• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.647-655
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to acquire teaching insights for improving scientific literacy by analyzing the effects of scientific communication skills, science process skills, and logical thinking skills of elementary school students on academic achievement level. The participants are 64, sixth grade elementary school students. Survey materials include the results of Scientific Communication Skill Test (SCST), Test of Science Process Skills (TSPS), Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT), multiple choice test & short answer test, descriptive answer test on science, and academic achievement level test on all subjects. Based on these data, the study analyzed the relationships of science process skills, logical thinking skills, and scientific communication skills, and each category's effect on academic achievement level. Furthermore, under the assumption that scientific communication skills are affected by science process skills and logical thinking skills and directly influence the academic level, the research discovered three types of correlations as a structural model. The results show that there are considerable correlations in scientific communication skills, science process skills, and logical thinking skills. Also, these three abilities have meaningful correlations with learner's writing and descriptive question level on science curriculum and overall academic achievement level; the level of correlation differ a bit by subcategory factors. In conclusion, setting the model, science process skills and logical thinking skills influence scientific communication skill, and the skill directly influences the learner's academic level. Further analysis of the results show that scientific communication skill influences the academic achievement level of all subjects the most.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.195-207
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to explore high school science teachers' perceptions and practices regarding the implementation of achievement standards-based assessment (ASA) in their science teaching. To achieve this, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 20 science teachers who had implemented ASA. The participating teachers were asked to share their opinions on ASA implementation, the effects of ASA on changes in their teaching, and students' reactions to ASA. The results were as follows. Most of the teachers recognized that the initial intention behind ASA implementation began to be realized in schools only after course rankings were no longer required to be indicated. Some teachers felt that ASA allowed them to focus on students' progress, rather than evaluating them by achievement scores. It also helped some teachers identify students who were experiencing learning difficulties and offer appropriate support. In addition, some teachers acknowledged being able to reorganize their science lessons according to the essential goals of science subjects in the curriculum and provide more detailed feedback on students' achievements. However, some teachers expressed difficulties in setting an appropriate level of achievement for their lessons or in evaluating students' progress using qualitative methods. Lastly, the teachers expressed concerns about the remarkably lower motivation of some students for learning science after the indication of course ranking was no longer required.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.284-300
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• 2024

This study elucidates the achievement standards statements of the 2022 revised elementary school science curriculum to identify specific achievement standards for the upcoming curriculum. Therefore, the researcher analyzed the statements of the overall elementary school achievement standards based on Bloom's taxonomy of new educational objectives. The results are as follows. First, the achievement standards statements are biased toward certain knowledge and cognitive process dimensions; this aspect is not consistent with the goals of the 2022 revised curriculum and the teaching and learning directions of the science department. Thus, achievement standards that enable various types of activities and inquiry learning should be developed. Second, a need emerges for the hierarchization of knowledge and cognitive levels by grade level. The proportions of low levels of knowledge and cognitive process dimensions increased in the upper grades, such that a systematic hierarchy should be considered. Third, the need to diversify the use of the descriptors of achievement standards is also identified. Although the tendency to rely on specific descriptors decreased during the previous curriculum, approx imately half of the descriptors were only used once or twice. Therefore, balancing the use of various descriptors is necessary. To ensure that the results are reflected in the achievement standards for elementary school science textbooks under the revised science curriculum for elementary schools in 2022, a discussion is required on the design of achievement standards statements. As a follow-up study, the researcher proposes a comparative analysis of the achievement standards of science curricula for middle and high schools to explore the wording of achievement standards appropriate for elementary school science education considering its nature, goals, and contents and to analyze the hierarchy and continuity of the entire science curriculum.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.328-341
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to analyze the achievements in science results of the TIMSS-R test, which was performed in 1999 with 38 nations participating. In this study, general trends in international science achievement considering the differences beween nation, content areas, and gender were analyzed through descriptive statics. The average scale score of Korean 8th grades students was 549, which was significantly higher than international average of 488. However it showed a relative decline from 4th grade in TIMSS to 8th grade in TIMSS-R. Chinese Taipei and Singapore students had the highest average performance, followed by Hungary, Japan, and Korea. The average gender differences of Korean students showed a decrease from TIMSS in 1995 to TlMSS-R in 1999, but it was still significantly higher than the international average. The average differences of overall science and each content area were not statistically significant both internationally and domestically.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.265-275
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences of science achievement between female- and male students in different assessment types, expecting the reconsideration of their scientific ability. to accomplish this purpose, the school science achievement score of 1,487 female- and male students in 2000 were analyzed from the perspectives of assessment methods and gender differences, achievement level and gender differences, and gender characteristics in correlation between each assessment type and total science score. The science achievement score in this study includes mi-term and final paper-and-pencil test in two semesters and performance assessment. The results are as follows. First, in the total science achievement score, whereas female students achieved significantly better than male counterparts in the 7th grade, there was no significant difference between two genders in the 8th and 9th grades. Second, as for the close-ended items, all students, regardless of their gender and grade, showed no significant difference. As for the open-ended items, whereas female students achieved significantly better than male counterparts in the 7th grade, there was no significant difference between gender in the 8th and 9th grades. As for the performance assessment, all female students, regardless of their achievement level, achieved significant better than male counterparts, which is very noteworthy. Third, in the uppermost achievement level, there was no significant difference not only in close- and open ended items but also in performance assessment. Fourth, male students' correlation between performance assessment and total science score was relatively higher than female students'. The result of this study, that female students did significantly better than male students in performance assessment, is interesting in that performance assessment is widely accepted as more reliable and valid method in measuring students' various ability than traditional paper-and-pencil test.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the educational context variables on students' science achievement and interest in TIMSS 2015. TIMSS 2015 science data and questionnaire results were used to fit the Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) in this study. According to the results, books at home, parents' level of education, and students' views on science lessons have significant influence on science achievement of above-high level 4th-grade students, and books at home on below-intermediate level 4th-grade students. Books at home, students' views on science lessons, and school composition by student economic background have significant influence on science achievement of above-high level 8th-grade students, and books at home and students' views on science lessons on science achievement of below-Intermediate level 8th-grade students. In all grade levels, books at home, and students' views on science lessons have significant influence on science achievement and interest. Discussed in the conclusion are ways to improve science teaching and learning including offering systematic reading programs for all students, reinforcement of student-participation in science classes, connecting science hands-on activities with science concepts for below-Intermediate level elementary students, and so on.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.492-501
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• 2006

Gender differences in TIMSS 2003 science achievement by item type, benchmark, and content area were examined by producing a Gender Differences Index (GDI) in this study. International trends identified that male students performed better than female students in TIMSS 2003 science achievement in all types of items. The overall achievement of Korean male students was better than Korean female students, especially in multiple-choice type items. Male students outperformed females in three benchmarks, including advanced, high, and intermediate international benchmark, but they did not outperform females in the low international benchmark when gender differences of the international average as well as the Korean average were taken into account. The results of the analysis of the international average and the Korean average by content area showed that gender differences were the greatest in earth science and smallest in chemistry. In life science, female students excelled when considering the international average while male students excelled when considering the average of Korean students' performance. In addition, the number of items in which male students outperformed females was larger in both factual knowledge and the conceptual understanding domain. Implications for reducing gender differences in science achievement in Korea based on the results were provided.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.149-160
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• 2022

Comparative studies using large-scale data such as TIMSS, PIRLS, and PISA inform us of the effectiveness of each educational system. Even though samples in the large-scale studies were representative, admitting potential discrepancy when applying the findings of the large-scale studies to local educational system is still needed. This study examines the structural relationship among students' attitude towards science, learning support from teachers, school life, and science academic achievement with both large-scale data and local comparative study data utilizing same variables. Responses on the TIMSS 2019 of 5,554 Korean seventh-grade students and National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) 2019 of 6,365 third-grade middle school students were used. The results indicate that: a) school life did not affect the science achievements in both data. However, in NAEA 2019, students' attitude mediated the relationship between school life and science achievement; b) learning support from teachers had a significant impact on TIMSS science achievements, and also had positive effect on achievement through students' attitude in TIMSS. On the other hand, learning support had a positive effect on achievement only when student's attitude mediated the relationship in NAEA; c) students 'attitude toward science had positive effect on science achievement on both data; d) the impact of gender was different on school life, academic achievement, students 'attitude towards science, and learning support from teachers on both data; and e) the impact of the number of books differed as well. There were differences in results between the international and domestic research, which inform us that we need to pay attention when interpreting the domestic environment through the results of international research.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.525-539
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• 2002

The purpose of the study was to assess science achievement of 11th grade students. Science achievement was assessed in knowledge and inquiry domains. The knowledge domain included three sub-areas including memory, understanding and application. The inquiry domain was divided into four sub-areas involving identifying problems, designing inquiry, data analysis and drawing conclusions. The results indicated that overall science achievement of the 11th grade students who participated in the study was at the proficient level. Regarding the knowledge domain, the achievement in the understanding and application areas was at the proficient level, and the achievement in the memory area was at the basic level. In the inquiry domain, the achievement in all the sub-areas except the identifying problems area which was at the basic level was at the proficient level. There were no gender differences in overall science achievement. However, gender differences were found in all the sub-areas except the application area and varied across the sub-areas. Also, there were significant differences in science achievement among regions.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.139-159
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• 2015

In this study, achievement emotions were compared between the gifted and regular students. The significant differences for each group were shown in all eight elements respectively in lesson situation, learning situation and test situation. Among various achievement emotions, it was also found that the gifted students showed higher level of positive achiecement emotions. Furthermore, positive achievement emotions can have positive effects in increasing the achievement level in science subject. On the other hand, the negative achievement emotions were higher for ordinary students that could have negative effets. The influential factors were recognizing the values of Science, Science experiments, positive evaluation experiences, aggressive learning attitudes, interests and knowledge, positive self-perceptions, career relationships, and teachers' recognitions. These factors influenced in imcreasing students' positive achievement emotions and decreasing negative achievement emotions. By conducting in-depth advanced conversations with students based on the above results could increase students' interest and positive achievement emotions.