• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.265-276
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to develop a plan to ensure that students lacking basic science skills acquire the minimum needed science learning ability while completing the common curriculum. We surveyed 27 elementary and secondary science teachers with experience in research and teaching related to basic skills support to investigate their perceptions of the criteria for minimum achievement standards using Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results indicated that the science teachers tended to describe low achievers as lacking science learning competency, accumulating a science learning deficit, and lacking prerequisite knowledge. However, there were some differences in the characteristics that the elementary and secondary teachers paid attention to in students with insufficient science and basic academic skills. Specifically, the secondary teachers demonstrated greater sensitivity towards low learning motivation and difficulties in using scientific symbols, whereas the elementary teachers were more sensitive towards students' attitudes towards science or lack of experience. Furthermore, it has been observed that the prioritization of items, categorized by school level, differs in terms of setting minimum achievement standards to ensure basic skill support. This implies the need to develop minimum achievement standards considering various variables based on the school level. As there are diverse opinions among science teachers, depending on their expertise, regarding the factors to be considered when developing these standards to guarantee science and basic skill support. Based on the findings of the study, policy support is required to enhance teachers' professionalism in developing students' basic skills while considering the individual context and diversity of low achievers. Additionally, it is crucial to establish a shared vision for students lacking basic skills to reduce the gap between national policy and the practices of science teachers in ensuring support for basic skills.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.461-470
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• 2009

Even though the revised operational guide for ICT education emphasizes the basic concepts of computer science, many primary and secondary schools do not deal with the changed requirements properly. Also, it is doubtful if the education considers teaching period and the levels of students or not. In this paper, we survey on the state of ICT education, the relationship between ICT education and Computer Education, and the connectivity in Computer Education between primary and secondary schools. In order to do these, we analyze the result of our questionnaire and we propose an improved method for the connectivity in Computer Education. The results are (i) primary school teachers don't consider the connectivity of Computer Education and (ii) the teachers who have higher satisfaction levels of ICT education think ICT education and Computer Education between two schools are correlated and connected. As a result, new policies to re-educate teachers are required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.208-223
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• 2019

In this study, it was analyzed first the views of nature of elementary and middle school students using the analysis framework of the views of nature that reflects the results of the literature analysis on the traditional views of nature that Koreans traditionally have. Next, it was analyzed characteristics of the views of nature which elementary and secondary school teachers. Finally, it was discussed the implications of the results of analysis of students' and teachers' views on science education in elementary and secondary schools. For this purpose, the framework for analysis the views of nature was reconstructed by combining the characteristics of Korean's traditional views of nature (Lee & Son, 2017) with the framework developed by Cobern and his colleagues (Cobern, Gibson, & Underwood, 1995). And in order to analyze in depth how students and teachers perceive nature, each question was asked to write a reason why they thought about their responses. According to the study, students and teachers respected nature and viewed it as a living creature, and had the view that nature was cyclical and that humans and nature interacted with each other. And they also had a traditional Korean view of nature that they consider naturalness important and nature is beautiful. It can be said that this is different from the view of Western modern science which perceives the world as a material and see nature with the view of linear time. Therefore, Korea's traditional views of natures, which students and teachers have, can be a conflict with the view of modern science in science class. Therefore, the science teaching strategy for students and teachers with different natural views will require consideration of the individual's understanding of nature and lesson strategies related to it. And it is also necessary that science textbook and science class cultures need to actively interact with teachers and students, and between students to share and understand each other's view of nature, and create a science class culture that considers the values students have and views on nature.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.570-584
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to find out high school students' perception on psychologicallearning environment generated by science teachers and their attitude change related to science. The subjectsconsisted of 539 freshmen in a boys' high school pre-applied of common school group in S city. This study wasconducted with students' perception survey and classification of teachers' features according to it. The surveyabout science-related attitude was also made in early 1st semester and 2nd semester, and the students showingthe great attitude change related to science were interviewed. The results of this study revealed that statistically,students had a more positive perception on female teachers than on male ones and that according to their teachers,there were clear different in the psychological learning environment perceived by students. As for the relation of teachers' features and students' attitude change, it showed the negative effect only when the teacher was incharge of only one class, but in most of the cases, there was no meaningful correlation. The semi-structuredinterview with students with great attitude change related to science indicated that the main cause of the changewas the achievement they made in class. The interview showed that the change related to science happenedunder the indirect influence of teachers rather than direct influence. Furthermore, students wanted scienceteachers to meet the science class possessing various instruction behaviors and support behaviors. Therefore,science teachers playing an important role in students' choice of career should make efforts to realize thelearner-centered curriculum and change students' science-related attitude into a positive direction.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.636-646
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to confirm secondary biology teachers' recognition about cell and gene concepts that should be taught in biology according to each school level and to classify the concepts into essential, optional and non-essential ones. We developed a questionnaire in consultation with 5 biology professors after selecting some biological concepts from some data about the recommendations of BSCS, biology, study for the connection with biological contents in each school level. This survey was conducted to biological teachers in secondary schools (146 individuals) from all over Korea for studying the concepts of the cell and gene in elementary and secondary schools. The results of this study revealed the following: The number of essential concepts in the cell and gene domain increases as the school levels go up. Moreover, secondary biology teacher recognized that there must be much more cell and gene concepts that should be taught in elementary and secondary schools compared to those suggested in the science curriculum and BSCS' recommendation.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.671-683
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• 2003

The purpose of study was to investigate practicing elementary teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and the significant predictors of their pedagogical content knowledge in science teaching. The PCK instrument was used to measure elementary teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. It consists of 6 factors to measure teachers' pedagogical content knowledge of 1)instructional methods, 2)representations, 3)contents, 4)evaluations, 5)students, and 6)curriculum. A questionnaire that consists of 7 questions regarding the teachers' degree, their number of years of teaching their choice of teaching science, their personal science teaching efficacy, their science teaching outcome expectation, their science instructional methods, and their attitudes toward teaching science, was also used to identify the information as to significant predictors of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. A sample of 332 practicing elementary teachers participated in this study. To determine statistically significant predictors, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression methods were used to analyze the results. The results showed that the significant predictors of practicing elementary teachers' pedagogical content knowledge were their number of years of teaching, their science instructional methods, their personal science teaching efficacy and their attitudes toward teaching science. Further research of how teachers develop and construct their pedagogical content knowledge is recommended especially through the use of varied research methodologies that include qualitative methods.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.143-154
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• 2017

Science inquiry has long been emphasized in Korean science education. Scientific modeling is one of key practices in science inquiry with a potential to provide students with opportunities to develop their own explanations and knowledge thereafter. The purpose of this study is to investigate teacher's understanding of models in science and science teaching. A professional development program on Models (PDM) was developed and refined through three times of implementation while teachers' conceptions of models and modeling were examined. A total of 29 elementary and secondary teachers participated in this study. A survey based on model use of scientists in the history of science was developed and used to collect data and audio recordings of discussions among teachers and artifacts produced by the teachers during PDM were also collected. Three ways of ontological and two ways of epistemological understanding of models and modeling were found in teachers' ideas. After PDM, a quarter of the teachers changed their ontological understanding whereas very few changed their epistemological understanding. In contrast, more than two thirds of the teachers deepened and extended their ideas about using models and modeling in teaching. There were no clear relationships between teachers' understanding of models and ways and ideas about using models in science teaching. However, teachers' perceptions of school conditions were found to mediate their intention to use models in science teaching. The findings indicate possible approaches to professional development program content design and further research.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.159-166
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• 2016

This study analyzed perceptions and difficulties in applying Flipped Learning with an interview method grounded on understanding and experience of Flipped Learning in science class. The interviewees selected were six teachers working in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Three teachers having over two years of experience in operating Flipped Learning in science were selected, one each from elementary, middle, and high school and another three teachers who had just started to operate Flipped Learning this year were chosen, one each from elementary, middle, and high school. According to the result of a 3-step interview conducted with the participating teachers, they indicated very high satisfaction with the implementation of Flipped Learning in elementary, middle, and high school science classes. They responded that Flipped Learning was particularly more helpful for inquiry activity. The teachers, however, felt burdened by the class preparation and had difficulty in organizing the class. To explore ways to get rid of the difficulties in Flipped Learning, this author discussed the textbook system where one could draw various implications for improving the current class.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1060-1074
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated teachers' experiences in teaching with the science museum as well as their confidence, their perceptions, educational needs, and their willingness to practice the instructions using science museum. A survey was administered to 225 elementary and secondary school teachers. The analyses of the results revealed that few teachers had training for the instructions using the science museum and not many teachers had experience in teaching with the science museum. Many teachers were also found to have low confidence in teaching with the science museum. Although the teachers had a relatively good understanding of the educational effects, nature and teaching strategies for the instructions using the science museum, they tended to apply the formal views on science teaching/learning to learning with the science museum. The levels of willingness to use the science museum in their instructions and educational needs of the instructions using the science museum were high. They wanted the information about practical aspects to use in the instructions using science museum most. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.336-348
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• 2021

The goal of this study is to investigate the current status of implementation of convergence education in elementary, middle, and high schools. A survey was conducted on 871 in-service teachers nationwide, and frequency analysis was conducted by school level. Key findings are as follows: first, 449 (51.5%) are found to practice convergence education. Second, the reason for implementing convergence education is the voluntary effort of teachers and the educational necessity for the future society. Third, it was found that convergence education is being implemented centered on science, arts, and social studies as a link between subjects in regular curriculum hours. Fourth, 270 (64%) of teachers who implemented convergence education in response to COVID-19 performed online convergence education, and experienced difficulties in creating class materials and communicating with students. Fifth, the excessive work of teachers, insufficient support for teacher training and research group activities, and lack of various convergence education programs are suggested as reasons for not implementing convergence education. This study hopes to provide implications for policy and implementation for revitalizing convergence education.