• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the elementary school student's recognition of informal science education program : 'Korea Junior Engineering Achievement (KJEA)'case. The subjects were 807, 4th, 5th, 6th grade elementary school students who participated KJEA program. We developed questionnaires and explored the students' preference and the reason to KJEA (compared with school science lesson), attitude on informal elements of KJEA (non-school teachers and non-curricular content), interest in the each KJEA program, outcome of the KJEA. The result of this study showed that the students' recognition of the informal science education program was strongly affirmative. Students preferred KJEA program to school science lessons for that reason why they could make and do by themselves and the KJEA program had novelty. They expected more teaming opportunities by non-school teachers on non-curricular content. Though KJEA had little effect on career interests, students showed willingness to continue to participate. We could get implication for informal science education that the quality of the program is the most important factors than others. The novelty and the doing by oneselves were also important factors for students.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2005

Recent studies say that informal learning is influential to students as much as formal teaming. Nowadays we can see various informal teaming inside and outside of the country. In 2004, it was the first attempt in Korea that engineer had gone to the elementary school fur activity that included scientific experiment and engineering work with students. National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK) progressed activity with companies and elementary schools for students' making sense of engineer and what they are doing. To do that, NAEK had developed the network that company could support its local school's science education circumstance by engineers' visiting program. In 2004, seventeen companies including both large and small ones took part in the program called' Korea Junior Engineering Achievement (KJEA)'. In this program, engineers played the role of teacher (we call them company teacher), elementary school teachers played the role of organizing classes as a mediator. Elementary school teachers and company teachers' recognition is very important to make students' activity meaningful. The aim of this study was to give implication for informal science education activity for which engineers visit their local school. We got the result by survey and interview of company teachers and elementary school teachers. This study's result shows that almost company teachers and school teachers were in favor of purpose of this informal science education activity and satisfied with their participation. But some company teachers were not satisfied with worksheets, materials provided and relationship between school and company). Elementary school teachers and company teachers, both of them believed students' program as the key factor of success of informal science education activity. To make informal science education grow, school administrator and teacher need to have a will to utilize the activities more actively.