• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.480-497
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• 2021

This study intends to explore the content and organization characteristics of elementary school science textbooks in the astronomical domain from the perspective of understanding the astronomical spatial concept. This study analyzed the relevant unit of the achievement criteria in the 2015 revised science curriculum for the 'space' domain in elementary school science textbooks in comparison with that in secondary school textbooks according to the spatial concept analysis criteria by texts, illustrations, and inquiry activities. As a result, elementary school science textbooks were found to be organized around phenomena rather than concepts, targeting observable celestial bodies linked to real life in order to optimize the amount of learning content. However, the learning contents of astronomical observation related to observation and phenomena-centered real life should stimulate the curiosity and imagination of elementary school students and encourage their intellectual participation. Students need to be supported for understanding of the spatial concept to find an answer to the question of 'why'. The content organization for core concepts should be organized around the transferable spatial concept rather than simply focusing on presenting results by accurately describing the phenomena observed by students through scientific practice in order for students to answer various questions that arise in the course of scientific practice.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.289-309
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• 2022

In recent years, astronomy has been snowballing: including Higgs particle discovery, black hole imaging, extraterrestrial exploration, and deep space observation. Students are also largely interested in astronomy. The purpose of this study is to discover what needs to be improved in the current astronomy curriculum in light of recent scientists' researches and discoveries. We collected keywords from all papers published from 2011 to 2020 in four selected journals-ApJ, ApJL, A&A, and MNRAS- by R package to examine research trends. The curriculum contents were extracted by synthesizing the in-service teachers' coding results in the 2015 revised curriculum document of six subjects (Science, Integrated Science, Earth Science I, Earth Science II, Physics II, Convergence Science). The research results are as follows: first, keywords that appear steadily in astronomy are 'galaxies: formation, galaxy: active, star: formation, accretion, method: numerical.' Second, astronomy curriculum includes all areas except the 'High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena' area within the common science curriculum learned by all students. Third, it is necessary to review the placement of content elements by subject and grade and to consider introducing new concepts based on astronomy research keywords. This is an exploratory study to compare curriculum and the field of scientific research that forms the basis of the subject. We expect to provide implications for a future revision of the astronomy curriculum as a primary ground investigation.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1202-1218
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• 2013

This study analyzed questions related to the content knowledge on the subject of chemistry for middle and high school teacher employment examinations conducted from the school years 2009 to 2013 based on the evaluation scope of the chemistry subject content knowledge and evaluation contents that were presented by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE). To achieve the objectives of this study, a total of 140 questions were collected with respect to the questions that appeared on the test over the last 5 years, which aimed to evaluate the level of applicants' knowledge related to the contents of chemistry subject. The ratio of the contents covered in the test was assessed based on the scope of evaluation and the items for evaluation among the 4 subjects. Based on the results, suggestions were presented in relation to the operation of the chemistry curriculum for the Department of Chemistry Education at the college of education or the restructuring of the evaluation scope. There was a significant difference in the ratio of items that appeared on the test among the 4 subjects related to the content knowledge on chemistry. Also, there was a remarkable difference in the ratio of items covered in the test among the evaluation scope by subject. The results of the analysis on the evaluation content items suggested that 41 items out of 122 did not appear in the teacher employment examination for 5 years. Based on such results of analysis, this study discussed the need for readjusting the ratio of items covered in the test on content knowledge related to chemistry or the evaluation scope and evaluation content items.

• School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.617-638
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• 2017

In order to make a connection in teaching similar concepts between mathematics and science in teaching similar concepts, this paper analyzed the contents related to capacity, volume, weight, and mass in the mathematics and science textbooks aligned with the national elementary curriculum. We first explored when to present such topics in both textbooks, and then analyzed in what ways the topics were addressed in terms of quantitative comparison, vocabulary, units of measurement, measurement, tools for measurement, estimation, and connections to real life. The results of this study showed that there were some aspects emphasized in common both in mathematics and science textbooks. The analysis of this study also demonstrated subtle but considerable differences according to the characteristics of two subject matters. Based on these results, this paper provides implications for elementary school teachers to consider in teaching capacity, volume, weight, and mass through mathematics and science lessons.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.215-223
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• 2017

This study aims to find an effective way to present essential science concepts in national science curriculum through international comparisons. Next Generation Science Standard (US), Ontario Science Curriculum (Canada), Australia Science Curriculum, and British/English Science Curriculum were selected for comparison. In science curriculum documents, these countries used terms such as 'Key ideas,' 'Big ideas,' 'Key concepts,' 'Disciplinary core ideas.' and 'Fundamental concepts' to present essential concepts of science. This study reviewed the characteristics of the meaning, the status, and the role of essential concepts country by country. The result shows essential concepts have been used with different meanings and statutes in each case. Furthermore, various roles were performed through essential concepts in order to organize their science curriculum. From these foreign nation's cases, this study proposes several ways to present essential science concepts based on results. First, interdisciplinary integrated concepts were needed to organize an integrated science curriculum. In science curriculum documents of the United States, Canada, Australia and England, two types of terms were used in order to structuralize an integrated science curriculum. Second, essential concepts should include concepts related with function and value as well as scientific knowledge. Third, essential concepts need to be presented in such a way as to show specific contexts. Therefore, selecting appropriate contents and structure are needed to be able to improve the way to present essential concepts in Korea's educational environment.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.974-990
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to explore practical meanings of convergence education and to seek ways of implementing it in school science education. The study adopted focus group interview method in order to elicit science teachers' perceptions and practical knowledge related to various ways of integrating educational aims and contents from the perspectives of science education. Two focus group interviews were held with four science teachers with the themes of the concept and potential of convergence education, and the implementation and systemic support, respectively. The qualitative data was analyzed by deriving major themes comprising teachers' perception on convergence education: they are 1) related concepts and rationales, 2) contents, methods, and assessment, 3) the characteristics of the science subject that make it suitable for convergent education, 4) teacher perception and professionalism required for implementing convergent education, and finally 5) environmental conditions for putting the idea into practice. Based on this result, the study discusses conceptual and practical issues for implementing convergence education in ways that contribute to overcoming the problems of the traditional educational system and reorienting science education towards the future society.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.147-158
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• 2016

This study examined the changes of preservice biology teachers' NOS pedagogical content knowledge through two consecutive science methods courses: NOS understandings; attitudes toward teaching science; difficulties of NOS teaching; NOS teaching strategies; and views of orientation of NOS teaching. During the science methods course I, the preservice teachers engaged in discussions and reflections on what science is and how scientific knowledge has produced, drawing NOS aspects from episodes of history of science, and planning the lessons cooperating NOS instructional objectives. Then the next semester, through the science methods course II, the preservice teachers had a chance of the simulated teaching by adopting NOS teaching and learning activities in the context of the secondary biology context. The preservice teachers, further, reflected on their NOS teaching. The results showed that the preservice teachers constructed the NOS pedagogical content knowledge. They significantly improved their views of NOS and its teaching(p<.05) after the science methods course I, and retained their understanding after the science methods course II(p>.05). The preservice teachers mentioned the difficulties of teaching NOS in the secondary biology context, and further suggested effective NOS teaching methods in their reflective journals.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.265-278
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to investigate research trends about convergence and integrated science education through the analysis of theses published from January, 2000 to June, 2011 in the scientific journals. For the analysis of the theses, we set standards of analysis including the number of theses, integrated types, research methods, the designs of study and the objects of study. The number of theses used for the analysis were 110 volumes and these were limited to the Journal of KASE (The Korean Association for Science Education) and Journal of KESES (The Korean Society of Elementary Science Education). The results of the study are as follows. First, in the analysis of theses according to the published year, we discovered that the volumes of theses related to convergence and integrated science education were only about 10% of theses published in the journals. Second, the theses about STS education and integration type were the most common type in the integrated types, and the next things were integration type with other scientific fields, and integration type with other subjects. Third, 50% of theses have focused on the 'analysis of effect' as research methods and 45.5% of the theses have used 'quantitative research' as the designs of study. Fourth, the most common study in the theses was to target elementary school students, then it was middle school students, then high school students, literature, teachers, would-be teachers, and the general public. On the basis of the results of this research, we suggest that various studies can develop student's creativity and teacher's recognition through STEAM education and must be presented for the successful STEAM education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.140-156
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• 2010

This study aimed to investigate how science teachers perceived major features of the 2007 revised science curriculum and implementing them in classes. The 2007 revised science curriculum included critical features such as creativity, open inquiry, science writing, discussion and STS. In terms of necessity, clarity and complexity of those features for curriculum implementation, teacher perceptions were examined. Particularly with regard to open inquiry assigned 6 class periods per semester as one of the critical features of 2007 revised science curriculum, we asked teachers how they would prepare and implement the technique in their teaching. In results of this study, science teachers agreed on the necessity and importance of those major features of the 2007 revised science curriculum, including creativity, open inquiry, science writing, discussion, and STS. However, they were not clear on how those would work in their classrooms and expected various impediments. Open inquiry was specifically perceived as most negative in its implementation with the mention of various complex reasons. Based on findings in this study, we proposed the 'Dual Action Research Model' for curriculum implementation. It tries to explain how curriculum is implemented in classrooms and diminish the gaps between curriculum developers and teacher users by means of leading teachers to understand the curriculum meaningfully and implement their teaching based on this understanding.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.188-199
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the tendency of inquiry of earth science content presented in North Korean textbooks of the 2013 National curriculum using Romey's method, and to help use as basic data for better understanding earth science education in North Korea. The content of earth science in the text, figure, question, and activity index of textbooks of Natural Science 1 and 2, Chosun Geography 2 of elementary junior high school, and of Geography 1 of advanced junior high school were all analyzed using Romey's method. The results of this study were as follows: First, the atmospheric science question and the astronomy text showed the tendency of inquiry type. Second, the proportion of oceanography was relatively small. Third, there were many non-inquiry questions or excessive inquiry questions, and both types of questions needed to be balanced. Fourth, there were a tendency that did not emphasize inquiry learning. Finally, the quantitative and qualitative level of inquiry tendency should be improved. In this paper, we propose to use a qualitative method when analyzing earth science content in North Korean textbooks, and suggested that we should further study the comparative analysis of inquiry tendency of earth science content using South and North Korean textbooks.