• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.19-37
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• 2004

In school mathematics, polygon and polyhedron are defined by vague terms such as "surrounded" or "formed" Moreover, the inclusion of boundary and interior in the definition of polygon and polyhedron is varied according to the context. Polygon and polyhedron are considered as "context-dependent concept" in school mathematics. Elementary school mathematics introduces a surface only in the context of solid, yet secondary school mathematics explains a surface as the trace of the line movement. From the perspective of fallabilism, it is possible and desirable to lead students to revise and improve their conceptions on polygon, polyhedron, and surface. It is more appropriate to name a face, an edge, and a vertex rather than to express a face of polyhedron, an edge of polyhedron, and a vertex of polyhedron in textbooks. The term "surface as a polygon" in secondary mathematics textbooks shows a conflict between intuitive approach in elementary school and logical approach in secondary school.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.201-221
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• 2008

This study discusses how the humanity mathematics education can be realized in practice. The essence of mathematical concept is gradually disclosed revealing the ambiguities in the concept currently accepted and clarifying them. Historical development of mathematical concepts has progressed as such, exemplified with the group-theoretical thought and continuous function. In learning of mathematical concepts, thus, students have to recognize, reveal and clarify the ambiguities that intuitive and context-dependent definitions in school mathematics have. We present the process of improvement of definitions of a tangent and a polygon in school mathematics as examples. In the process, students may recognize the limitations of their thoughts and reform them with feelings of humility and satisfaction. Therefore this learning process would contribute to cultivating students' minds as the humanity mathematics education pursues.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.197-219
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• 2008

Unlike ordinary situations, deifinitions play a very important role in mathematics education in schools. Mathematical concepts have been mainly acquired by given definitions. However, according to didactical intentions, mathematics education in schools has employed mathematical concepts and definitions with less strict forms than those in pure mathematics. This research mainly discusses definitions used in geometry (promising) course in primary schools to cope with possibilities of creating misconception due to this didactical transformation. After analyzing problems with potential misconceptions, a survey was conducted $\underline{with}$ 80 primary school teachers in Jeju to investigate their recognitions in meaning of mathematical concepts in geometry and attitudes toward teaching. Most of the respondents answered they taught their students while they knew well about mathematical definitions in geometry but the respondents sometimes confused mathematical concepts of polygons and circles. Also, they were aware of problems in current mathematics textbooks which have explained figures in small topics (classes). Here, several suggestions are proposed as follows from analyzing teachers' recognitions and researches in mathematical viewpoints of definitions (promising) in geometric figures which have been adopted by current mathematics textbooks in primary schools from the seventh educational curriculum. First, when primary school students in their detailed operational stage studying figures, they tend to experience $\underline{a}$ collision between concept images acquired from activities to find out promising and concept images formed through promising. Therefore, a teaching method is required to lessen possibility of misconceptions. That is, there should be a communication method between defining conceptual definitions and Images. Second, we need to consider how geometric figures and their elements in primary school textbooks are connected with fundamental terminologies laying the foundation for geometrical definitions and more logical approaches should be adopted. Third, the consistency with studying geometric figures should be considered. Fourth, sorting activities about problems in coined words related to figures and way and time of their introductions should be emphasized. In primary schools mathematics curriculum, geometry has played a crucial role in increasing mathematical ways of thoughts. Hence, being introduced by parts from viewpoints of relational understanding should be emphasized more in textbooks and teachers should teach students after restructuring this. Mathematics teachers should help their students not only learn conceptual definitions of geometric figures in their courses well but also advance to rigid mathematical definitions. Therefore, that's why mathematics teachers should know meanings of concepts clearly and accurately.

• Archives of design research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2004

Although information design principles had originated from the graphic design field including publishing design in 1970s, information design have taken one of the most important positions in multimedia design fields as the present since Richard Saul Wurmn started his researches on information design and its practical application on internet environments. However, relatively little researches have been performed for building identity of information design in multimedia design fields so far and moreover in some cases, information design is likely to be narrowly viewed as 'the representation of a piece of information and its visualization' which was defined in traditional graphic design field. This research circumstance leads the study to investigate characteristics of information design in current multimedia design with contingent perspective which is compared to the traditional information design. The study results suggest 5 characteristics of information design including 'suggesting context & finding out information hierarchy', 'access of integrated consideration & share of information control', 'using of multi-dimensional media & content first', 'stabilization of information quality & combinational understanding of meaning', 'bilateral information representation & user's knowledge expansion'. Future researches, based on the results of the study, are expected to be expanded to a degree with argument for inter-dependent and/or exclusive characteristics of adjacent fields of information design such as interface design, interaction design and experience design.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 2021

Inquiry occupies an important place in science education, and research related to inquiry is widely conducted. However, due to the inclusiveness of the concept of "exploration," each researcher perceives its meaning differently, and approaches may vary. In addition, criticisms have been raised that the results of classes using inquiry in science education do not guarantee meaningful changes to students. Therefore, this study attempts to identify the trend of SSCI-level research papers dealing with inquiry in science education over the past three years to confirm the current status and effectiveness of the inquiry. Researches used in the analysis are International Journal of Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Research in Science Education, and Science Education, and limited to those that directly suggest "inquiry (enquiry)" as a keyword. Based on extracted 75 papers, the classification process was conducted, and an analysis frame was derived inductively by reflecting the subject and characteristics. Specific cases for each category were presented by dividing into three aspects: perception and perspective on inquiry, support and strategy for inquiry, and teacher professional development for inquiry. The results of examining the implications for scientific inquiry are as follows: First, rather than defining inquiry as an implicit proposition or presenting it as a step-by-step procedure, it was induced to grasp the meaning of inquiry more comprehensively and holistically. Second, as to whether the inquiry-based instruction is effective in all aspects of the cognitive, functional, and affective domains of science, the limitations are clearly presented, and the context-dependent and subject-specific properties and limitations of inquiry are emphasized. Third, uncertainty in science inquiry-based instruction can help learners to begin their inquiry and develop interest, but in the process of recognizing data and restructuring knowledge, explicit and specific guidance and scaffolding should be provided at an appropriate timing.