graphs. But such a assumption is not based on the firm theories but a mere image. And we need to search them for holding the abilities to construct and to interpret. In addition, unfortunately, many researchers show that they scarcely have the graphing skills. And then, The Test of Graphing in Science(TOGS) was administered to 535 7th to 12th graders, for we search them for holding the graphing abilities to some degree. Though the higher grade, the better score, they lack the first three among 9 objectives of TOGS which are scaling axes, assigning variables to the axes, using a best fit line, plotting points, translating a graph that displays the data, selecting the corresponding value for y(or x), interrelating/extrapolating graphs, describing the relationship between variables, interrelating the results of the two graphs. It was concluded from this that subjects' graph construction is lower than their graph interpretation in graph skills. It suggests that school science have a bias toward graph interpretation. This tendency represents more strikingly in the case of upper students in TOGS than the others'.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.497-524
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• 2011

This study was to understand students' learning about the function of math combined with molecular motions of science using the block scheduling. It was based on the revised Class Structure Model of Lee et al.(2010) where MBL as a tool was used to increase students' participation and understanding in the integrated concepts. The researcher provided the 6th grade students who lived in Sung Nam-Si, Kyung Gi-Do with 8 unit lessons, consisting of 5 stages of CSM. As a result of the study, the integrated education of Mathematics and Science showed synergic effect in studying both subjects and brought a positive result in gradual mathematization. It may be hard to combine all the contents of mathematics and science together. However, learning the relation between volume and pressure, and between volume and temperature of gas used as an example of function shown in our daily life was appropriate through Fogarty's integrated education model because it supported the objective of both subjects. Also, it was a good idea to develop CSM because it was composed of the contents from both subjects held in the same period of a year. Through the five stages, students were able to establish and generalize the definitions and the concepts of function.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.542-559
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to develop the teaching-learning materials for students' creativity in elementary school science class. For this, we asked some questions to both teachers and students: 25-item- questionnaires were given to 122 teachers in charge of 5th graders and 6th graders in elementary schools located in Seoul, Inchon and Kyonggi province, and 20-item-questionnaires to 825 students of 5th grade and 6th grade in the same schools. The results of this study are as follows: most of teachers admitted the need of creativity education, but they taught class mostly with textbook only. The lack of students' divergent thinking and creative scientific activities in science class made it difficult to develop students' creativity. Besides, teaching-learning materials for whole brain learning were not enough. In case that the students did not make experiment in class, they liked VCR tapes or TP materials Students thought that the most effective materials for class are VCR tapes and next were worksheets. Not a few students answer they do hard only interesting experiments. Most of students wanted worksheets including various interesting activities like games, quiz, experiments, drawing, etc.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.660-670
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• 2003

This study examined the conceptions of high school students, In-service chemistry teachers, and chemistry teachers related to the electrolysis phenomena by questionnaires and follow-up interviews. High school chemistry II textbooks were analyzed for finding the cause of the misconceptions of the teachers and students. From the analysis, it was found that many teachers represented to students the reduction-oxidation reaction and the electrodes of electrolysis are opposite to the reaction of a chemical cell without explanation of the principles. It means that students would learn the electrolysis phenomena by rote. But the teachers thought that it was not necessary to explain the principles to students because the students could not understand. Also, some of the teacher had misconceptions in electrolysis of solution taking no account of water electrolysis. They only considered the reduction-oxidation reactions of the ions already were contained in solution. They did not considered the ions generated by the electrolysis. This tendency is similar to In-service chemistry teachers and high school students. Also, this tendency can be found in chemistry II textbooks.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.65-77
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of metacognitive instruction model on the changes of science concepts, when it was applied to 6th grade students. To do this, students were tested with the achievement of molecules and molecular motion concepts and metacognitive self-regulation test as a pretest Based upon metacognitive instruction model and student's conception, instruction program were developed. This metacognitive strategy Program was applied to the experimental group and expository teaching was applied to the comparison group (followed the order and method in authorized science textbook and teachers handbook). When planned lessons were finished, students were given a post-test to find conceptual change. After six months students were given a test again to find retention effect. There was a significant difference in conceptual change and retention between comparison group and experimental group by treatment at p< .05 level, The difference between comparison group and experimental group was especially significant, when the situation of test item wasn't similar to that of the textbook Metacognitive instruction model was more effective to high group than low group in metacognitive self-regulation level on conceptual change and retention. So the metacognitive strategy Played an important role in conceptual change and retention. And we can recognize that the students who take part in the metacognitive lesson can apply the corrected concept to the other concrete situation because they can understand new concept accurately by metacognitive strategies. And we can guess that high group in metacognitive self-regulation level can team metacognitive strategy easily but relatively low group student have some trouble in learning new strategy.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.399-411
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate implications for future STEAM education by analyzing the surveys by the in-service teachers who participated in the Advanced STEAM Teacher Training Program(ASTTP) for raising interests and understanding of science and technology and nurturing STEAM literacy and problem-solving ability of students. ASTTP was developed for promoting 'teacher competence for STEAM.' ASTTP is a 60-hour program(4 credits), which includes offline intensive course of 38 hours, online training course of 12 hours, a course of implementation at schools for 5 hours, and a workshop for 5 hours (based on the 2014 program). For the offline intensive course, teachers take various professional development classes and activities, such as open-laboratory tours, advanced experiments, mentoring programs, and team projects as well as lectures on diverse disciplines. For the online course, teachers take online classes freely while they are encouraged to work with other teachers in groups. After taking both online and offline courses, the teachers are required to implement their STEAM lesson plans in their classrooms. Finally at the workshop, some selected teachers share how successfully they have implemented STEAM education. About 700 teachers have successfully taken the program from 2012 to 2014. Based on the surveys by the teachers, the program has been modified and improved. Our analysis shows increased professional development in STEAM education for the participating teachers. This study can provide some implication and helpful insights for people who need to develop and manage teacher training programs for STEAM education and other education programs in general.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.107-144
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• 2012

Recently concerns on the energy future are rising in Korea after nuclear disaster of Fukushima in Japan last year. However, even after Fukushima disaster Korean government keeps on insisting nuclear oriented energy policy. Contrary to it, some of civil society's organizations(CSOs) including environment groups and progressive political parties are making strong voices for phase-out nuclear. As a way of phase-out nuclear activity researcher groups based on CSOs have presented several alternative energy scenarios against the official government scenario so that contest between the two senarios seems not to be avoided. This article aims to analyse the politics of expertise around energy scenarios in Korea by highlighting differences between two scenarios of government and CSOs in terms of epistemological and methodological base, value orientation, institutional foundation, and the socio-political contexts of scenarios. Our research shows that government's energy scenario is based on scientific-positivist epistemology, firm belief in value neutrality and forecasting method, and is built by neo-classical economists at government-sponsored research institutes in accordance with the 'Business As Usual' approach. In contrast, alternative scenarios of CSOs can be said to be based on epistemological constructivism, value oriented attitudes and backcasting method, and be built by collaboration of researchers and activists with different academic and social backgrounds after Fukushima nuclear disaster.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.815-835
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• 2010

This study aimed at understanding the characteristics of interactive discourses between docents and visitors in natural history museums. Two docents participated in this study. One worked in Seodaemoon Natural History Museum and the other in Gwacheon National Science Museum. To analyze the characteristics of interactive discourses, especially understanding the mediation of visitors' learning, Pedagogic Discourse Analysis method was adopted. The results show two contrasting types of interactive discourses, Encouraging Visitors' Meaningful Participation (EVMP) and Encouraging Visitors' Simple Participation (EVSP). In the EVMP discourse, structural cohesion is strong in thematic flow and information flow. Docent and visitors share the role of information provider and "Themes" are developed through the interactions between the docent and the visitors. On the contrary, in the EVSP discourse, structural cohesions are weak. Even though the visitors participate in the discourse, their discourse scarcely contribute to develop "Themes" in the discourse. Most of the information is developed and expanded by the docent. These results helped us to suggest that docents have to understand and use visitors' prior knowledge as a discourse "Theme." It is also suggested that docents need to have not only the competent content knowledge about exhibitions but also the capability to lead discourses that allow the visitors to participate meaningfully during the education processes.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.4 no.2 s.8
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• pp.1-32
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• 2004

Korean scientific community has recently argued that, in order to attract talented young people to the science and engineering fields, more ranking positions in the governmental office should be filled in by science and engineering majors. In this context, a special attention has been paid to the Chinese case where science and engineering majors have taken the highest places in Chinese political hierarchy. This paper examines historical and social background of the salience of science and engineering fields in modem China. A closer examination shows that the salience of science and engineering fields was resulted by the distinct historical experiences of China-the socialist reform of higher education system and Cultural Revolution. The former shaped the social conviction that humanities and social sciences are less useful than science and engineering fields. The latter even spread the idea that majoring in humanities or social sciences run the risk of political oppressions. Thus, the salience of science and engineering in China is a social phenomenon reflecting an academic hierarchy forced by the radical politics of modem China. Also, the higher proportion of science and engineering majors in the raking governmental officers has been resulted by a unique Chinese political system, in particular the personnel management system of the Chinese Communist Party that emphasizes practical experiences after college graduation. The comparison of the social position of science and engineering majors in China and Korea without taking account of such historical and social background may therefore mislead our understanding of the cause of and counterplan to the decreasing popularity of science and engineering fields in Korean universities.