• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2011

This survey investigated elementary school teachers' Astronomical Spatial Concept and their Attitudes about Astronomy for Effectively Teaching Strategy. This study surveyed 53 teachers in Ulsan. The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS WIN 18.0. The results of this study are as follows : First, Elementary school teachers' level of understanding of the concept of astronomical space, usually lower. In particular, the lower the level of understanding of the concept of spatial location. Second, Elementary teachers' attitudes about astronomy, astronomers generally appreciate the value of the information and guidance, but difficult for astronomers had recognized. Third, the concept of space and astronomy astronomical elementary teacher attitudes about sex and there was no significant difference according to the teaching career. Therefore, in order to develop effective teaching strategies for elementary teachers attitudes about astronomy and astronomical space concepts from their spatial position to increase the understanding of astronomy, often on the job training to strengthen the astronomers should eliminate the difficulties.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.789-802
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• 2007

This study investigated pre-service elementary teachers' understanding of the basic concepts of and their attitudes toward astronomy in Korea and Japan. The survey instrument called the Astronomy Diagnostic lest (ADT) that was developed by the Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research (CAER) in 1998 was used and modified to tailor to the two countries' contexts, including 12 items written in the two languages, Korean and Japanese. The attitudes toward astronomy were examined by the Survey of Attitudes toward Astronomy (SATA), which was developed by Zeilik et al. in 1999. Cronbach's alpha of this sample of the study was 0.69, while the reliability of SATA was 0.87. All the pre-service elementary teachers in both Korea and Japan showed a low-level understanding of the basic concepts of astronomy. 38% of Korean pre-service elementary teachers had correct answers to the questions regarding the basic conceptions of astronomy, while 37% of Japanese participants had correct answers to them. Although there was no statistically significant difference between Korean and Japanese pre-service elementary teachers, Korean teachers scored higher than Japanese participants in SATA. A significant difference, however, was revealed in the categories of cognitive competence and value of the attitudes toward astronomy (p <.05). In addition, it was found that both Korean and Japanese pre-service elementary teachers scored less than 40% about the basic concepts of astronomy and that they obtained lower scores than the US college students with regard to the attitudes toward astronomy.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.705-707
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• 2015

Astronomical observation is the beginning of scientific attitudes in the history of mankind. According to Indian tradition, there existed 18 early astronomical texts (siddhantas) composed by Surya, Pitamaha and many others. Varahamihira compiled five astronomical texts in a book named panchasiddhantika, which is now the link between early and later siddhantas. Indian scholars had no practice of writing their own names in their works, so, it is very difficult to identify them. Aryabhata is the first name noticed, in the book Aryabhatiya. After this point most astronomers and astro-writers wrote their names in their works. In this paper I have tried to analyze the works of astronomers like Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Brahmagupta, Bhaskara I, Vateswara, Sripati and Bhaskaracharya in a modern context and to obtain an account of Indian astronomical knowledge. Aryabhata is the first Indian astronomer who stated that the rising and setting of the Sun, the Moon and other heavenly bodies was due to the relative motion of the Earth caused by the rotation of the Earth about its own axis. He also estabished the 'yuga' theory (one Mahayuga = 432000 years). Varahamihira compiled panchasiddhantika and wrote Brihatsamhita. Brahmagupta is the most distinguished astronomer known to us. His two major works are i) Brahmasphutasiddhanta and ii) Khandkhadaka. Bhaskara I was the follower of Aryabhata. His three known works are Mahabhaskariya, Laghubhaskariya and Aryabhatiyabhasya. Vateswara follows Aryapaksha and Saurapaksha. His master work is Vateswarasiddhanta. Sripati, in his siddhantasekhara, gives the rules for determining the Moon's second inequality. Bhaskara II wrote the most comprehensive astronomical work in Indian astronomy. The result of these works is the account of the Indian astronomical heritage. These works are written in the Sanskrit language. A very few of these manuscripts have been translated in English but many are yet to be done. So, it is necessary to translate these astronomical texts into English with proper commentary for modern scholars. This paper will be helpful in this work.