• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.604-621
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• 1999

We analyze the admission test problems used in 1998 at the Science Education Center for Gifted Youth at Kyungpook National University (SECGY, KNU). The test consists of two parts, an evaluation of the scientific thinking skills and an evaluation of the achievement for Mathematics and Sciences, the former of which includes evaluations of scientific process skills and logical thinking skills. The problems for the test of scientific thinking skills were developed and standardized by the Korea Education Development Center, while those of the achievement for Mathematics and Sciences were made at SECGY. We calculate the indices of the difficulty and discrimination for each problem to determine whether or not the test is appropriate to apply for selecting number of gifted students among the recommended students from 389 middle schools in Taegu-city and Kyungsang-pook-do Province. We find that both indices of most problems for the test of scientific thinking skills were out range of the appropriate level and. moreover, even those problems which fall into the appropriate range showed very low efficiencies for distractors. We, thus, conclude that the problems of the test of scientific thinking skills are inappropriate to use as a test for admission to SECGY. On the other hand, the problems of the achievement test showed extreme results; the Mathematics problems appeared to be too difficult, whereas the Physics problems appeared too easy. However, overall scores showed a normal distribution, indicating that those problems played crucial role in selecting gifted students. We finally propose several suggestions in developing the test problems and in selecting students at the SECGY.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.717-754
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• 2015

As a design research, this study aims to identify students' collaborative problems solving patterns using the Wiki and design factors triggering MKB(mathematical knowledge building) in virtual environment. For 70 days, 14 Korean secondary gifted students, who enrolled in calculus II courses in one of gifted institutions in Korea, solved 10 math problems together using the Wiki. In this study, I considered five design factors; motivation, practice of LaTeX, norms of participation, epistemic agency, and two types of educational settings. The primary pattern emergent in students' collaborative problem solving process is identified as 'solutions and refutations' along the double helix consisting of the constructive line and the critical line, which is very similar to the pattern of 'Conjectures and Refutations'(Lakatos, 1976). Despite that most participants had difficulty in using LaTeX for mathematical expressions, this study shows that Wikis are valuable tools for providing Korean secondary students opportunities to learn social virtue such as humility and courage (Lampert, 1990), which is considered to be have been neglected in Korean educational environment but is emphasized as precious for doing mathematics in the field of mathematics education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.693-703
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• 2018

One of the important competencies in knowledge and information society is the competency of Knowledge information processing. This is closely related to science education and described as one of the core competencies in the 2015 national curriculum revision. Even with a general agreement of the educational necessity of this competency, its practice in class depends mostly on teachers' will. Therefore, we surveyed science teachers' perceptions and classroom condition about the competency of Knowledge information processing, and we analyzed the questionnaires of 64 middle and high school teachers in Seoul and interviewed three teachers. As a result, all teachers shared the importance of Knowledge information processing competency and explained it in terms of social paradigm and goal of the subject. However, there were not many cases of actual practice in class. The teachers answered that time for Knowledge information processing competency is not enough in class and they also lack of PCK on this competency. About half of the teachers had experiences in teacher training about Knowledge information processing competency but most of their experiences are related to information utilization literacy. The importance of Knowledge information processing competency was very high in three factors (collection, analyzation, and utilization), among which information analysis was the highest. Middle school teachers showed higher scores in most questions even though the differences were not significant, and high school teachers showed higher scores in the importance of information sources at a significant level. In order to cultivate competencies, it is necessary to expand the meaning of science inquiry so as to cover this competency and to consider ways of linking with other subjects and develop methods of teaching and learning.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational factors on career choice of science-gifted students to science and technology bound universities and the difference of perception in regards to group factors. In addition, this study aimed to examine the effects of science-gifted education and critical events in relation to career choice to science and technology bound universities. For the study, 104 university freshmen, 75 males and 29 females, were sampled from UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology), that many science high school graduates entered this year. The survey was conducted with questionnaires to do with the perceptions concerning career choice and educational factors that cause them to choose such career directions. The educational factors on career choice to science and technology bound universities were classified as 3 main categories such as educational environment factor (teaching-learning factor), human factor, attitude towards science factor and the subcategories within each category. The research findings are as follows: First, the factors were closely connected with each other and 'the project centered classes' were highly interrelated with other educational environment factors such as 'the experiment activity and environment for the activity' and 'influence of teachers (professors).' Second, the female students and graduates of the science high school were more positively influenced by the educational environment and human factors on their decision for career than male students and graduates of the general high school. Third, this research found that historical scientific knowledge, perception of scientists' social status and job applications in the science field gave less influence rather than other factors on their decision for career. As a result of examining critical events for science-gifted education in relation to career choice to science and technology bound universities, numerous students mentioned that the extracurricular science activities such as science camps and field trips gave significant effects on students' career choices to science and engineering fields.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.541-557
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• 2012

Interest is acknowledged to be a critical motivational variable that influences learning and achievement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interest of the elementary students when free inquiry activities were performed through a brain-based evolutionary scientific teaching and learning model. For this study, 106 fifth grade students were chosen and performed individually free inquiry activities. The results of this study were as follows: First, after free inquiry activities, as to free inquiry science related attitude, a statistically significant difference was not observed. But they came to have positive feelings about the free inquiry. Especially students marked higher mean score in openness showed consistency in sub-areas of free inquiry science related attitude. Second, students had interests in various fields, especially they had many interests in area of biology. They chose inquiry subjects that seems to be easily accessible from surrounding and as an important criterion of free inquiry they thought the possibility that they could successfully perform it. And students who belong to the high level in the science related attitudes and academic achievement diversified more topics. Third, most of students failed to further their topics. However, the students who specifically and clearly extended their topics suggested appropriate variables in their topics. On the other hand, students who couldn't elaborate their topics were also failed to suggest further topics and their performance of inquiry was more incomplete. In conclusion, the experiences of success in free inquiry make the science attitude of students more positive and help them extend their inquiry. These results have fundamental implications for the authentic science inquiry in the elementary schools and for the further research.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.181-193
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• 2016

We examined the inquiry activities in the material domain of the elementary science textbooks and experimental workbooks based on 2009 revised curriculum. The analysis framework was SEP (Science and Engineering Practices) - 'Asking questions and defining problems', 'developing and using models', 'planning and carrying out investigations', 'analyzing and interpreting data', 'using mathematics and computational thinking', 'constructing explanations and designing solutions', 'engaging in argument from evidence', and 'obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information'. Sub-SEP of each grade band were also used. The results showed that the $3^{rd}{\sim}5^{th}$ grade science textbooks and workbooks mainly emphasized 'make observations and/or measurements', 'represent data in tables and/or various graphical displays', or 'use evidence to construct or support an explanation or design a solution to a problem' among around 40 sub-SEP. In the case of the inquiry activities for $6^{th}$ grade, majority of sub-SEP included were also only 'collect data to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions or test design solutions', 'analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for phenomena' or 'construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources'. The type of 'asking questions and defining problems', 'using mathematics and computational thinking' or 'obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information' were little found out of 8 SEP. Educational implications were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.509-524
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• 2007

The purpose of the study is to compare elementary school science textbooks ($3^{rd}$ grade) in Korea and the U.S., centering on the ways to present scientific concepts and inquiry process in the units of 'matter.' The analysis is focused on: a) general structure of the units; b) how to present scientific concepts in terms of its connections and complexity; c) how to present inquiry process in terms of its types and skills. The findings of the study are as follows. First, the contents of 'matter' units are scientific discipline-based in both countries. The general structure of the units in Korean textbooks is unrestricted compared to those in the U.S. Second, the connections among the concepts are poor and the level of complexity is low in Korean textbooks, which are contrary to those in the U.S. textbooks. Third, it is a common feature that the inquiry process is based on learners' everyday experiences with simple experiments in two countries' textbooks. However, the inquiry process in the U.S. textbooks is provided with detailed instructions while the process in Korea is presented with diverse activities without formal guidelines. Based on the results, the study suggests three recommendations to improve Korean textbooks: a) science contents should be linked to other disciplines in order to promote practical applications; b) scientific concepts are required to be tightly connected and provided with in-depth explanations; c) inquiry process is needed to be presented with specific guidance to facilitate scientific thinking.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.449-463
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• 2020

This study was to analysis teaching strategies, types of inquiry activities and the relationship between science concepts and inquiry activities presented in science textbooks. As a result of the study, first, the inquiry-based teaching strategies presented in science textbooks were experiment, simulation, demonstration, and field study. Second, there were 53 inquiry activities presented in 8 units related to the earth science area of science textbooks, and the types of inquiry activities were experimental observation (EO) 18, mock activity (SA) 20, investigation discussion and presentation (IP). It was analyzed as 12, data interpretation (ID) 2, and express (EX) 1 piece. Third, the relationship between inquiry activities and science concepts presented in science textbooks was analyzed. As a result of the analysis, out of a total of 42 inquiry activities, 21 inquiry activities corresponded to EA (explicit activities), in which the result of inquiry activities was directly and explicitly linked to science concepts. And IA (implicit activities), which is an implicit inquiry activity in which science concepts must be inferred using the results of inquiry activities, were analyzed as 21. In particular, IA (implicit activities), which is an implicit inquiry activity, can be said to be the result of reflecting the characteristics of earth science areas where many simulated activities (SA) are used. This is considered to be a matter to be considered in the process of developing various elementary science textbooks in the future.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.161-177
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• 2009

This study aims to explore how teachers construct scientific explanation during instructional practices to help students' scientific inquiry. Before investigating teachers' classroom practices, elementary school science curriculum was examined to identify scientific concepts, particularly in earth science. Then, a total of six teachers' scientific explanation in actual teaching practices was analysed focusing on a) explanation of scientific concepts; b) rationale for scientific explanation; c) connection between scientific explanation and everyday explanation. The findings are as follows. First, the science curriculum provides $1{\sim}2$ main scientific concepts per unit, which are mostly appeared in the unit title. Those concepts and sub-concepts are not explicitly described but embedded in students' inquiry activities. Second, the teachers explain scientific concepts and discuss the rationale behind the scientific explanation, but rarely connect scientific explanation to everyday explanation. Also, the level of scientific explanations is low remaining level 1 or 2, not reaching 3, the highest level. Based on the results, the study suggests a) teachers need to provide explicit and clear explanations about scientific concepts; b) teachers are required to connect scientific explanation and everyday explanation; c) the level of teachers scientific explanation should be elevated by using an evidence, reasoning and claim, the components of scientific explanation as well as introducing new scientific concepts and inquiry activities.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the argumentations were affected by the students' characteristics in the small groups. The level of self-concept and science related attitude were examined to the eleventh grade high school students in Daejeon city, and the twelve students were participated for this study. The participants were divided into homogeneous groups and heterogeneous groups. The argumentations under the condition of the interpretations about the experimental results in each small group were recorded by VCR. The recorded data were transcribed, then argumentation levels from transcripts in each small group were analyzed through Mitchell's parameters of argumentation. The results of this study were that the group which had higher level of both self-concept and science related attitudes achieved higher level of argumentation. Therefore, it is necessary for teachers to induce students to ask questions and present activities appropriately in order for those who have low self concept and science related attitudes to participate in argumentation.