• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.535-547
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• 2014

This study analyzed the characteristics of National Science Curricula in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Korea with respect to core competencies. In the case of overseas countries, literature review on their curricula was conducted, and four common features were extracted: 'association of cross-curricular competencies with science-specific competencies', 'a combination of science contents and scientific practices', 'an emphasis on communication skills', and 'representation of an achievement level of competency'. In addition, the common core competencies of science education were 'critical thinking', 'creative thinking', 'problem solving', 'inquiry skills', 'communication skills', 'cultural literacy', 'ability to integrate discipline', 'application skills', and 'personal/social competency'. In relation to these features, this study also investigated Korean science teachers' perceptions of core competencies in science education. A survey was conducted on 135 teachers in elementary, middle, and high school in Korea. Teachers were not well aware of what core competencies are, and after introduction, they thought that they wanted to and needed to teach core competencies to their students. Teachers claimed that critical core competencies in science education are 'creative thinking', 'problem solving', and 'inquiry skills'. Teachers thought that core competencies-based science class would help develop students' scientific literacy and communication skills. However, they have difficulties in conducting core competencies-based science class because they are not familiar with how to conduct the class and they expect that it will take a long time to prepare such a class.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.855-865
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• 2012

The goal of this research is to investigate ways to improve science teaching methods to develop students' key competencies. Since the OECD DeSeCo (Definition and Selection of Key Competencies) project, key competencies are redefined as 'what people should know and be able to do in order to lead a successful life in a well-functioning society, which leads many countries to emphasize competency-based curriculum. In this research, we collected and analyzed foreign and domestic classroom cases that have implemented competency-based curriculum in science teaching. Through open-ended interviews with the teachers and principals, we explored ways to improve science teaching methods to develop students' key competencies. In foreign cases, science teachers emphasized students' knowing what KCs to accomplish, activities and student-centered learning, students' group activities and collaboration, and greater curriculum integration among subjects and contexts. Korean science teachers argued that the KCs should be realized through teaching methods and emphasized scientific inquiry learning whereby non-science track students could also benefit from science lessons. Korean science teachers also emphasized links to real-life situations, providing students with various learning experiences that supported students to develop the KCs, and the delivery of an integrated curriculum. In the conclusion section, the difficulties with the implementation of key competencies are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.227-236
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• 2020

This study examines the change in students' science attitude and the growth of their core competencies through science classes emphasizing digital literacy. To this end, we conducted a study on 116 first graders in C middle school in the C region, and entered a science class that emphasized digital literacy of 35 classes. First, as a result of examining the effect on science attitude, a statistically significant change (p<.05) was observed. The effect size for each subregion ranged from 0.67 to 1.52. Second, there were no differences in the overall frequency of growth perception according to the type of class that emphasized digital literacy. However, in the analysis of core competencies, Web-based classes did not show a large difference in frequency by core competencies, whereas high-tech classes were slightly different by core competencies. This is an implication for science education, and it is necessary to increase the utilization of science classes that emphasize digital literacy.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.87-98
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• 2023

In this study, we investigated the change in science core competency perception of high school students and the reason for change when science inquiry classes were conducted using eight 'skills' of the 2015 revised science curriculum. Fifteen first-year high school students in Jeollanam-do participated in the science inquiry class of this study, and the class was conducted for 20 hours (5 hours a day for four days). The inquiry activities used in the class consisted of four activity stages (research problems, research methods, research results, and conclusions) and each stage was constructed to include at least one 'skill (Problem Recognition, Model Development and Use, Inquiry Design and Performance, Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation, Mathematical Thinking and Computer Application, Conclusion and Evaluation, Evidence-based Discussion and Demonstration, and Communication)'. As a result of the study, students' perception of the five science core competencies increased statistically significantly at the significance level of 0.01 through inquiry classes and more than 93% of students recognized that their science core competencies improved through the classes. However, since the class of this study was conducted for a small number of students, it is difficult to generalize the effect of the class, and so it is necessary to conduct a quantitative study for many students.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.107-123
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of learning using computer-based science inquiry program. To this end, the three lessons computer-based science inquiry were developed in domain of material's properties. The developed program was put into K middle school located in Seoul and the effects were verified. For the experimental group, the three lessons computer-based science inquiry related to the separation of mixture were introduced, and for the comparison group, the contents presented in the textbook were introduced as a teacher-centered teaching method. To verify the effects of the program, 2-way ANCOVA was performed on positive experiences about science and science core competency, and 2-way ANOVA was performed on academic achievement. As a result of the study, there were significant differences between the two groups in positive experiernces about science and scientific core competencies and academic achievement (p<.05), and group^*gender interaction effect was only significant in academic achievement (p<.05). From the results of this study, we could see the possibility of using a computer-based science inquiry program as a chemistry teaching method that enables sustainable scientific inquiry.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.265-275
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• 2022

In this study, focusing on science education in the future society, we explored students' key competencies to be cultivated for the future society, and the role and PCK expertise necessary for science teachers, who are the main agents of competency-based education to nurture these key competencies. A survey conducted among earth science teachers across the country results in 105 valid responses being obtained. The research results are discussed in terms of students' key competencies to be nurtured for the future society, the role and the expertise of science teachers required for competency-based education, and the structural relationship between the teacher role and teacher expertise. We also conducted network analysis to examine the relationship between student competency and teacher expertise, and the structure between the teacher's role and expertise. Main results include that communication and collaboration skills are the most important for students in the future society as core competencies. For science teachers, providing opportunities for collaboration-oriented activities are deemed as the most important. Regarding the structural relationship between the teacher's role and the teacher's expertise, there is a clear relationship with roles such as providing opportunities for collaboration-oriented activities and utilizing various materials and contents in relation to the expertise related to the science teaching practice. Based on the results, ways to promote student's agency based on raising teachers' awareness of the student's competencies, the inter-relatedness of the teacher's role and the teacher's expertise, and the totality of teachers' expertise were suggested.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.407-417
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the roles of classroom activities in science lessons and student learning motivation in achieving students' scientific competencies, and to suggest implications for science lessons to develop scientific competencies. For this, based on the PISA 2015 data of Korean high school students, we analyzed how classroom activities in science influenced students' scientific competencies through learning motivation variables. As a result of the path analysis, the activities emphasizing interaction and a link to real life predicted intrinsic motivation, instrumental motivation, and science efficacy significantly. On the other hand, the activities that emphasize the student-led inquiry process did not show any effect on learning motivation. In addition, the higher the motivation to learn the science, the higher their scores in three scientific competencies: explaining phenomenon scientifically, evaluating and designing scientific inquiry, and interpreting data and evidence scientifically. The practices of school science lessons indirectly influenced the achievement of scientific competence through learning motivation. Specifically, the activities emphasizing interaction influenced achieving scientific competencies through intrinsic motivation, and the activities emphasizing linkage to real life influenced it through all learning motivation variables. Finally, we discussed some implications for the roles and practices of school science class for enhancing students' scientific competencies.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.431-442
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• 2015

SSI instruction can be an effective tool to promote key competencies for future citizens. Our assumption of the study is that applying the concept of collective intelligence in the context of SSI learning would facilitate the learning. Thus, we designed and implemented Collective Intelligence-based SSI instruction over almost a year and observed the effects of the instruction on enhancing students' collaboration, information management, critical thinking, and communication skills. Twenty 9th grade students enrolled in a science-gifted program voluntarily participated. Data was collected by administering a questionnaire to examine the skills before, in the middle of, and after the instruction, and by conducting classroom observations and focus student group interviews. The results indicated some degree of improvement in their targeted skills. First, they experienced the expansion of their thoughts by actively sharing information and ideas using the web platform. Second, they became more flexible and open to different points of views in order to accomplish a common goal. Third, they appreciated having independent time and space to explore their own positions on the issues and to search necessary information, and believed that the process encouraged them to more pro-actively participate and communicate in the group debates. Lastly, they positively perceived the values that collaboration with diverse group members could produce.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.271-280
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of chemistry program based on metacognitive learning strategies using realistic contents on prospective teachers' creative thinking skills and science core competencies, and their perception. In particular, it was intended to further improve the effectiveness of the program by introducing a strategy to strengthen metacognition. Participants were classified into the experimental group subject to the newly developed chemistry curriculum and traditional group subject to general programs that exclude realistic contents and metacognitive strategies. Both groups were surveyed before and after the application of the program to measure the degree of change in metacognitive competencies, creative thinking competencies, and science core competencies. It also analyzed the impact of metacognitive competencies and science core competencies on creativity thinking competencies. As a result of the study, relevance and rationality among sub-factors of metacognitive competencies and creative thinking competencies of the experimental group were improved, and all sub-factors except for scientific participation and lifelong learning ability among science core competencies were significantly improved. In addition, it was found that metacognitive knowledge among metacognitive competencies, scientific inquiry ability and scientific thinking ability among science core competencies affect creative thinking competencies. Through the results, it was suggested that realistic content that incorporates metacognitive learning strategies is needed to improve creative thinking competencies, and learning models and programs that can utilize them are needed.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.132-147
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• 2018

The goal of this research is to suggest a theoretical process-centered assessment model based on Learning Progressions of key competencies in the context of STEAM instructions. The "Process-Products Combined Module-type (P2CM) STEAM Assessment Model (P2CM STEAM Assessment Model, hereafter) can be used both as an instructional model and as an assesment model, applicable for various STEAM topics and instructional types. consists of 3 axes. The first X axis stands for 4C competencies that should be emphasized through STEAM instruction. The second Y axis stands for the types and the hierarchy of STEAM instructions. The third Z axis stands for the assessment standards based on LP. We also exemplified an assessment module combined creativity competency with creativity-based instruction based on . Based on the research results, we suggested elaboration of assessment models based on Korean LP research outcomes, development and supply of formative assessment models through field-based in-depth research, modification of formative assessment models with the participation of teacher communities and in-service teachers, and the necessity of further research on assessment models for tracking LP.