• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.430-441
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• 2011

We investigated the elementary students' epistemological views on the nature of scientific measurement. The Views About Scientific Measurement (Ibrahim, 2005) was administered to 117 sixth graders. The analyses of the results indicated that there was an inconsistency in their epistemological views depending on the contexts of the measurement. They also had some difficulties in understanding a distribution of the data, which is needed to understand the necessity of repeating measurements, choosing a best representative value, and comparing data sets. They were found to have some naive views on scientific measurement which influenced negatively for fostering modern epistemological views on the nature of scientific measurement. The results suggest that the nature of scientific measurement should be emphasized explicitly in the national curriculum, and an effective method which improves elementary students' epistemological views on the nature of scientific measurement also be developed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1158-1172
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• 2004

This study searched secondary school students' epistemological views and ontological views about nature and the root causes of such their views. The subjects were 156 secondary school students and data were gathered by the questionnaire developed based on preceding researches. As a result, many secondary school students had epistemological views of unknowable nature. There were various root causes of their epistemological views such as regularity and harmony of nature, predictable and circular natural phenomenon, causation, the relation between human and nature. On the other hand, a lot of secondary school students had ontological view of supernatural nature. Their religious beliefs were very powerful influence their supernatural ontological views. The nature is the object of science and the physical world. Because those views supply science educators basic backgrounds how leaners understand science class, secondary school students' epistemological views and ontological views are precious information. From now on, it is necessary to study relations between students' epistemological views and ontological views and their science class processes.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.643-649
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• 2010

In this study, the relationships among high school students' epistemological views on theory and data, science process skills, the perceptions of the preferred laboratory learning environment and attitudes toward laboratory work were investigated. The results indicated that science process skills, all subcategories of the perceptions of the preferred laboratory learning environment (student cohesiveness, open-endedness, integration, rule clarity, and material environment) and attitudes toward laboratory work were significantly correlated with epistemological views on theory and data. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that science process skills, open-endedness and material environment and attitudes toward laboratory work significantly predicted epistemological views on theory and data.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.638-644
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' views on the scientific model and to compare their views by grade, gender, and achievement. Relationships between students' views on the scientific model and epistemological beliefs were also investigated. Participants were 137 8th- and 112 11th-graders in Seoul. The results indicated that the students' views on the scientific model, on the whole, were adequate except the items concerning the 'models as exact replicas'. Male students or high-achieving students had more adequate views on the scientific model than female students or low-achieving students. However, there was no significant difference between 8th- and 11th-graders. In correlation analysis, students with inappropriate views on the scientific model were found to have traditional epistemological beliefs.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.795-821
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• 2001

This Qualitative study investigated a preservice teacher's developing views of learning with the influence of constructivist epistemology taught in the Math, Science, and Technology Education (MSAT) Master of Education (M. Ed.) preservice teacher education program. The MSAT teacher education program employs constructivist aspects of teacher education and generates applications of constructivism to the practice of teaching, as revealed by faculty interview data. It is important at this point to emphasize that there are significant epistemological and ontological differences between different versions of educational constructivism (i.e., individual, radical, and social constructivism) and that these differences imply different pedagogical practices. For the 16 preservice teachers included in a larger study, the epistemological and ontological characteristics for each teacher's developing views of learning were identified through four in-depth interviews. Data from interviews were used to construct a constructivist profile for each preservice teacher's views of learning (i.e., a profile containing ontological beliefs, epistemological commitments, and pedagogical beliefs). Of the sixteen participants in the larger study, five significantly changed ontological and epistemological beliefs and eleven did not. Profile changes for the five who did change also resulted in changes in their conceptions of science teaching and learning (CSTL). In this article, one of the five teachers case was presented with rich quotes. This case study documents how a preservice teacher transferred his ontological and epistemological beliefs to his pedagogical beliefs and maintained the consistency between his philosophical beliefs and CSTL. It also demonstrated implications that changes in components for an educational constructivist profile have for a preservice teacher's view of himself as teacher. Data indicated the possibility that a constructivist-oriented preservice teacher education program can influence students' conceptions of science teaching and learning by explicitly introducing constructivism as an epistemology rather than as a specific method of instruction. Implications for both instructional practices of teacher education programmes and research are discussed.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.304-316
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• 2009

This study investigated the change of pre-service science teachers' epistemological views of education according to the stages of the field education programs application. For this study, surveys and interviews were carried out threes times before and after participation through participant observation of classes and teaching practices. All data recorded and collected of 28 pre-service science teachers who had answered entire surveys were transcribed and analyzed. The conclusion is as follows; before the participant observation of classes, the pre-service science teachers had views of traditional education affected by epistemology of objectivism. After the participant observation of classes, the views of traditional education increased due to in-service teachers that showed teaching methods through the course of the participant observation. However, it was changed significantly into the views of modern education affected by epistemology of constructivism through the course of the teaching practices. Based on the conclusions of this study, it was identified that the field education programs might have both positive and negative influence on the change of the views of education for the pre-service science teachers. Therefore, Pre-service science teachers should have a opportunity to intensify of constructivism epistemological views of education through the field education programs. The teacher training institutions have to provide systematic and organic cooperation with schools.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.259-265
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• 2015

This study examined high school students' acceptance of evolutionary theory, evolutionary knowledge, and epistemological belief. The Christian and non-Christian students' acceptance of evolutionary theory and evolution content knowledge were compared in relation to their 'scientific epistemological views' (domain-specific) and 'evolution in relation to nature of science' (context-specific). The Christian students' evolutionary knowledge was most predicted by the theory-laden exploration of science, while the non-Christian students' scores on evolutionary knowledge were most predicted by the scientific epistemological views. In addition, the Christian students' scores on scientific epistemological views and evolution in relation to evolution were not significantly related to each other, while the non-Christian students' scores on both variables were significantly related. Furthermore, 'evolution in relation to nature of science' is the strongest predictor of both Christian and non-Christian students' acceptance of evolution.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.82-94
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• 2012

In this study, epistemological views of middle school students on scientific inquiry were investigated. The Views of Scientific Inquiry Questionnaire was administered to 141 9th graders. The questionnaire consists of five open-ended items concerning the contexts of scientific investigation, the methods of scientific investigation, the interpretation of data, and the data and evidence. Analyses of the results indicated that their epistemological understanding of scientific inquiry were not adequate on the whole. Although the students suggested a variety of factors influencing scientists' decisions on the questions and the methods of investigation, many of the factors were minor. Only a few students specifically described the activities of scientists and the constituents of "scientific" activity, and students did not demonstrate adequate understanding of experimentation in science and multiple scientific methods. Moreover, the percentage of students who possessed the informed view that data can be variously interpreted was found to be low. The students also did not understand the distinctions between data and evidence. Educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.221-233
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• 2002

This study investigated preservice science teachers' understandings of philosophical foundations(i.e., ontological and epistemological beliefs) underlying constructivist notions of learning. The teacher education program these subjects participated in explicitly addressed philosophical notions consistent with different views of constructivism. For these preservice science teachers, the program provided them with the opportunity to reflect upon the implications that their ontological and epistemological commitments had for their role as a science teacher. Data from four in-depth interviews were used to explore changes in each preservice science teacher's ontological beliefs, epistemological commitments, and pedagogical preferences. Results indicated that ontological beliefs and epistemological commitments were not necessarily consistent with conceptions of science teaching and learning for these preservice teachers. While some students internalized idealist and relativist perspectives, they did not integrate these relativist epistemological views into their preferred instructional practices. Also, regarding the fallible and tentative nature of knowledge, data in this study indicated that participants' epistemological beliefs about scientific Knowledge did influence how they were thinking about their roles as science teachers. Implications for teacher education programs and research on preservice science teacher's philosophical beliefs are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1157-1168
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• 2012

This study examined the effect of simulated instruction activities based on a constructivist teaching approach on epistemological belief, science teaching efficacy belief, and teaching motivation. The RTOP (Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol) played a role to guide preservice biology teachers to obtain insights on current reformed teaching and to further practice teaching based on constructivism. The results indicated that preservice teachers changed their epistemological beliefs toward more sophisticated views, especially for 'simple knowledge'. They also improved their science teaching efficacy beliefs, both personal science teaching efficacy belief (PSTEB) and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE). In addition, these perservice teachers decreased their scores of extrinsic teaching motivation. The Pearson correlation represented the negative relationship between personal science teaching efficacy belief (PSTEB) and extrinsic teaching motivation. After intervention, the preservice teachers mentioned inquiry, active participation and discussion as ideal science teaching methods and qualifications for science teachers.