• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.903-927
• /
• 2012

The study aimed to analyze middle school students construction of physics inquiry problems for open inquiry from the viewpoint of variable isolation and clarification, and investigate students' difficulties during the processes of variable isolation and clarification to get implications for teaching and learning strategies for small group open inquiry activities which have been included in the 2007 national curriculum. The participants were 4 students who had attended an outreach program for the science gifted run by a university institution located in Seoul area. They performed an open inquiry on egg drop for 13 lessons for 30 hours. Level descriptions for variable isolation and clarification have been developed and applied to analyze students' inquiry problems and variables included by the problems. Students iterated inquiry processed 5 times and the inquiry problem showed progress gradually. Dependent variables have been isolated ahead and the levels of variable isolation and clarification showed higher than the independent variables. Many kinds of independent variables isolated extensively and the independent variables and control variables have been mingled. One of the reasons why students had some difficulties in isolation of independent variables could be the absence of theoretical models. The realities of school lab could restrict the variable isolation and clarification as well as topic selections. Some sensory or extensive variables such as broken eggs and drop height seem to be salient to be focused on as core variables. Lack of background knowledges could be one of the reasons for students' difficulties in variable clarification, such as theoretical definitions and operational definitions. As a result of lacking background knowledges, students could not construct theoretical models even though they could isolate and clarify variables as scientific lexical definitions. Some perceptions of inquiry as trial and error or reckless establishment of causal relations between variables could be accounted as one reason.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.45-57
• /
• 2001

The purpose of this study is to guide and apply gettable and accessible materials around everyday life into classroom instruction, and to find out their effects on student academic achievement. In order to achieve it, this study was tried to develop and guide available materials around life in teaming activities, to provide a preliminary assignment that could apply the available materials, and to compare its academic achievement to one from field trip loaming. For the hypothesis testing, first, the experimental and comparing classes were selected based on the results of basic learning diagnostic evaluation, which conducted by the researcher being served as a full-time science teacher of the third and sixth grade of K elementary school in Kwangju for 2 years. Secondly, the instructional use of the available materials around life was applied to the experimental class. Also, the instructional use of the existing materials was applied to the comparing class. Finally, for the testing of the effects on academic achievement, the posterio test was implemented after conducting the experimental instruction in knowledge·understanding, inquiry process, and attitude domains classified by the unit characteristics. Using SPSS/WIN program the t-test was performed in order to compare the differences between the two groups. Major findings were as follows: 1) In the achievement test of knowledge·understanding domain, there were no significant differences at the 5％ level between the experimental and comparing classes. It could be difficult to say, therefore, that the instructional use of the available materials around life was more effective than the instructional use of the existing materials. However, it had some effects on differences between the third grade final achievement test and sixth grade experimental class. 2) In the achievement test of inquiry process domain, there were some significant differences in that the sixth grade experimental class was higher than the third grade out-of classroom experience unit. It was indicated that the instructional use of the available materials around life had some effects on improving the students' inquiry ability 3) In achievement test of attitude domain, there were some significant differences. It was shown that the self-evaluation test of the sixth grade experimental class unit was higher than that of the third grade out-of classroom experience unit; Especially, the learning activities in the experimental class were more active, and the experimental practice ability was improved. It was presented that the instructional use of the available materials around life had some effects on the students' academic achievement in attitude domain. It was concluded from this study that the instructional use of the available materials around life was less effective on Knowledge understanding domain, but was effective on improving their scientific inquiry ability and interest on science education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.33 no.7
• /
• pp.1329-1342
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the change of beginning teachers' beliefs about a lesson and that of teaching practice and argument-based inquiry using science writing. Participants were three science teachers (A, B, and C) from different middle schools. Classroom observation and interview data were collected and transcribed for analysis. A Summary Writing test was also administered to examine whether there was an improvement in students' learning. The results indicated that the interaction between the teachers and their students developed, which is concluded as an improvement in the teaching practice. Teacher A and B also reported that teacher-student interaction had improved. Teacher A and C came to understand that argument-based inquiry using science writing classes constituted learner-centered instruction. The result from the Summary Writing Test showed the impact of the changes in teaching practice and in teachers' awareness of students' learning as well as produced meaningfully higher scores than compared groups on the rhetorical structure of all the specific areas in teacher A's school and on the scientific concept at B and C's schools.

• Journal of Science Education
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.157-166
• /
• 2020

In this study, we analyzed the reflection degree of science core competencies, which is presented in second grade middle school science textbooks, and the perception of science core competencies of second year middle school students. To do this, we analyzed the frequency of presentation of science core competencies in middle school second grade textbooks, and surveyed 400 students from three schools in Chungnam area to find out their perception of science core competency. The survey consisted of 15 questions consisting of a five-step Likert scale and 5 ranking questions. The survey analyzed the responses of 327 people who responded faithfully and conducted a post-interview survey to interpret the survey results. The main findings are as follows: First, in the second grade middle school science textbook, the proportion of 'scientific thinking', 'scientific inquiry,' and 'scientific communication' is large, and the students are perceived to have a high proportion of 'scientific thinking,' 'scientific inquiry,' and 'scientific problem solving' in the textbook. Second, students recognize that the proportion of 'scientific inquiry' and 'scientific problem solving' in the evaluation conducted in school was high, and the proportion of 'scientific communication' and 'scientific participation and lifelong learning' was very low. Third, the most important competency in science that students perceive is the 'scientific problem solving,' the competency they wanted most from science is the 'scientific inquiry,' and the competency most needed to live in future society is the 'scientific communication.' Fourth, in the case of 'scientific participation and lifelong learning,' it is an important element of science literacy, but the proportion of consisting science textbooks is low, and students are not aware of the importance or necessity in science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.75-88
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors affecting interactions as well as the students' learning process in small group activities. For this purpose, the changes and characteristics of students' interactions in scientific inquiry experiments were analyzed. This study focused on 2 homogeneous small groups of eighth graders. Students were involved in 13 inquiry experiments for one year and students' interactions in each experiments were observed and recorded using video/audio and the data recorded were transcribed. The analysis of data was based on the method of making a note by looking on and listening to the data repeatedly. Changes in the interactions of the two homogeneous groups differ remarkably. In small group A, owing to the conflicts of students' emotions, learning through social interactions became to be impossible. On the other hand, the interactions in small group B became more active. It seems that this changes are affected largely by the existence of peers who are able to mediate different opinions or feelings among group members. In general, middle school students were poor at receiving peers' opinion, cared a lot about writing reports. The less able students tended to be placed at a disadvantageous position in experiment lessons emphasizing social interactions. Four factors that affected the change of interactions were identified: Is the aim of experiments the understanding or completion of report? Is there any attitude towards peers' suggestions? Is there a disposition to care about peers? Is there any peer to mediate on peers' opinions or feelings? Educational implications of the progression of activities emphasizing interactions and the organization of grouping were drawn.

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

• 한국HCI학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2009.02a
• /
• pp.926-932
• /
• 2009

Recently many research reports on effective use of mobile devices for museums to provide information on displayed artifacts providing individualized learning space, collaborative learning, and discovery learning, Such devices have many possibilities to support learning as a participatory media and social network. Mobile devices are used, however, limited for its usability and lack in providing expected learning experiences. It offers one-way interaction and they are often limited in providing customized services for different patrons to experience learning and entertainment. In this research, we have adopted user centered design approach to identify the needs and possible usage of PDA system in the museum. Research methods include contextual observation and inquiry with symbolic interactionism for qualitative research and its epistemology. We have developed conceptual model with scenario and storyboard method, and developed vertical prototype with Flash.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.313-322
• /
• 2008

As cyber education using e-Learning system is expanded, various Learning Contents has been created to satisfy the demand of various students. But since it takes long time and spends high cost to create e-Learning contents, it is hard to satisfy the demand of various students. To solve this problem standardizations of the Learning Contents and researches of Learning Contents Metadata are focused in reusability of Learning Contents and information retrieval of Learning Contents. In this paper to improve manageability and retrievability, legacy version control and document management system are introduced. Based on existing version control and document management system, we developed automated history control system. To conveniently provide retrieval, inquiry and integrating of Learning Contents, we researched Learning Contents Management System based on SOA to easily approach with the Learning Contents Management Server which is dispersed on wide area

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.544-556
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in beginning science teachers' inquiry-oriented teaching practice through mentoring program. Participants in this study are three mentor teachers and three beginning teachers. The three beginning teachers are middle school science teachers who have less than four years teaching experience. Also three science teachers participated in the program as mentors, who have more than twelve years teaching experience. We collected data such as video recordings of beginning teachers' classes, lesson plans, recordings of one to one mentoring and RTOP class observation reports. Mentor teachers observed and analyzed five classes of each beginning teacher. Before the mentoring program, beginning teachers' teaching methods were more concept-oriented and teacheroriented. They rarely used inquiry-elements including prediction, reasoning, hypothesizing and students were not actively engaged in communicative interactions in a classroom. But during the mentoring program, these teachers recognized and responded to student diversity and encouraged all students to participate in science learning. Beginning teachers' teaching methods have changed to become student-oriented, teachers and students collaborated in pursuit of ideas, and students often initiated new activities relevant to an inquiry. As a result, this mentoring program provided beginning teachers the opportunities to reflect on their own teaching and reform their classes. The results show that school-centered mentoring program is helpful to enhance beginning science teachers' inquiry-oriented teaching ability.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.83-92
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate elementary school students' understandings about scientific inquiry. Data were collected from 119 elementary students who are in the 4^th grade using the Views About Scientific Inquiry questionnaire for elementary students (VASI-E). We also conducted semi-structured interviews of 21 students from 119 students who responded to VASI-E. Students' responses were analyzed as naive, mixed, or informed views on each aspect of scientific inquiry that VASI-E includes. We found that, first, 53.8% of students have mixed views, and 30.3% of students have informed views, and 16% of students have naive views on the knowledge 'investigation begin with a question'. Second, 54.6% of students have naive views, 37.8% of students have mixed views, and 7.6% of students have informed views on the knowledge 'scientists use many methods to answer their questions.' Third, 47.9% of students have informed views, 34.5% of students have naive views, and 17.6% of students have mixed views on 'procedures guided by question asked.' Fourth, 55.5% of students have mixed views, 42% of students have informed views, and only 2.5% of students have naive views on 'conclusions must be consistent with data and explanations come from data and prior knowledge.' Based on the results, implications for teaching and learning scientific inquiry at elementary level in Korea were discussed.