• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.611-625
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• 2009

The purpose of this research is to investigate the characteristics of beginning science teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK) as revealed in their classroom teaching methods. In this research, we explored six beginning teachers' classroom teaching episodes on the 'work and energy' unit. Using open-ended interviews with the teachers and group discussions taking place on a regular basis to analyze and compare the classes of six beginning teachers, we extracted the features of beginning science teachers' SMK. Using grounded theory methods, the characteristics of beginning science teachers' SMK drawn from this research are: (1) beginning teachers' positivistic epistemology on science, (2) claiming the teacher's authority based on rich subject content knowledge, and (3) beginning teachers' science elitism. These epistemological characteristics are realized such PCK as (1) representational errors caused by the teacher's own science misconception, (2) doing harm to students with too much content knowledge, (3) sporadic content presentation lacking a focus, and (4) surplus class hours with lack of effective science teaching explanations. Suggestions for alternative perspectives on science SMK are presented by experienced teachers. In conclusion, science teachers' SMK is necessary, but not sufficient, for effective teaching. Science teachers' SMK does have an effect on science teaching, mediated by other types of teacher knowledge. The beginning teachers need a systematic support to transform their SMK into a viable PCK.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.690-700
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• 2022

This study aimed to compare academic passion for science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) between pre-service and in-service elementary teachers. In addition, a comparison between passion for science subject matter knowledge and passion for science pedagogical knowledge was made for each group of teachers. Participants comprised 182 students from colleges of education and 161 in-service teachers. We analyzed between- and within-subject comparisons for each component of academic passion for science PCK. The results of this study are as follows: First, between-subject comparison demonstrated that, in academic passion for science subject matter knowledge, in-service teachers had a higher passion for "liking" and "importance" than pre-service teachers, whereas pre-service teachers had a higher passion for "time/energy investment" than in-service teachers. In academic passion for science pedagogical knowledge, pre-service teachers had a higher passion for "time/energy investment" than in-service teachers. Second, the within-subject comparison showed that only "harmonious passion" was higher for science pedagogical knowledge than science subject matter knowledge in pre-service teachers. However, "liking", "importance", "time/energy investment", and "obsessive passion" were higher for science subject matter knowledge than science pedagogical knowledge in in-service teachers. The educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.553-568
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• 2022

This study investigated the level of academic passion for elementary school teachers' science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and examined the factors that influence the passion. To this end, 161 elementary school teachers in Seoul were selected, and academic passion tests were then administered to evaluate their academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. Individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with some of the participating teachers. The results revealed that 'importance' and 'harmonious passion' for learning science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were found at a high level. However, 'time/energy investment' and 'obsessive passion' for learning the knowledge were slightly higher or lower than normal. The 'like' for learning science subject matter knowledge was relatively high, but the 'like' for learning science pedagogical knowledge was slightly higher than normal. The differences in academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were greater according to advanced major at undergraduate than teaching career. The teachers evenly selected some factors that influenced their academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. These identified characteristics included 'individual interest', 'high school track', 'experience in advanced major at undergraduate', 'experience in science-related graduate school', 'experience teaching science in elementary school', 'experience teaching science at the gifted education institute', 'experience in charge of science subject teacher', 'experience in science-related teacher training', 'experience in developing science-related teaching and learning materials', 'experience in charge of science or science-gifted related work', and 'experience in a science-related teacher community'. However, a slight difference was noted in the selection ratio depending on advanced major at undergraduate. Based on these results, the practical implications for improving their academic passion for science PCK are suggested.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

This study investigated the level of academic passion for pre-service elementary teachers' science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and the factors that influence the passion. To this end, 182 first to fourth grade students in advanced non-science majors who were taking science-related courses in the second semester were selected, and two tests were then administered to evaluate their academic passions for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. Individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with some of the participants. It was found that the factors such as "importance" and "harmonious passion" for learning science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were found at a high level. On the other hand, the factors such as "like" and "investment of time and energy" were slightly higher than normal, and the factor such as "obsessive passion" was slightly lower than normal. The differences in academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were greater according to the high school track than the grade. The pre-service elementary teachers selected more often the factors such as "individual interests", "high school track", "contents of science-related courses at the university of education", "characteristics of professor in charge of science-related courses at the university of education", and "experience in teaching practicum" as the factors that influenced their academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. However, there was a slight difference in the selection ratio depending on the high school track.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.415-427
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• 2020

This study aims to understand science education conducted in North Korea by analyzing the PCK components shown in two science teacher's guidebooks: (1) Guidebook for 1^st grade elementary school and (2) Guidebook for 1^st grade middle school. These were published after 2013, when "the first 12-year Universal Compulsory Curriculum" was implemented in North Korea. The analysis shows that both elementary and middle school guidebooks had the highest percentage of content in "Knowledge of Subject Matter", followed by "Knowledge of Instructional Strategies in Science" and "Knowledge of Science Curriculum". On the other hand, "Knowledge of Assessment in Science" and "Knowledge of Students" were significantly low in content. Within the "Knowledge of Subject Matter", both elementary and middle schools had the highest proportion of content in "Concepts and Theories", along with "Experiments and Inquiries" that was also significantly higher than other PCK components. Science teacher's guidebooks in North Korea advocates constructivist teaching style by using "discussions" as the main activity when conveying scientific concepts and theories to students or conducting scientific inquiry classes. Furthermore, "Knowledge of Instructional Strategies in Science" was mainly focused on guiding the "Instruction sequence and method" from the "Topic-specific Strategies", while only a small part of the "Subject-specific Strategies" was being presented. Also, Science teacher's guide books in North Korea included only a few theoretical elements of science education in both the general outline and the particular sections of guidebooks. "Knowledge of Science Curriculum" was mainly composed of "Lesson Objectives" with some inclusion of "Vertical Articulation" and "Horizontal Articulation". "Knowledge of Assessment in Science" and "Knowledge of Students" accounted for a small portion compared to the science teacher's guidebooks in South Korea.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1219-1236
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between subject matter knowledge (SMK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for science teachers. To this end, a total of 26 secondary Earth science teachers participated in this study and a concept diagnostic questionnaire and a lesson planning task of atmospheric pressure were devised to give an indication of participating teachers' SMK and PCK, respectively. The results of this study are summarized as follows: First, participating teachers showed a variety of SMK levels about atmospheric pressure. Second, teachers at high level of SMK focused on 'supplementary' and 'fundamental' curriculum contents for in-depth conceptual understanding, but teachers at low level of SMK, on the contrary, stressed 'applicative' curriculum contents. Third, teachers at high level of SMK grasped students' misconceptions and difficulties in learning atmospheric pressure far more concretely than teachers at low level of SMK. Lastly, teachers at high level of SMK showed a tendency to use learner-centered instructional strategy by utilizing students' prior knowledge, but teachers at low level of SMK were inclined toward teacher-directed concept explanation. Based on this study, some implications for effective science teacher preparation programs were also discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.641-648
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to analyze pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. For this study, two senior education students were selected. The data of this study were collected through interviews, CoRe questionnaire, and classroom observation recordings during the period of student-teacher practice. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results indicated that the two pre-service science teachers had low level pedagogical content knowledge. Two pre-service science teachers' knowledges of science curriculum were different from each other. Orientations toward teaching science shifted to undesirable direction after the experience of a student-teacher's practice-teaching. Their subject matter knowledges were imperfect. They also had low levels of knowledge of students' understanding.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.910-922
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• 2009

The purpose of the study was to investigate the professional level of the Korean non-physics major middle-school science teachers in 'force and motion' content knowledge. For the study, nine science teachers who majored in chemistry, biology, or earth science were sampled from middle-schools in a big city in Korea. The physics concept test-tool (subjective type), which the authors developed, were administered, and then followed by in-depth interviews. The research findings are as follows: Firstly, non-physics major science teachers' correct answer rate in physics knowledge test of secondary school level was not so high that they may have difficulty in teaching correct concepts in physics to middle-school students. Secondly, some teachers show that they can not apply some physics concepts from one to another situation. That means that they may have difficulty in teaching physics conceptual application in various situations to students.

• 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.33 no.4
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• pp.807-825
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• 2013

This study investigated two science teachers' practical knowledge shaped during their science classes which intend to realize social construction of scientific models. The teachers' practical knowledge was qualitatively examined in terms of five content categories defined by Elbaz through the reflection-in-action based on video data of their teaching as well as the reflection-on-action based on their narratives and interview data obtained after their classes. The results shows: 1) two science teachers implemented their practical knowledge on appropriate subject matter knowledge when they provided students with scaffoldings to support building scientific models during the classes. 2) The teachers' knowledge about science curriculum played important roles to change the purposes of the classes from the transmission of difficult science concepts to the construction of scientific model appropriate to learning goals. 3) The teachers' implementation of pedagogical knowledge changed toward supporting students' group activities and model generations aligned to the intention of social construction of scientific models. 4) The teachers' practical knowledge about their 'selves' showed that a teacher's perception and implementation of his/her roles of helper, guide, or facilitator are important for students to construct scientific models through group activities. 5) The two teachers' practical knowledge the milieu of schooling is realized by their modes of interactions with student groups during their classes. Two teachers acted like a co-player with his students or like a coach to students near a playground. We discussed domain-specific characteristics about scientific model construction.