• Journal of Science Education
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.404-417
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• 2015

It is important for student to participate in classroom actively in order to raise effeciveness of education. In this study, we have considered the science textbooks as major factor which influence to participation in the science class, and aimed to find the problems of current sicence textbooks as tool to promote students' participation, and the improvement method. The questionnaire which include the questions to ask requirements for and problems of science textbooks for learner-centered instruction was developed, and then 99 science teachers and 821 students answered the questionnaire. As a result, students responded that current science textbooks lacked explanation, had many of difficult words and complex sentences, and were uninteresting. Teachers responded that current science textbooks had large in quantity, were written knowledge centered, and lacked of link with real life, and of story. To conclude, science textbooks revitalizing the students' participation had to strengthen the link with real life, increase students' activities, use words and sentences appropriate level for students, strengthen storyline, and provide sufficient chances to check the students' understanding by themselves.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.353-361
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• 2023

This study analyzed the uses of visual representations of particles in the matter units of the middle school science textbooks developed under the 2015 Revised National Curriculum. The material units in four textbooks were divided into explanation, inquiry, and evaluation sections, and visual representations of particles presented in the science textbooks were analyzed by the use type, the activity type, and the level of activity. In the explanation section, the visual representations of particles were mainly presented in the auxiliary use type, and in the inquiry and evaluation section, they were mainly presented in a direct use type. In terms of the activity types of the direct use of visual representations of particles, the interpreting activity was mainly presented in the explanation and evaluation sections, while the generating activity and completing activity were presented in relatively higher proportion in the inquiry section than the other two sections. In terms of activity level, identifying was the most common activity level in the explanation section, and inferring was the most common activity level in the inquiry and evaluation sections. Based on these results, the implications for the presentation and uses of visual representations of particles in science textbooks are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.423-432
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• 2007

In this study we investigated the types of inscriptions representing the concept of atom and molecule in the 9th grade science textbooks developed under the 7th National Curriculum, and analyzed the processes of interpreting those inscriptions on the view of semiotics. The concept of atom and molecule was represented in various ways such as circular diagram, matters of everyday life, ball-and-stick, and STM graphic, etc. We identified two kinds of inscriptions on the basis of the possibilities of handling models: the inscriptions that represent concept of atom and molecule by image; the inscriptions that represent concept of atom and molecule by using specific matters. We analyzed the processes of interpreting inscriptions systematically with a semiotic model that includes ‘structuring processes' and ‘translating processes'. The interpretation of inscriptions representing concept of atom and molecule was a complex process requiring many steps of interpreting works. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.72-83
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• 2010

This study aims to analyze the types of arrows used on the inscriptions in the light unit of 7th grade science textbooks, and to investigate middle students' conceptions on the meaning of the arrows. The types of arrows in 9 science textbooks were analyzed. Based on this analysis, the instrument was developed to access how 7th graders perceive the meaning of arrows. In addition, we interviewed 7th graders, 2 students in high level, 2 in the middle, and 2 in low level by their achievement level, to investigate their perceptions on the meaning of the arrows. We analyzed 4 types of arrow by the process in which the reflected light from the object come into one's eyes. Students tend to perceive the meaning of the solid line and the dotted line of arrows differently according to their achievement level. When the light pathway is represented in which the reflected or refracted light enter into our eyes, it is necessary to describe and teach clearly both the meaning of solid line as the light from the object and the meaning of dotted line as the perception of the existence of the object.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.331-339
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) with the traditional laboratory experiment on science classes in middle school. MBL tools were developed and applied for five experiment subjects chosen from middle school science textbook for MBL experiment classes, while usual experiment methods suggested in the textbook were used in traditional experiment classes. In order to evaluate the effects of MBL experiment class, achievement, graphic ability, science process skills, affective aspect related to science were tested before and after applying the MBL experiment. The result revealed that MBL experiment class was more effective than traditional experiment class in improving student's science achievement, science process skills, and graphic ability. The result also indicated that there was a significant difference between experiment and control group with regards to the effect on affective aspect related to science. From the above result, we can find the positive implication of applicability of MBL experiment as a new experiment tool at the early stage of introduction in a real context.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.547-557
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• 2001

In this study, we compared the contents of cloud making experiments in middle school science textbooks of 5th and 6th science curriculum from the viewpoint of methods and apparatus. And we analyzed the problems of the experimental methods and apparatus based on the thermodynamic theories. A new experiment was developed to solve the problems, and the effects of new experiment were compared with those of the experiments in the textbooks.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.451-458
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• 1998

The trends of plant-related teaching and learning of elementary and secondary schools were presented in this paper. The textbooks of other subject matters except biology were analyzed for their plant-related learning contents. It was suggested that interconnection exists between biology and other subjects in the relations with plant-related learning materials. A total of 331 books were analyzed from 143 elementary schools, 117 middle schools and 71 high schools. 1. Among the learning materials, 264 species of plant were presented in elementary schools textbooks, 295 in middle schools, and 283 in high schools. Other subjcets had more various plants than biology. 2. Korean language, social study and home ecology had more plant materials than other subjects with not only simple citation but scientific concepts and inquiry activities. As this plant-related materials is considerable for school education and science curriculum. 3. The available plants in daily life - resource plants, edible plants, demonstration plants and engineering-related plants - were cited in other subjects. Interconnection of plant-related materials with biology and other subjects will provide basis of STS education and subject integration.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.346-352
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• 2009

The purpose of this research was to analyze the chinese chemistry terminology in chemistry unit of 7th grade science textbooks in 7th curriculum and find relationship between student understanding and difficulty index for chinese preferred students and non-chinese preferred students. The chinese terminology in 7th curriculum was reduced less than that of 6th curriculum but still was over 70%. Students had difficulties in understanding of abstract terminologies and science terms but thought easily the concrete, common terminologies. The tendency of student understanding was similar to that of difficulty index. For chinese chemistry terminology, understanding of chinese preferred students was higher than that of non-chinese preferred students. For easily translated chemistry terminology, there was no significant difference but both were showed the improved understanding. Therefore student understanding should be improved in science if science textbooks would be written by easily translated chemistry terminology.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.85-109
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• 2015

The purposes of this study were to analyze the duplicated contents of 'family life' unit of home economics and other subject textbooks for the middle school students. It focused on the 'family life' area in the home economics textbook compiled following the 2009 revised curriculum, and textbooks of other subjects compiled in the same period. To achieve the purpose of this study, "Home economics I II", "Ethics I II", "Social studies I II", "Science I II III", and "Physical education"were analyzed. The results were as follows. The contents in 'family life' area of "Home economics I II" were overlapped most in the textbook on Ethics, and then Science, Physical education, and social studies in order. In Ethics textbook the contents in family life area and those throughout the whole chapters of home economics textbook are overlapped most. The contents of home economics textbook are overlapped at the content of 'Juvenile's sexual development' of 'Human development process' in science and physical education, and at the content of 'Juvenile's emotional and social development' of 'Understanding of human development' in social studies. Seen from this study the 'family life' area of home economics is overlapped in science, physical education, and social studies, but, home economics has comprehensive contents with the goal of managing healthy individual and family life compared with other subjects, and it induces students' moral practices in their real life on the basis of scientific knowledge different from morality, social studies, and physical education. Hence, the instruction of 'family life' area might be done more effectively by focusing on home economics and integrating the connections of duplicated contents in Ethics, Science, Physical education, and Social studies.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.475-484
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• 1999

This study was to investigate the effective order of instruction for students learning the concepts of chemical change. Chemical change was considered as the important area in 8th grade chemistry part. The study consisted of 168 8th grade students, two classes of boys and girls each, from a middle school in Seoul. They were divided into two groups, the experimental group and the control group. The control group was taught in the order, which was presented in the science textbook; chemical change, atom, and molecule (CAM). For the experimental group, the order was molecule, atom, and chemical change (MAC). From the results of the study, there was a statistically significant difference between the control group and the experimental group. But the interviews indicated that the students were confused with the MAC method in spite of the effective learning. Therefore, for more effective concepts learning without a confusion, we need to provide our students with various learning sequences of science textbooks rather than fixed learning sequences.