• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.14 no.1_spc
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• pp.187-221
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• 2008

Although academic interest, the intersection of cognition, emotion, and motivation, is a primary goal of learning and mediates the effects of learning, the present learning environment is full of impeding factors which undermine learner's interests in learning situation. The purpose of this study is to examine current state of academic interests of Korean students and to identify several potential causes of developmental declines in academic interests. It has been consistently found that academic interests in various school subjects decrease with age and grade in school. Three potentially contributing factors to the observed loss of academic interests are mainly discussed: deprived autonomy, severe competition, and normative evaluation. Based on theories on interest and motivation, and empirical findings, various prescriptions are also suggested for designing an interest-based learning environment in order to trigger and enhance learner's academic interests.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.13-25
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate structural relationships among engineering self-efficacy, outcome expectation, interest, learning persistence, and career preparation behavior of engineering students. Participants (n=428) completed measures of engineering self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, learning persistence, and career preparation behavior. Results from structural equation modeling analysis were found to support the proposed model which included learning persistence and career preparation behavior, influence from engineering self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests. In addition, major persistence intention and career preparation behavior of engineering college students are influenced by the direct and indirect effects on engineering self-efficacy, interest, and outcome expectations. The implications of the findings on practice for Korean engineering college students are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.252-263
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• 2015

This study analyzed the effects of science outdoor activity applying a Brain-Based Evolutionary (ABC-DEF) approach on elementary school students' interest and academic achievement. Samples of the study were composed of 3 classes of 67 sixth graders in Seoul, Korea. Unit of 'Ecosystem and Environment' was selected as a object of the research. Textbook- and teachers' guidebook-based instruction was implemented in comparison group, brain-based evolutionary approach within classroom in experimental group A, and science outdoor learning by a brain-based evolutionary approach in experimental group B. In order to analyze the quantitative differences of students' interests and achievements, three tests of 'General Science Attitudes', 'Applied Unit-Related Interests', and 'Applied Unit-Related Achievement' were administered to the students. To find out the characteristics which would not be apparently revealed by quantitative tests, qualitative data such as portfolios, daily records of classroom work, and interview were also analyzed. The major results of the study are as follows. First, for post-test of interest, a statistically significant difference between comparison group and experimental group B was found. Especially, the 'interests about biology learning' factor, when analyzed by each item, was significant in two questions. Results of interviews the students showed that whether the presence or absence of outdoor learning experience influenced most on their interests about the topic. Second, for post-test of achievement, the difference among 3 groups according to high, middle, and low levels of post-interest was not statistically significant, but the groups of higher scores in post-interest tends to have higher scores in post-achievement. It can be inferred that outdoor learning by a brain-based evolutionary approach increases students' situational interests about leaning topic. On the basis of the results, the implications for the research in science education and the teaching and learning in school are discussed.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.585-599
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• 2020

This study investigated children's interests in learning English, affected by educational activities in and out of institutes, and mothers' perceptions regarding early childhood English education. We recruited, 253 mothers of 3- to 5-year-old children in either general kindergartens or English immersion institutes. They answered questions on socioeconomic status, perceived interest in English by their children, their perceptions regarding early childhood English education, and English education outside institutes. In addition, 42 English teachers provided information within institutes such as class time per week, teacher-pupil rate, and language use policy during class. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS 22 for frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The major findings are as follows. First, the two groups were in distinct learning environment. Second, mothers' perceptions and outside-institute activities were significantly different between the two groups. Third, the English interests of children at both institutes were influenced by mothers' worries and at-home English interactions. Fourth, education within institutes did not affect both group's English interests. Fifth, private education and socioeconomic status did not affect both group's English interests. Lastly, only the children's interests in English immersion institutes were affected by gender and mother's perceived necessities. Focusing children's interests, this study helps in understanding young children's affective aspects regarding learning English. The findings are expected to be a guideline for each home and institute to increase children's interest in learning English.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2012

Though science and technology are evolving rapidly in recent years, the traditional science education has limits for students to be satisfied their interests and needs because they couldn't follow these speeds. STEAM as a education integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics has strengths of increasing interests and understandings in science and technology and improving integrated thinking and problem solving ability for leaners. In this study we analyze the elementary school curriculum and construct physics learning based on STEAM and develop a android application to increase interests in science and improve problem solving ability. In the future, we need to analyze and develop the curriculum and contents for the STEAM education.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-49
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• 2009

Utilizing the mathematical materials in elementary mathematics education is known to increase the learners' creativity and interests for mathematics. Although the effects of mathematical materials have been frequently researched, a practical plan and a process to utilize the mathematical materials has been rarely researched. The dependence on the mathematical materials is tested by the students' responses to the mathematical problems in the class that allowed to use mathematical materials. The activities in the text book are reorganized to seven chapters for utilizing the mathematical materials. The dependence on the mathematical materials when solving the mathematical problems is investigated by the textbook, students' answers, and handouts. The conclusions of this study are: First of all, the activities using mathematical materials are reorganized within the mathematics education curriculum. The high interests are also investigated in all the learning level of learners. Second, the learners in the high learning level use the mathematical materials for their needs and the correction of their mistakes. The dependence on mathematical materials is lowest compared to the other level learners. Third, the learners in the mid learning level also use the mathematical materials for their needs and their mistakes, but are often confused when utilizing the materials. Fourth, the learners in the low learning level show their interests, and enthusiasm in the mathematical materials themselves. Their interests help to solve mathematical problems. The dependence on the materials is higher than the other level learners, but the dependence is not shown only for the low level learners.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.439-457
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• 1999

In this paper, we tried to find out what makes the students feel anxious to mathematics and the ways to decrease their anxiety by comparing two learning types, self-directed-learning and learning in a body, by means of continuous observation and interviews. To perform this study, two classes of self-directed-learning and other two classes of learning-in a body were chosen from the third year-students in Wando Middle School in Chollanamdo. In this study, we obtained the following results: 1. In high group in math grade, students in self-directed-learning are less anxious than students in learning-in a body. 2. In average group in math grade, students in self-directed-learning are much more anxious than students in learning-in a body. 3. In low group in math grade, both students in self-directed-learning and students in teaming-in a body feel anxious about math and there is no difference between them. 4. Anxiety about math hove positive influence on high group in math grade. 5. Anxiety about math have negative influence on average and low groups in math grade. Especially, low group students had no interests about mathematics because of their math anxiety. We observed that some students got over the math anxiety to some meaningful extent by means of interviews or appropriate advices, and became to have confidence and interests in mathematics.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.381-390
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• 2008

As computer technology is in progress and many educational methods have been emerged, web-based cooperative learning and educational games have gained a lot of interests. Some cooperative learning systems and game-based educational systems have been suggested, but few cooperative learning systems use games. This paper builds a new web-based cooperative learning system using games that enables learners to actively participate and have high interests in learning. In our system, cooperation study is performed in each group and a group member competes with other group members using games. A crossword puzzle game is adopted because of ease to use and fit with cooperative learning scenarios. Our suggested system is implemented and used by two classes of high school students to evaluate this system. The experimental results show that our system effectively improve students' learning interests and increase their academic achievement.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.127-142
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• 2004

This paper examines the relationship between children's English proficiency in grade three and English learning environment and experiences before entering elementary school. In English learning environment and experiences, three influences consisting of children, home environment, and environmental influences of English learning are used to find out which influences contributed to children's English proficiency in grade three of elementary school. The result of this study shows that children with high interest in English have higher proficiency in all language skills reading, writing, listening, and speaking than that of children with low interests. For parents' influences, parents' high interests toward their children's English leaning and high monthly income result in children's high English proficiency. For English environmental influences, children who start at the early age and continue studying English have higher English proficiency.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1017-1030
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate learning desire based on the interests, application of clothing and textiles in Technology Home Economics curriculum of middle school. For this research, a questionnaire survey was conducted to 404 middle school students living in Seoul and Kyunggi areas. The data was analyzed by frequency, descriptive statistics, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ coefficient, one-way ANOVA, and Duncan-test using SPSS 14.0. The conclusions of this study are as follows: First, the perception of middle school student for Technology Home Economics was low. Students were interested not in the clothing and textile education but in getting dressed specially, and purchasing of clothes. Second, the more interested in the area of clothing and textiles, the higher is the application of apparels coordination, apparel purchase, and apparel management. And the more interested in the area of clothing and textiles, the higher is the desire in class contents. Therefore, teaching-learning methods should be developed to improve middle school students' interests, and applications in the clothing and textiles.