• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1131-1142
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• 2004

This study investigated the factors affecting the procedures of becoming a scientist. Interview was used as a research method for deep understanding of individual career choice procedures. Interviews for individual scientists were conducted for about 60 minutes in their offices and all the interviews were tape-recorded. A total of 34 scientists who received some representative science awards in Korea during 1990 - 2001 were sampled. They were all men. But the interview was conducted with 30 scientists. The investigation was based on the framework that was composed of the following four categories: personal ability, home environment, school environment, and sociocultural environment. And each category had several factors as follows: personal ability consisted of the meta-ability to figure out the aptitude and the self-ability and the achievement; home environment consisted of parents, brothers and sisters, relatives, and hobby; school environment consisted of teachers, friends, club activity; sociocultural environment consisted of event, mass media, social recognition and social prospect. From the analysis of the career choice procedure of the scientists it was appeared that the meta-ability for personal ability, the parental influence particularly by father for home environment, science teacher and professor for school environment, and social prospect for sociocultural environment were important. In conclusion, most of the scientists made an important decision for their future career when they were the 12th grade and 1st year in university, and they considered intrinsic factor such as self-interest and aptitude and extrinsic factor such as social prospect. However intrinsic factor related to science teacher and professor and extrinsic factor related to fathers' advice.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.93-108
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• 2014

In this paper we carried out a survey targeting 185 elementary, middle and high school mathematics teachers to identify their conception, satisfaction, requirements of after-school mathematics education. The survey results show that we need to develop newer programs, reduce teachers' task, build a more effective system for supporting and researching after-school mathematics education, and so on. Using these survey results we understand the facts of existing after-school mathematics education and provide preliminary data for discussing how to invigorate and advance the after-school mathematics education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.261-274
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the influences of teaching practices upon preservice elementary school teachers' self-images of science teaching. Twenty-six juniors were selected from the departments of science education in a national university of education. The Draw-A-Science-Teacher-Test Checklist (DASTT-C) was administered before and after teaching practices. Five juniors were also interviewed in depth, and some of their science classes during teaching practices were observed, in order to investigate the factors influencing the formations of their self-images of science teaching. Analyses of the results revealed that their self-images of science teaching changed from near 'studentcentered' to near 'teacher-centered'. Many juniors responded that the main factors affecting the formations of their images of science teaching before teaching practices were teaching-learning experiences in elementary and secondary schools, and/or universities. After teaching practices, however, many juniors responded teaching-learning experiences during teaching practices. The factors were classified into three types, which are the influences of the experiences in teaching elementary school students in science classes, the influences of other preservice elementary school teachers, and the influences of guidance teachers. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.3
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• pp.341-349
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• 2020

This study analyzed the effectiveness of the forest education program for teacher training. The training program was conducted at the National Center for Forest Activities, in Hoengseong, Korea in August 2017. Presurveys and postsurveys were administered to 46, K-12 teachers who participated in the forest education program. The results showed a statistically significant increase in the teachers' environmental sensitivity, eco-friendly teaching attitude, and teacher efficacy after the program. Survey participants expressed a slightly lower confidence in terms of teacher efficacy after participating in the program. This confirms the need for a training program with a focus on practical teaching skills, which would help teachers become more confident in providing forest education. This study verifies the effectiveness of the forest education program for teachers, who play an important role in developing students' environmental sensitivity and eco-friendly attitude. Furthermore, it suggests the need to develop more effective forest education programs for teacher training.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.173-192
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to develop inquiry modules for learning straight propagation of light, to verify their efficiency, and to acquire implications. this study proposes teaching modules for improvements of light experiments, which were developed in this work. Inquiry modules were applied to 75 school teachers(8 elementary school teachers, 67 middle school and high school teachers) for examining that the modules make teachers have the scientific concepts. Then, conception changes were analyzed except 5 teachers who responded poorly. The pre-test result shows that most teachers have alternative conceptions, which is that they thought the bright shape on apparatus's bottom panel itself shown in the textbook as evidence for the path of light's straight propagation. The post-test result shows this alternative conception was changed into scientific conception. Unlikely pretest, most teachers' conception was changed into the scientific conception that the light come from a light source. Teachers are able to express that the light beam comes from a miniature electric bulb. Further more, most teachers can draw light's path correctly; from the miniature electric bulb, through vertical panel having a hole, to the apparatus bottom.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.325-340
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• 2022

This study attempts to analyze the causes of low affective achievement of elementary, middle, and high school students in Korea in science. To this end, a total of 27 students, three to four students per grade, were interviewed by grade from the fourth grade of elementary school to the first grade of high school, and a total of nine teachers were interviewed by school level. In the interview, related questions were asked in five sub-areas of the 'Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science': 'Science Academic Emotion', 'Science-Related Self-Concept', 'Science Learning Motivation', 'Science-Related Career Aspiration', and 'Science-Related Attitude'. Interview contents were recorded, transcribed, and categorized. As a result of examining the causes of low science academic emotion, it was found that students experienced negative emotions when experiments are not carried out properly, scientific theories and terms are difficult, and recording the inquiry results is burdensome. In addition, students responded that science-related self-concept changed negatively due to poor science grades, difficult scientific terms, and a large amount of learning. The reasons for the decline in science learning motivation were the lack of awareness of relationship between science class content and daily life, difficulty in science class content, poor science grades, and lack of relevance to one's interest or career path. The main reason for the decline in science-related career aspirations was that they feel their career path was not related to science, and due to poor science performance. Science-related attitudes changed negatively due to difficulties in science classes or negative feelings about science classes, and high school students recognized the ambivalence of science on society. Based on the results of the interview, support for experiments and basic science education, improvement of elementary school supplementary textbook 'experiment & observation', development of teaching and learning materials, and provision of science-related career information were proposed.

• Korean Journal of Comparative Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-49
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics and implications of the quality management policy through teachers' entire life in Japan case study. This article composed of four chapters; Implication and problem situation, Backgrounds and streams of the japanese teacher reform policy, Characteristics of the main policies about managing the teacher's quality through their life, and Conclusion(Japanese characteristics and the suggestion for Korea). The main quality management policy means the various teacher recruitment and selection system, Merit system of personnel management, Effective management of a system for teachers performing unsatisfactorily, Professional development for teachers with new and 10 years' experience, and Teacher Certificate Renewal System every ten years. The method of study composed of the literature search and interview. The System Analysis[input-process-output-feedback] is used as a model of the analyze the policy process[backgrounds & T.O-quality management system-japanese teacher's reaction & implications to korea] The Central Council for Education(CCE;2012.8.28) has released "An Outline of Measures for Comprehensively Improving the Quality and Ability of Teachers throughout their career". This report can be regarded as a blueprint for the teacher reform policy in japan. As a conclusion, Ten lessons is proposed for the Korea policy improving the quality and ability of teachers(training, employment, and development).

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2007

According to the administrational guidelines of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) for elementary and middle schools" shown by the Ministry of Education in 2000, it suggests using eight types of ICT such as information search, information analysis, information guidance, web discussion, joint research, expert interchange, web pen pal and information making. But the result of this research shows that teachers think the eight types of ICT are not proper to apply in a school and teachers also have difficulties to use them on their classes. Therefore, this research proposed to improve the basic functional types and have concrete functional plans for normal operation of information education from now on. This research also proves that the functional types developed through teachers' opinions are more appropriate and realistic. I expect that this research will help teachers to utilize ICT and organize the process of information education hereafter

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-45
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• 2012

Educational communities around the world have concentrated on integrative efforts among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEM) subjects. Korea has focused on integrative education among STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) school subjects to raise talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. The purpose of this study was to analyze secondary school science, technology, and mathematics teacher's perceptions and needs toward integrated education and integrative STEM education. A total of 251 secondary school teachers from all areas of the country who have taught science, mathematics, and technology were surveyed by using a self-reported instrument. The findings were as follows: First, teachers have used little integrated education in their classes due to insufficient time in the actual preparation of the integrated education and the lack of expertise, teaching experience, and teaching-learning materials for the integrated education, while they have positive thoughts about the need of integrated education. Second, they presented several needs to facilitate the integrated education: development of a variety of integrated programs, school administrative and financial support, and in-service teachers' training. Third, overall perception toward integrated STEM education was not sufficient, but most teachers perceived the need toward integrated STEM education due to students' development in their creativity, thinking skills, and adaptability. Fourth, they perceived that it was imperative to develop the various integrated STEM education programs, distribute the materials, and help STEM teachers' understanding toward integrated STEM education. Fifth, they perceived that the most relevant method to integrate STEM subjects was the problem solving approach. In addition, they appreciate that the integrated STEM education is highly efficient in not only developing integrated problem solving skills and STEM related literacy, but also in positively impacting the rise of talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. In order to increase the awareness of STEM-related secondary school teachers and vitalize the integrated STEM education, it is necessary to develop and spread a variety of programs, effective teaching and learning materials, and teachers' training programs.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.180-191
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred SSI topics of students and teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools. It analyzed the similarity of students' and teachers' preferred SSI topics by school level using the cosine similarity measure. A total of 566 students and 327 teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools participated in the study. Sixty topics were identified and listed in the areas of environment, science and technology, health and medicine, and other social issues based on the literature and SSI programs. Students and teachers were asked to select five of their favorite topics. The data was collected online using SurveyMonkey. The collected data was divided into six groups of students and teachers, and the frequency of topic selection was analyzed within each group. The topic preference similarity was analyzed by calculating vector values based on the frequency of the selected topics and measuring the cosine similarity between students, teachers, and teachers and students by school level. The results are as follows: First, the cosine similarity of SSI Preferred Topics between students' school-level cohorts was higher between middle and high school students (0.982) than between elementary and middle school students (0.651) or between elementary and high school students (0.662). Second, the cosine similarity of SSI Preferred Topics between teachers' school-level cohorts was similar for all comparison groups between elementary, middle, and high school. Third, the SSI topic preference similarity between students and teachers by school level had a higher cosine similarity between the elementary student and teacher cohorts (0.974) than the other school level comparisons, middle school (0.621) or high school (0.645). Access to topics of interest to students in SSI education is strongly associated with motivation and persistence in learning, as well as an enjoyable learning experience and positive attitudes toward learning. Therefore, when designing SSI lessons, it is important to examine topics from the perspective of student interest, especially if the teacher has selected SSI topics that are different from students' preferences. Careful instructional design will be needed to overcome the gap.