• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.100-112
• /
• 2021

Based on the importance of visual representation for scientific understanding, this study applied visual thinking in elementary science classes. This study analyzed elementary students' visual thinking and investigated the instructional influences. Students' perceptions on the class applying visual thinking were also investigated. The subject were 38 fourth grade students, 18 in experimental group and 20 in control group. For the unit of 'Shadow and mirror', on-line and off-line blended classes were applied in both group because of COVID-19. The experimental group student were asked to construct their own visual thinking, while the control group students used traditional workbook. The results were as follows. First, students' visual thinking can be classified into three different types, which are 'activity recall type', 'result summary type', and 'core concept representation type' based on what they represent rather than how they represent. Second, applying visual thinking in science class showed significant effects on science academic achievement, science related attitude, and creative academic efficacy. Third, students' perceptions on applying visual thinking in science classes were very positive. Students perceived visual thinking activities were interesting and helpful for understanding science. Educational implications of applying visual thinking in elementary science classes were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.143-154
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine the educational effects of STEAM class by focusing on $21^{st}$ century learner competencies based on burning and extinguishing unit. Two 6th grade classes were divided into experimental group and comparison group to treat the experimental group with elementary science class using STEAM class. General class according to teacher manual was implemented for the comparison group. Elementary science class applying STEAM class was conducted for 9 lessons throughout the experimental period. The result of this study are as follows. Elementary science class with STEAM class had significant effect on 21st century learner competencies compared to traditional instructor-led classroom. Looking specifically, it was a significant difference in the three domains of the seven domains (problem solving, collaboration, flexibility). The study results indicated that STEAM class was effective in improving learners'recognition of 21st century learner competencies.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.514-523
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigation the elementary school teachers' perception in STEAM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Education. For this study, 93 elementary school teachers who have taught mathematics/science in gifted class were selected and a fifteen items questionnaire designed to elicit teachers' perception of steam education was to administered to them. The major findings are as follows: First, the ratio of teachers who understood a steam education exactly is very low. But teachers have positive thoughts about the need of steam education. Second, teachers thought that steam education has a good effect on elementary education. Third, teachers thought that steam education will be an alternative teaching and learning method. Fourth, teachers have negative thoughts to participate in class work related on steam education. To improve negative attitudes on steam education, incentives for teachers seems to be required. In order to spread steam education among the elementary school teachers successfully, the expansion of school facilities, administrators and staff in mind, improving financial support, strengthening education through the development of content and teaching strategies were analyzed as a challenge.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.480-500
• /
• 2022

In this study, the perception and demands on the use of realistic content were analyzed through in-depth interviews with elementary school teachers experienced in using realistic content in science classes. Specifically, the following questions were investigated: (1) What kind of realistic content and how do elementary school teachers use it in science classes? (2) What are the perceptions and difficulties of elementary school teachers regarding the use of realistic content in science classes? (3) What are the needs of elementary school teachers related to the professional development program for the use of realistic content in science classes? The study revealed the following results. First, elementary school teachers mainly used digital textbooks and realistic content provided by the "Science Level Up" site, and the content types could be classified into "exploration type," "visit type," and "production type," according to the purpose of use. Second, elementary school teachers mentioned the educational advantages of using realistic content to help students understand scientific content, induce interest and curiosity, and become immersed in a sense of reality. Several difficulties related to the use of realistic content were mentioned. Among them, the lack of high-quality educational content suitable for science classes and a lack of examples of specific class cases that use realistic content stood out. Thirdly, regarding the development of teacher expertise to use realistic content, elementary school teachers emphasized the need for information on quality realistic content; teacher training centered on specific class cases; instructional models that can be applied by realistic content type; and information on the purchase, use, management, and operation of necessary devices. Reflecting on these research results, implications for more effective use of realistic content in elementary science classes were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.252-268
• /
• 2024

This study developed a field trip program called "Planning a science exhibition" and explored elementary science-gifted students' perceptions of the program and learning experiences influencing them. To this end, 56 elementary science-gifted students in grades 4-6 from in an university-affiliated science-gifted education institute in metropolitan area were selected to participate in the field trip program. After the program, the students answered a survey regarding their perceptions of the program. Additionally, 19 students were selected for group interviews to further explore their survey responses. Results showed that many elementary science-gifted students perceived the program positively in various cognitive and affective aspects. Some students also pointed out certain limitations of the program. Five interconnected learning experiences were identified as influencing the students' perceptions: "experiences fostering creativity", "non-residential camp-type project-based learning experiences", "self-directed learning experiences", "experiences utilizing digital devices", and "collaborative experiences". Educational implications regarding these results were discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.180-185
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study is to inquire the properties and relationship of attitudes toward science and process skills of preservice elementary teachers. Two instruments were used to collect the data, SAS(Science Attitude Scales) for checking up attitude toward science and TIPS II(Test of Integrated Process Skill II) for inspecting science process skills. Three main results were revealed. First, preservice elementary teachers' the attitude toward science and science process skills could not show the significant differences by gender. This result is differ from the results of preceding researches which had set up the students of elementary, middle and high school as objects. Second, the properties of preservice elementary teachers' the attitude toward science and science process skills according to the course in high school were also differ from those of preceding researches having students as objects. The preservice elementary teachers who got the literary courses in high school were more confident in science learning and perform that those who have the academic background of science courses in high school. In addition, although they showed better abilities in two sub-scales of science process skills, the preservice teachers with science course didn't show the better science process skills than those who had taken the literary course in total score of science process skill test. Third, there was a significant relationship between attitude toward science and science process skills of preservice elementary teachers but just one sub-scale was related with science process skills. According to these results, it can be said that the preceding results with students as objects can not be applied to and preservice elementary teachers should be guided by the methods which are considering their special properties.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.253-264
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate implications of self-directed learning experiments in elementary science education through understanding elementary school students' awareness of their experiences in self-directed learning experiments. Twenty students joined the school science club voluntarily and conducted self-directed learning experiments. We collected data through observation of the experiments, interviews, and questionnaires. The students who participated in the club showed high satisfaction with self-directed learning experiments. The participants were aware that their scientific interest and knowledge, and the confidence in conducting experiments were increased. The students felt positive about the inquiry process of conducting self-directed learning experiments with their own subjects. They also felt a sense of achievement in attempting their experiments in defiance of several failures. The participants realized that the self-directed inquires led to increased declarative and procedural knowledge of science. The students stated that they had some difficulties in coping with the different results contrary to expectations and preparing laboratory materials and instruments. Nonetheless, they showed the promotion of their scientific literacy during overcoming those difficulties. We suggest that self-directed learning experiments can be a more effective way in science learning to make students experience the nature of science than existing school experiments. This can be implemented through a creative experience activities such as science clubs.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.38-50
• /
• 2011

As the rate of foreign workers increasing, the rates of their children are rising, as well. The children's native countries vary from Japan, China to Indonesia, and difficulty of learning is expected in their entering the regular education due to the differences in the contents and curriculum they had learnt. This study analyzed the science textbooks of five Asian elementary schools including Korea, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Iran-in diversified sides focusing on the content of earth science, for the children of foreign workers. The characteristics of the elementary science textbooks of the subject countries were compared in seven criteria-the rate of earth science in the textbooks, how units are arranged, whether the earth science contents are included, the contents highly related to their socio-cultural traits, photographs, scientific inquiries, and test items. The textbooks showed numerous differences with their own characteristics, and it is expected that the children of foreign workers would face difficulties in studies taking parts in the Korean formal education. Hereupon, this study proposes the needs of development of sub-materials for the children of foreign workers adapting to schools, and reinforcement of educating teachers for understanding children, with a national plan for the children excluded from education due to problems such as an illegal residence.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.61-70
• /
• 2011

In this study, we examined the types and the characteristics of elementary school teachers' strategies for coping with critical incidents in science classes. Teachers' epistemological beliefs about science were then investigated on the bases of the types of their coping strategies. The teachers (N=107) in 23 elementary schools were asked to respond to an open-ended question about the critical incidents they had experienced in science classes and how to cope with them. Seven types of coping strategies were identified as follows: avoiding, reinterpretation, adjusting, prevaricating, justifying, exploring, and explaining. Among them, adjusting and justifying were the major strategies. In order to classify teachers' epistemological beliefs about science, their coping strategies were grouped into four categories such as transferring facts, constructing facts, transferring meanings, and constructing meanings. The results indicated that most teachers still possessed traditional epistemological beliefs about science. The potential of critical incidents as a probe for revealing teachers' epistemological beliefs about science is discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.311-320
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of peer mentoring activity in elementary school. For this study, an experimental group was conducted for peer mentoring activity in science class. The mentoring team was organized by mento-mentee team according to the scores of science process skill and achievement. The objects of this study were the sixth grade of both an experimental group (28 students) and a control group (27 students) located in Incheon. The results of this study were as follows. First, the experimental group was shown more significant effect for improvement of science process skills than the control group (p<.05). As the result of analysis by groups, both of mento and mentee showed significant effect for improvement of science process skills. Second, the peer mentoring activity showed more significant effect for improvement of achievement (p<.05). As the result of analysis by groups, mentee showed significant effect for improvement achievement. But mento group didn't show significant effect. Third, the peer mentoring activity showed the effect for positive changes of scientific attitude. If matching the mentoring object effectively and conducting the classes applying peer mentoring activity based on the results of this study, it's expected to draw student' improvement of science academic, achievement and positive changes of scientific attitude.