• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.303-319
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate theoretically the meaning and features of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) based on the views of Peirce and Dewey, and to explore the implications of CoI in science education. The meaning and features of CoI are: (a) inquiry in CoI is initiated with faithful doubt; (b) inquiry in CoI finishes with faithful belief; (c) inquiry in CoI attempts to find out the best explanation and solution regarding the practical effects of objects; (d) as an ideal community, CoI is required to be one that inquires continuously without definite limits; (e) as an actual community, CoI requires its members' open communication to find the best explanation and solution. Based on these features of CoI, the Community of Inquiry in Science Classroom (CoI-SC), "the classroom community for the purpose of transforming the state of faithful doubt into the state of faithful belief, in relation to natural phenomena or objects, and where the members share objectives as participants continuously attempt to find out the best explanation and solution by open communication, considering fallibility and the practical effects of objects", was suggested. The condition for implementation of the CoI-SC, "'interest', 'openness', 'rigor', 'fallibilism', 'participation', 'inquiry without definite limits'", were also suggested. Finally, several suggestions for the science curriculum were given.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.221-232
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• 2019

Despite the continuing emphasis on the importance of scientific inquiry, research studies have commented that authentic scientific inquiry is not implemented in school science classroom due to a lack of understanding of scientific inquiry by the teacher. The purpose of this study is to investigate understanding of scientific inquiry developed by beginning teachers through open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. They voluntarily set up the goal of inquiry-based classes, planned inquiry-based classes, shared and reflected their teaching experience in professional learning community for more than a year. It appeared that participant teachers understood scientific inquiry as 'what scientists do', 'process how students do science' and 'science teaching methods.' All teacher participants described scientific inquiry as 'what scientists do', and understood 'the process of doing scientific investigation to solve problems related to natural phenomenon' and 'the process of constructing scientific knowledge using scientific practice.' Two participant teachers seemed to understand scientific inquiry as a 'teaching method' based on the understanding of the process how scientists or students do science. Participant teachers had a limited understanding of scientific inquiry that it is the same as laboratory works or hands-on activities prior to engaging the professional learning community, but they developed an understanding of scientific inquiry that there are various ways to conduct scientific inquiry after engaging in professional learning community.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.506-519
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• 2008

This article explores the potential learning materials and methods of science practice from exhibits, and how those are presented in natural history museums as a feasible science inquiry community. The idea of science inquiry community was offered as a form of science practice that ended with science learning. A grasp of 'scientific practice to learning' is understood as a way to conceive scientific methods as well as facts and understanding knowledge. To get educational implications on the scientific practice of 'earthquake' as a socioscientific topic in the communities, we analyzed 1) the relationship between earth science curriculum and exhibits related to 'earthquake', 2) the educational goals and intentions of educators, and 3) the characteristics of the exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History and in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The results of this study showed that those museums presented the exhibits consisting of various and practical cases and events of 'earthquakes' as a socioscientific topic related to their curriculum. At the target museum, it was clearly stated that the pursuing educational goals focused on relations with local interests and socioscientific issues. For making earthquakes relevant to visitors, delivering lived experiences with raw data and interactive media was emphasized in exhibit characteristics.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.143-157
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• 2003

This paper is to make strides toward an enriched understanding of mathematics teacher learning and professional development. Different theoretical frameworks in understanding mathematics teacher learning are reviewed, followed by a discussion of the relationships of knowledge and teaching practice. This paper then analyses contemporary conceptions about effective professional development and, in particular, deals with teacher learning in inquiry communities. This paper introduces a research project describing transition processes from teacher- centered mathematics classroom culture to student-centered culture and analyzing teacher learning in communities and its concomitant change in teaching practice. On the basis of the emerging problems in doing the project, this paper finally addresses some crucial issues on teacher learning and professional development, including the management of an inquiry community, the description of teaching practice from the researcher's perspective, and the analysis of teacher learning in communities.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.15-29
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• 2010

We developed the novel coursework of 'NIE community activity teaching-learning plan' in the unit of 'Clothing Life' of the 7th 'Technology-Home Economics' curriculum and applied it to classes in the middle school. The educational themes of 'Textile and Cloth', 'Purchase, Usage and Storage of Clothes', 'Laundry of Clothes', Recycling and Disposal of Clothes' were extracted from ten kinds of textbooks. And eight lessons of NIE community activity teaching-learning plan were developed. Ninety-seven students at second grade in 3 classes of the middle school were randomly enrolled in this study. After learning, their environmental recognition and educational interest and attitude on the class of NIE community activity were investigated. The general environmental recognition of most students was improved via NIE community activity, which is emphasizing on the analysis of articles of newspapers, the critical and creative thinking, and the mutual discussion. The environmental recognition related to 'Textile and Cloth', 'Purchase, Usage and Storage of Clothes', 'Laundry of Clothes', Recycling and Disposal of Clothes' was significantly improved. Educational interest and attitude on the class of NIE community activity were also improved of great significance. The novel contents and methods of NIE community activity were evaluated to help students understand the class better and enhance their environmental recognition higher. With these results, NIE community activity teaching-learning plan might not only improve the educational interest and attitude, but also enhance the environmental recognition of the students.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore how a high school science teacher (Teacher E) shifted her understanding and facilitation of scientific modeling through participation in a professional learning community (PLC) for over a year. Based on socially situated theory of learning, I focused on examining Teacher E's frames about scientific modeling from her social interactions. Teacher E participated in her school-based PLC over a year and collaborated with other science teachers, coaches, and researchers to improve science instruction. I qualitatively explored her participation in 6 full-day professional learning opportunities-studios-where the PLC members collectively planned, implemented, and debriefed modeling-based lessons. Especially, I focused on two Studios (Studio 2, 6) where Teacher E became the host teacher and implemented the lessons. I also examined her classroom teaching in those Studios. To understand how the PLC inquiry affected the shifts observed in Teacher E's understanding and practice, I explored how the inquiry evolved over the 6 Studios. Findings suggest that in Studio 2, Teacher E viewed students' role in scientific modeling as to fill out the worksheet with "correct" answers. Meanwhile, in Studio 6, she focused on helping students collaborate to construct explanatory models of phenomena using evidence. The PLC inquiry, focused on supporting students' construction of evidence-based explanations and collaboration in scientific modeling, seemed to promote the shifts observed in Teacher E's understanding and facilitation of scientific modeling. These findings can inform educational researchers and practitioners who aim to promote teachers' professional learning to support students' epistemic practices.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.360-375
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate beginning science teachers' perceptions of inquiry-based science instruction using open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Participants of this study voluntarily set up a goal of inquiry-based science instruction, planned inquiry-based science lessons, and shared and reflected their teaching experiences in their professional learning community for more than a year. Participant teachers recognized students' construction of core scientific concepts through performing scientific inquiry as a goal of science inquiry instruction. Participant teachers indicated that goals of science education such as 'learning scientific core concepts', 'improving students' interest of science', 'improving scientific thinking', and 'understanding the nature of science' can be achieved through students' active engagement in scientific inquiry. Participant teachers recognized not only the importance of teachers' role, but also what roles science teachers should play in order to enable students to perform scientific inquiry. Participant teachers emphasized teachers' roles such as 'identifying core concepts', 'reorganizing science curriculum', 'considering student ability', 'asking questions and providing feedbacks to students', 'explaining scientific concepts', and 'leading students' argumentation.'

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.273-290
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• 2017

The purposes of this study are to develop a measuring instrument for perception of science classes based on the view of 'Community of Inquiry in Science Classroom' and to investigate elementary school students' perceptions with the instrument developed in the study. A total of 417 6th grade students participated in this study. As a result, first, we developed two set of questionnaire: (a) the questionnaire for the 'process of inquiry' consisted of six factors: 'problem recognition I: recognition of inconsistency,' 'problem recognition II: interests,' 'problem explanation I: hypothesis generation and examination,' 'problem explanation II: cooperative review,' 'problem solving I: reflection on the change of relationship with objects/conceptions,' and 'problem solving II: reflection on the change of relationship with community/ inquirer,' comprising a total of 42 items; (b) the questionnaire for the 'basis of inquiry' consisted of three factors:'will of conducting inquiry,' 'attitudes of conducting inquiry,' and 'structure of communication,' comprising a total of 17 items. Second, we found that elementary school students had positive recognition generally on their science classes in terms of the 'community of inquiry in science classroom,' but they had relatively negative recognition on the factors of problem recognition based on recognition of inconsistency, problem solving accompanied with reflection on the change of relationship with objects/conceptions, and attitudes of conducting inquiry based on severity and fallibilism, Finally, several suggestions for the science education were given.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.210-224
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate science teachers' orientation toward scientific inquiry-based teaching. In this study, five middle school science teachers formed and participated in a teacher learning community for scientific inquiry-based instruction during one year. Data collection consisted of pre and post questionnaire and interviews, audio-recordings of teachers' collaborative lesson planning and reflection on teaching practice, and field notes of participant teachers' teaching practice and follow-up interviews. Data analysis indicated that there were four orientations toward scientific inquiry-based teaching. They were knowledge and beliefs about 'goals of scientific inquiry-based teaching', 'scientific inquiry-based teaching and learning', 'argumentation-based teaching and learning', and 'nature of science and science inquiry'. Teachers' collaboration in a teacher learning community would be effective in facilitating teachers' orientation to scientific inquiry-based teaching.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.297-310
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• 2021

This study explores the characteristics of within-school and across-school science teacher professional learning communities (hereafter, PLC) qualitatively. In-depth focus group interviews were conducted with science teachers belonging to seven PLCs within the science core school and three PLCs across schools. Interview questions include identity and motivation, major activities, and outcomes of PLC, as well as shortcomings and support plans for PLC. The results include both within-school and across-school science teacher PLCs formed for professional development related to science teaching and learning. Both science PLCs participated in the study showed the characteristics of a 'practice community' that developed a cooperative relationship through reciprocal participation, focusing on shared issues among members. Regarding issues, within-school PLCs focused on microscopic problems such as curriculum reconstruction of subject-matter, while across-school PLCs focused on macro problems such as teacher professional development. Regarding activities and roles as PLC, within-school and across-school science PLCs shared such features as collaborative professional development, and interpersonal education such as mentoring for novice teachers. In terms of PLC's influence and outcomes, science teacher PLCs has a positive effect not only on the teachers themselves, but also on the students and the teacher culture in the school. In addition, science teacher PLCs need improvement of the physical conditions for community operation, and software support such as protocol provision for PLC operation and joint research or re-education with universities. In particular, joint research between universities and science teacher PLCs shows the future orientation of the PLC as an 'inquiry community'. Based on the results, the necessity of active support for science PLC, the necessity of developing a cooperative system between science teacher PLC and universities, and ways to spread the PLC of science core schools to that of general schools were proposed.