• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.541-553
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between epistemic goals, epistemic considerations and complexity of reasoning of science high school students in an open inquiry and to explore the context on how open inquiry compares with the characteristics of an authentic scientific inquiry. Two teams were selected as focus groups and a case study was conducted. The findings are as follows: First, the contexts, such as 'sharing the value for the phenomenon understanding, reflection on the value of the research, task characteristics that require collaboration and consensus, and sufficient communication opportunities,' promote epistemic goals and considerations. On the other hand, contexts such as 'lack of opportunity for critical review of related literature and environmental constraints' lowered epistemic sides. Second, epistemic goals and considerations influenced the reasoning complexity. The goal of 'scientific sense making' led to reasoning that pose testable hypotheses based on students' own questions. The high justification considerations led to purposely focusing attention to the control designs and developing creative experimental know-how. The high audience considerations led to defending their findings through argumentation and suggesting future research. On the other hand, the goal of 'doing the lesson' and the low justification considerations led to reasoning that did not interpret the meaning of the data and did not control the limit of experiment. The low audience considerations led to reasoning that did not actively defend their findings and not suggest future research. The results of this study suggest that guidance should provide communication and critical review opportunities.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.799-807
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• 2019

The study was conducted to identify if the first-year program of science-focused school improved students' scientific core competency and science learning motivation. The first-year program of the science-focused school consisted of basic education in scientific inquiry, investigation, advanced experiment, and basic education in small research. There were a total of 262 participants in the program, and 169 students took three survey tests. Through the analysis of a group-based trajectory modeling, students were differentiated based on similarity of score changes. This study showed that the first-year program of the science-focused school significantly improved students' scientific core competency and science learning motivation. A group-based trajectory modeling found that about 40~60% of students saw the effects of the program. The students who chose the humanity track showed effects, while some students who chose the science-focused track did not show effects. A group-based trajectory modeling showed the methodological effects of identifying the change process of individual students. This study identified the positive effects of science-focused school policy statistically and is a meaningful example for analyzing the effectiveness of science-focused school programs.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.325-337
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• 2022

This study aims to determine the implications of the efficient and effective implementation of science core competency (ScC) education by examining the state of science core competencies derived from the 2015 revised elementary school science curriculum and analyzing teachers' and students' perceptions. To this end, this paper investigated the reality of reflecting the science core competencies of science textbooks in a group of third and fourth graders from seven elementary schools who passed the test. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with four elementary school teachers who participated in qualification textbook selection, and 156 elementary school students were surveyed to determine their perceptions of science core competencies. Findings showed that, first, 1,586 science core competencies were reflected throughout the textbooks, with an average of 227 per textbook and biology being the most salient area. Second, teachers did not understand the difference between previous inquiry activities in textbooks and ScC education. Third, no statistically significant differences were observed in the perceptions of male and female students on science core competencies, the highest average of perceptions being those of scientific thinking ability. From these results, this study concluded that for ScC education to be realized as a curriculum, textbooks must be organized according to the purpose of core competency education, implementing practical changes, and efforts must be directed toward changing the perceptions of individuals who deliver education.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.166-181
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the change and appropriateness of inquiry tendency in elementary science textbooks by national curriculum period by comparing previous researches that reported Romey's Involvement Index in the science textbook and other subject textbooks. The results of the study are as follows: First, for the text index (T), the value of science textbooks by curriculum tends to continue to decline overall. The value of science textbook based on the 3rd curriculum is judged to be extremely inquiry oriented and the value of the textbooks based on the 2007 and 2015 revised curriculum are the values judged as somewhat authoritative textbook and as a textbook at the appropriate level of inquiry, respectively. There is no significant difference compared to the T values of other subject textbooks since the 2007 revised curriculum; Second, the index of figures and diagrams in the text (FD) of science textbooks also continues to decline by curriculum periods. In particular, the FD value of science textbook of the 2015 revised period is judged to be a authoritative textbook, which is lower than the value of other subject textbooks; Third, in the case of the activity index (A), it gradually decreases from the third curriculum to the 2015 revised curriculum, but it is judged as textbooks suitable for inquiry. However, after the 7th curriculum, the value of A is generally lower than those of other subject textbooks; Fourth, for the index of the questions at the ends of chapters (Q), the value of Q is reported to be extremely limited compared to the aforementioned three indices(T, FD and A), which may be mainly due to differences in the composition of science textbooks by curriculum period.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.284-300
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• 2024

This study elucidates the achievement standards statements of the 2022 revised elementary school science curriculum to identify specific achievement standards for the upcoming curriculum. Therefore, the researcher analyzed the statements of the overall elementary school achievement standards based on Bloom's taxonomy of new educational objectives. The results are as follows. First, the achievement standards statements are biased toward certain knowledge and cognitive process dimensions; this aspect is not consistent with the goals of the 2022 revised curriculum and the teaching and learning directions of the science department. Thus, achievement standards that enable various types of activities and inquiry learning should be developed. Second, a need emerges for the hierarchization of knowledge and cognitive levels by grade level. The proportions of low levels of knowledge and cognitive process dimensions increased in the upper grades, such that a systematic hierarchy should be considered. Third, the need to diversify the use of the descriptors of achievement standards is also identified. Although the tendency to rely on specific descriptors decreased during the previous curriculum, approx imately half of the descriptors were only used once or twice. Therefore, balancing the use of various descriptors is necessary. To ensure that the results are reflected in the achievement standards for elementary school science textbooks under the revised science curriculum for elementary schools in 2022, a discussion is required on the design of achievement standards statements. As a follow-up study, the researcher proposes a comparative analysis of the achievement standards of science curricula for middle and high schools to explore the wording of achievement standards appropriate for elementary school science education considering its nature, goals, and contents and to analyze the hierarchy and continuity of the entire science curriculum.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.558-565
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• 2001

The purpose of present study is to examine the science attitude level of middle school, high school and university students, and to provide the suggestions for science education. Instrument to invent science attitude consists of four domains as 'Scientific Inquiry', 'Importance of Contribution to Science', 'Normality of Scientist', and 'Social Value of Science'. Inventory instrument have 20 items(Likert scale of 1 to 5). Subjects are 70 middle school, 72 high school, and 95 university students. There is no significant difference among students by school, but the attitude level toward science of female students is lower than that of male students. 'Importance of Contribution to Science' among four domains has the highest score of attitude toward science, whereas 'Normality of Scientist' has the lowest attitude score toward science. To bring up scientific abilities of students, we conclude that it needs the educational plan to increase science attitude of students, through improving and developing curricular system and science curriculum for the secondary school and university.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.399-420
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• 2008

In this paper we solve various triangle construction problems related with radius of escribed circle using algebraic method. We describe essentials and meaning of algebraic method solving construction problems. And we search relation between triangle construction problems, draw out 3 base problems, and make hierarchy of solved triangle construction problems. These construction problems will be used for creative mathematical investigation in gifted education.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.67-84
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of intensive inquiry activity through intensive camp for 2 hours and 3 days in summer vacation and 100 hours of classes from March to December 2018 by selecting 2 middle school students using OKMINDMAP for creative education. It is the result. The teacher was the assistant, and the research problem was selected by two students themselves, and the variation of the fractal dimension was investigated and the Chaos game was shown to be possible in the modified Sierpinski triangle.

• 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 Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.501-520
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• 2022

Considering the importance of spatial thinking in the process of learning astronomy, it is necessary to educate pre-service teachers on teaching methods that consider spatial thinking from the teacher training program stage. Accordingly, after providing education on spatial thinking to pre-service science teachers, problems and improvement plans perceived by them were explored for the images and inquiry activities of astronomy textbook units. In this study, spatial thinking in the astronomical domain was defined as the amalgam of the concepts of space, representation tools, and reasoning processes. The juniors attending the University of Education in the metropolitan area were educated on spatial thinking for two weeks in October 2021. They were then asked to voluntarily select one of the astronomy units to analyze problems in the textbooks and present modification plans to address those problems. Finally, 33 cases presented by 22 pre-service science teachers were analyzed, and the results of the study were as follows. Pre-service teachers recognized the problems in textbooks in terms of the concepts of space and reasoning processes, and proposed improvement plans to supplement them. However, in some cases, even if pre-service teachers properly recognized a problem, the improvement plan was not appropriate, or they were not able to analyze the images or inquiry activities in terms of spatial thinking. This study is significant in that it shows that pre-service teachers have the potential to properly reorganize and revise textbooks by participating in teacher training programs on spatial thinking. Furthermore, based on the results of this study, the direction of the teacher training program concerning spatial thinking was discussed.