• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.325-337
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• 2022

This study aims to determine the implications of the efficient and effective implementation of science core competency (ScC) education by examining the state of science core competencies derived from the 2015 revised elementary school science curriculum and analyzing teachers' and students' perceptions. To this end, this paper investigated the reality of reflecting the science core competencies of science textbooks in a group of third and fourth graders from seven elementary schools who passed the test. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with four elementary school teachers who participated in qualification textbook selection, and 156 elementary school students were surveyed to determine their perceptions of science core competencies. Findings showed that, first, 1,586 science core competencies were reflected throughout the textbooks, with an average of 227 per textbook and biology being the most salient area. Second, teachers did not understand the difference between previous inquiry activities in textbooks and ScC education. Third, no statistically significant differences were observed in the perceptions of male and female students on science core competencies, the highest average of perceptions being those of scientific thinking ability. From these results, this study concluded that for ScC education to be realized as a curriculum, textbooks must be organized according to the purpose of core competency education, implementing practical changes, and efforts must be directed toward changing the perceptions of individuals who deliver education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.583-594
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• 2023

This study aimed to develop an e-PBL program for high school students using COVID-19 related data and to investigate the impact of the developed program on students' science core competencies. For this, the e-PBL program was developed in consideration of the characteristics of learners and e-PBL, and a science core competency analysis framework. The program was applied to 26 general high school life science club students. Test for science department core competency was conducted before and after class by questionnaires and their conversation data during class was collected and analyzed by the framework. As a result of the study, the developed program was effective in improving five science core competencies. In the results of the analysis of the science core competency questionnaire, there were significant effects on scientific thinking ability, scientific inquiry ability and scientific problem solving ability. Unlike in the results of the questionnaires, the five sciences department core competencies appeared evenly in student discourse analysis. Among them, scientific communication ability and scientific participation and lifelong learning ability did not show significant results in the questionnaire, but in the discourse analysis results. Both abilities were the most evenly displayed competencies through the program stages. Through the study, we expect that the program is possibles to be useful instructional material to make high school students increase science core competencies.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1241-1250
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate core competencies of science-gifted students based on teachers' and students' perceptions. Based on a literature review and focus group interview, 16 core competencies of science-gifted students were drawn. The results of this study were as follows. First, there are significant differences in self-control, self-directed learning, knowledge in one's academic area, research, English, writing, leadership, communication skill, cooperation, and spirit of services between teachers and students. Second, teachers perceived self-directed learning, thinking skills, interests in one's academic area, motivation as the most important core competencies among the 16. Also, teachers perceived the educational program to raise self-control, cooperation and self-directed learning. Further discussion was reviewed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.227-236
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• 2020

This study examines the change in students' science attitude and the growth of their core competencies through science classes emphasizing digital literacy. To this end, we conducted a study on 116 first graders in C middle school in the C region, and entered a science class that emphasized digital literacy of 35 classes. First, as a result of examining the effect on science attitude, a statistically significant change (p<.05) was observed. The effect size for each subregion ranged from 0.67 to 1.52. Second, there were no differences in the overall frequency of growth perception according to the type of class that emphasized digital literacy. However, in the analysis of core competencies, Web-based classes did not show a large difference in frequency by core competencies, whereas high-tech classes were slightly different by core competencies. This is an implication for science education, and it is necessary to increase the utilization of science classes that emphasize digital literacy.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.486-504
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• 2019

This study analyzed achievement standards in the 2015 Science Education Standards as well as activities and assessment items in the Integrated Science, Chemistry I, and Chemistry II textbooks using science core competencies and subcomponents. All five scientific core competencies, in order of scientific thinking capacity, scientific inquiry capacity, scientific communication capacity, scientific problem solving capacity, and scientific participation and lifelong learning capacity, were included in the achievement standards of Integrated Science. Scientific thinking capacity, scientific inquiry capacity, and scientific communication capacity were included in the achievement standards of Chemistry I. The achievement standards of Chemistry II only included scientific thinking capacity. All five scientific core competencies were involved in activities of Integrated Science, Chemistry I, and Chemistry II textbooks and the highest propotion was scientific thinking capacity and scientific inquiry capacity. All five scientific core competencies were involved in assessment items of Integrated Science, Chemistry I, and Chemistry II textbooks and the highest proportion was scientific thinking capacity.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.927-949
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to find out the difference between importance and performance regarding perception of core competence of gifted education teachers through importance-performance analysis (IPA). One hundred fourteen elementary gifted education teachers including math and science participated in the study. The collected survey data was analyzed with IPA matrix. As the result, firstly, there was significant difference between importance and performance regarding perception of core competence of gifted education teachers. Secondly, core competencies of 'understanding knowledge', 'research and instruction', 'passion and motivation', and 'ethics' are high in both perceptions of importance and performance. However, both 'communication and practices' and 'professional curriculum development' are low. Thirdly, there was a difference in core competence of gifted education teachers between math and science at the competence of 'passion and motivation'. Math gifted education teachers perceived 'passion and motivation' high in both importance and performance while science gifted education teachers perceived its importance low and performance high. In addition, math gifted education teachers showed lower performance compared to its importance in the sub-categories; 'knowledge of gifted development', 'gifted child assessment', 'information gathering and its literacy', and 'creative answers to various questions'. However, science gifted education teachers showed lower performance compared to its importance in sub-categories; 'higher-order thinking skills in its subject', 'teaching methodology for self-directed learning', 'problem behavior of the gifted', and 'counseling the gifted'.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2022

The two most influential rationales for the 21^st century science curriculum reform can be said to be core competence and scientific literacy. However, the relationship between the two has not been scrutinized but remained speculative - and this has made the harmonization of the general guideline and subject-matter curriculum difficult in Korean national curriculum system. This study compares the two discourses to derive implications for future science curriculum development. This study took a literature research approach. In chapter II, national curriculum or standards, position papers, and research articles were reviewed to delineate the historical development of the discourses. In chapter III and IV, the intersections of those two discourses are delineated. In chapter III, the commonalities of the two discourses are explicated with regard to crisis rhetoric, multi-faceted meanings (individual, community, and global aspects), organization of subject-matter content and teaching and learning method, and the role of high-stake exams. In chapter IV, their respective strengths and weaknesses are juxtaposed. In chapter V, it is suggested that understanding scientific literacy and core competence discourses to have a family resemblance as 21^st century science curriculum reform rationale, after Wittgenstein and Kuhn. Finally, the ways to resolve the conflict between the two ideas from the general guideline and subject-matter curriculum over crisis rhetoric were explored.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.509-541
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• 2014

There was a great need to consider a core competency-based approach as a new direction of the science education for gifted students according to the value and vision of the 21st century knowledge-based societies. Therefore we developed a core competency model of scientist and examined its validity as a prerequisite for a core competency-based education of science gifted students. In order to this, the survey was conducted after developing questionnaire through the theoretical review of the various resources such as paper, book, and newspaper articles and the qualitative analysis of the behavioral event interview, and then an exploratory factor analysis was performed to validate the factor structure based on the results of the survey. The results revealed that the core competency model with the 5 cluster units of competency and the 15 core competencies was potentially constituted. And the reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the core competency model were verified through the confirmatory factor analysis. The cognitive cluster consisted of 5 competencies and they were as follows: creative, comprehensive, exploratory, analytical, and conceptual thinking competency. The achievement-orientation cluster consisted of 3 competencies and they were as follows: initiative, preparation & problem solving, and strategic influence competency. The scientific attitude cluster consisted of 3 competencies and they were as follows: flexible thinking & attitude, passion for research, and views about science competency. The personal effectiveness cluster consisted of 2 competencies and they were as follows: diverse experiences and global attitude competency. Finally, the networking cluster consisted of 2 competencies and they were as follows: personal understanding and communication competency. Findings were expected to provide the basic data for developing programs and establishing strategies based on the core competency as well as introducing the core competency model of scientist to science education for gifted students effectively.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.196-208
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• 2019

This study analyzed achievement standards in the 2015 revised Science Education Standards as well as activities and assessment items in grade 7 science textbooks using science core competencies and subcomponents. Scientific participation and lifelong learning capacity was not involved in the achievement standards. Logical thinking of scientific thinking capacity, planning and carrying out investigation, analyzing and interpreting data, developing and using models, and constructing explanation of scientific inquiry capacity, collecting and selecting information of scientific problem solving capacity, and using various communication methods of scientific communication capacity were involved in the achievement standards. All five scientific core competencies including all subcomponents except rational decision making of scientific problem solving capacity and understanding and coordinating diverse thoughts of scientific communication capacity were involved in activities of science textbooks. All five scientific core competencies were involved in assessment items of science textbooks. Logical thinking and creative thinking of scientific thinking capacity, planning and carrying out investigation and constructing explanation of scientific inquiry capacity, identifying problems, collecting and selecting information, suggesting solutions, and performing of scientific problem solving capacity, using various communication methods, arguing based on evidence of scientific communication capacity, and being interested in science technology and society issues of scientific participation and lifelong learning capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.351-362
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• 2023

This study aimed to identify structural relationships among variables by examining the direct and indirect effects of cognitive factors such as self-regulated learning strategy and definitional factors such as attitude toward science and scientific self-efficacy on science core competency in middle school students. To this end, the researcher examined the causal relationships among the variables using data from 438 students in all grades at S middle school in a metropolitan city. The results showed that middle school students' self-regulated learning strategy, attitude toward science, and scientific self-efficacy had a direct effect on science core competency, and that self-regulated learning strategy had a direct effect on attitude toward science and scientific self-efficacy. In addition, middle school students' self-regulated learning strategy had an indirect effect on science core competency through attitude toward science and scientific self-efficacy. Therefore, it is necessary to educate students from a comprehensive perspective that considers cognitive factors such as self-regulated learning strategy and defining factors such as attitude toward science and scientific self-efficacy in order to foster science core competency in middle school students.