• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.234-241
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• 2002

The purpose of the study is to investigate the applicability of portfolio assessment to ordinary elementary science classes, and the effects of a portrolio assessment on students' science achievement, inquiry ability, and science attiudes. Two schools were sampled from a metropolitan area, a city, and three schools from rural area in central Korea. Two fifth-grade classes were sampled from each school selected, and one class is assigned to experimental group and the other to control group, respectively. The total number of participants of the study are 475. Portfolio assessmest was administered to experimental group, and conventional teaching to control group for two and half month. Science achievement test, science inquiry ability test, and science attitudes test were administered as a pre- and post-test. Portfolio asseddment seems to be applecable to ordinary elementary science classroom. Statistically meaningful difference was not found in students' science achievemant by group, region, and sex. Students' inquiry ability and science attitudes showed statistically meaningful difference by region rather than group. Experimental group showed more positive scores on some sub-domains of science attitudes, such as perception on science education, and science career, interests in science activity, and criticism. In conclusion, portfolio assessment can be applicable to ordinary dldmentary science classrooms. The effects of portfolio assessment are at least the same as the traditional teaching on student science achievement, inquiry ability, and science attitudes.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.669-677
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to estimate the direct and indirect effects of relevant variables on students' science achievements. Path analysis was conducted with data from middle school to examine the effects of perceived positive parenting attitudes, attitudes toward science, science inquiry skills on the science achievements of middle school students. A total of 502 middle school students from the metropolitan area participated in this study. Results suggest that students' perceptions of positive parenting attitudes had no direct influence on their science inquiry skills. However, the students' attitudes toward science and science inquiry skills were found to have meaningful direct effects on their achievements. Students' perception of positive parenting attitudes also presented a significant direct effect on their attitude toward science. In addition, the students' perceived positive parenting attitude revealed an indirect effect on science achievement, through their own attitudes toward science and science inquiry skills. Research findings called for more educational programs and teaching methods considering students' attitudes toward science and science inquiry skills to improve their science achievements. At home, parents need to have positive parenting attitudes to influence their children's attitudes regarding science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.571-587
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• 1998

This paper reviews and analyzes the conceptions of science achievement in the United States and Korean reform documents, including those on science content standards(NSES, Porject 2061, and Korean 7th science curriculum), performance standards(New Standards, and Survey of Ecucational Achievement in Korean Elementary and Secondary Schools), and large-scale assessment framworks(1996 NAEP, TIMSS, The National Assessment of Science Inqury Abilities, The National Assessment of Science Knowledge, and The National Assessment of Affective Characteristics related to Science). The analysis of these documents indicates that there is an overall agreement on the conceptions of science achievement. The documents consistently emphasize high achievement in terms of knowledge and abilities in scientific, technological, social, and environmental perspectives. In addition, these documents define science achievement at different developmental levels and at certain depths of knowledge and abilities for all students. Despite the overall agreement, there are also noticeable variations among the documents because of different contexts and purposes. There is a difference in the balance of representations or emphases among content and process standards in the documents. The conceptions of science achievement in the Korean documents are not as comprehensive or inclusive as those in the United States documents. There is no representation of the mathematical world, the nature of science, historical perspectives, unifying concepts, or scientific communication. From these results, two conclusions are drawn. First, more coherent conceptions of science achievement are needed for common understanding among educators and the public. Second, efforts are needed for developing more comprehensive and inclusive conceptions of science achievement in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the group reward and cooperative skill training on science achievement and learning motivation of elementary students. 3 classes of the 6th grade students were selected from an elementary school in Busan. Group I took traditional cooperative learning (TCL), group II took cooperative learning with competitive group reward (GR), and group III was trained in cooperative skill (CS) before cooperative learning. Students were taught about 'weather forecast' for thirteen periods and problem-based learning steps were applied in each class. The results from this study were as follows: First, there was an interactive effect between the treatment and achievement level in the science achievement test scores. In the case of high-level students the group reward was more effective than cooperative skill training on the science achievement; on the other hand, in the case of low-level students the cooperative skill training was more effective than the group reward on the science achievement. Second, there was no interactive effect between the treatment and achievement level in the motivation scores.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.74-86
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• 2004

The effect of Web-based project learning on the science achievement and attitude of middle school students was investigated. Four classes of 9th grade at a coed middle school were divided into control and experimental groups. Web-based project instruction in which students utilized the Web to interactively carry out their projects was put into practice with the experimental group, while traditional instruction was employed with the control group. Pre- and post-test achievement and attitude scores were estimated through an analysis of covariance. Web-based project instruction was seen to be more effective in enhancing students’ science achievement and attitude than traditional instruction. In particular, the former instruction was most useful for improving higher level students’ achievement and attitude among the higher, middle, and lower level students of both groups, based on their academic achievement. The effect of Web-based project may result in eradicating negative cognition about gender difference.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.394-407
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• 2012

This study analyzed the result of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) in a Grade 9 Science class. The study first found that the ratio of below basic achievement was 8.1 percent. This means that a large number of middle school students have not reached basic scientific literacy. Second, the ratio of male students in the below basic level was 10.4 percent, which was double the ratio of female students at 5.5 percent. Third, according to the analysis of achievement by gender, female students outperformed male students. In addition, the female students' standard deviation was smaller than that of the male students, and their scaled scores were distributed nearer the average than that of the male students. Furthermore, analysis of achievement by content domains indicated that females outperformed in all content domains including motion and energy, materials, life, and earth sciences. Showing a similar tendency in the behavior domains, females outperformed males in all behavior domains except the understanding domain. Last, for achievement by living area, students living in the middle and small cities showed the highest scaled score, 196.81. Whereas the average scaled score of the students living in the big cities was 196.15; that of the students living in rural areas was 194.86. With respect to the standard deviation, big cities had the largest, 33.73. That of middle and small cities was 33.70, and of rural areas was 32.92. Although students in cities showed higher achievement in science compared to students in rural areas, they had a bigger gap in academic achievement.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.607-616
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• 2016

In the 2009 revised science curriculum, comprehensive verbs such as 'know (38%)' and 'understand (46%)' are used in more than 80% of the achievement standard. Many readers, such as teachers, textbook makers, etc. have difficulties in interpreting the meaning of achievement standard sentences with these comprehensive verbs. On the other hand, 'Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)' uses more various and specific verbs to express the cognitive domain. In this study, we analyzed the 2009 revised science curriculum achievement standard focusing on the TIMSS cognitive domain assessment framework. We divided achievement standard to 228 sentences and three teachers analyzed the meaning of verbs in achievement standard. There were two main results of this study. First, the verb 'Know' was analyzed into different kinds of meanings, such as 'Describe (27%)', 'Recall/Recognize (25%)' and 'Relate (17%)', etc; and the verb 'Understand' was analyzed into 'Explain (37%)', 'Relate (27%)' and 'Describe (21%)', etc. Second, there appeared to have a disagreement among the three analysts during the process of interpreting the achievement standards when the level and scope of the contents of each grade is not clear. This study concludes that there's a need for continuous discussion on the use of verbs in achievement standard to promote clearer expressions for better understanding.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.985-1007
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• 2012

The achievement motivations of science gifted students are very important in becoming experts who achieve high level. In this study, 77 8th graders of Science Gifted Education Center were divided into highly motivated and low motivated groups. Multidimensional Perfectionism, Self-Concept, Parenting Behaviors Scale were compared between these 2 groups, and predicting variables were verified through regression analysis. As a result, highly motivated students received higher scores on Perfectionism, self-directed Perfectionism, and other-directed Perfectionism. Self-concept scores were higher on factors of body, moral, personalities, social, and abilities as well. In Parenting Behaviors Scale, only the father's affection factor was influenced. The result of regression analysis revealed that self-directed Perfectionism, social self-concept, and moral self-concept had meaningful predictions. In parameter verification, partially mediated effect of self-directed Perfectionism and social self-concept was verified in the relationship between father's affection factor and achievement motivation. This study confirmed that self-directed Perfectionism of science gifted students has positive effects on adaptation. The importance of social and moral education and the father's affection were found as well.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.649-659
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to analyse students' achievement of 'Earth Science' in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat(TIMSS-R), which was performed in 1999 with 38 nations participating. Korean 8th grade students' achievement of 'Earth Science' was compared with those of other countries and other content areas in science. Average percent correct of items in each subcategory was also analysed. Most of the 'Earth Science' topics were included in the intended curricula of Korea; they were taught to most of the students in science classes. Korean students ' average scale score of 'Earth Science' was significantly higher than the international average, but in comparison with other science content areas, achievement of 'Earth Science' was relatively low. The teachers' confidence in teaching earth science was lower than their confidence in teaching other science areas. The paper presents the results of item analysis and their implications for science education.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.193-214
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• 2006

This study is focused on the trends in education and polices for women in Korea. First, historical background of education for women in Korea revealed that a biased view of education for women was deeply rooted. Next, several findings such as international comparison of performance on the PISA, TIMSS, and National Assessment including gender differences especially in Mathematical and Science performance were analyzed. In international assessments, female students perform better in reading literacy, but still fall behind male students in mathematical and scientific literacy, and the gap between the genders are wider than most OECD countries. The change in status of women in contemporary Korea is examined focusing on educational system and women's educational and vocational performance, etc. Additionally, policies planned by Ministry of Science and Technology which show the many execution plans for training and supporting female professionals were presented. Finally, possible reasons for gender differences in educational performance is examined and some suggestions are provided to reduce the gender gap in mathematical and scientific literacy of Korean students.