• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.770-788
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• 2021

This study aimed to determine whether middle school students could understand global warming and the greenhouse effect, and explain them in terms of global radiative equilibrium. From July 13 to July 24 in 2021, 118 students in the third grade of middle school, who completed a class module on 'atmosphere and weather', participated in an online assessment consisting of multiple-choice and written answers on radiative equilibrium, the greenhouse effect, and global warming; 97 complete responses were obtained. After analysis, it was found that over half the students (61.9%) correctly described the meaning of radiative equilibrium; however, their explanations frequently contained prior knowledge or specific examples outside of the presented data. The majority of the students (92.8%) knew that the greenhouse effect occurs within Earth's atmosphere, but many (32.0%) thought of the greenhouse effect as a state in which the radiative equilibrium is broken. Less than half the students (47.4%) answered correctly that radiative equilibrium occurs on both Earth and the Moon. Most of the students (69.1%) understood that atmospheric re-radiation is the cause of the greenhouse effect, but few (39.2%) answered correctly that the amount of surface radiation emitted is greater than the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth's surface. In addition, about half the students (49.5%) had a good understanding of the relationship between the increase in greenhouse gases and the absorption of atmospheric gases, and the resulting reradiation to the surface. However, when asked about greenhouse gases increases, their thoughts on surface emissions were very diverse; 14.4% said they increased, 9.3% said there was no change, 7.2% said they decreased, and 18.6% gave no response. Radiation equilibrium, the greenhouse effect, and global warming are a large semantic network connected by the balance and interaction of the Earth system. This can thus serve as a conceptual system for students to understand, apply, and interpret climate change caused by global warming. Therefore, with the current climate change crisis facing mankind, sophisticated program development and classroom experiences should be provided to encourage students to think scientifically and establish scientific concepts based on accurate understanding, with follow-up studies conducted to observe the effects.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.79-93
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• 2013

This study examined value-judgement and decision-making process of middle school students on three biotechnology related socioscientific issues (SSI) (i.e. designer baby, amniotic fluid test, and embryonic stem cell research). In particular, it focused on the level of consistency in their value application to the decisions. Twenty 8th grade students participated in the SSI program. The participants were asked to mark their positions on each issue before and after the debates. All classroom and sub-group debates were audio-recorded. The researcher conducted individual interviews with 10 students after the program. The results show three patterns emerging. First, five students applied their personal values in a consistent manner when making decisions on the three consecutive issues. Second, three students demonstrated incremental resoluteness in their value application as the sessions proceeded and had tendency to be oriented towards a specific value, more so towards the end of the program than the beginning. And third, four students gradually showed ambivalence in their decisions as they participate in the program. The results suggest that science teachers addressing SSI need to encourage students to be aware of their own values and to engage in internalized decision-making in light of those values. They also need to be aware of the possible challenges that students might feel in their decision-making process caused by the complexity of SSI.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.379-392
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• 2018

This study aims to explore science inquiry teaching efficacy that middle school science teachers implementing science practice-based teaching for one year recognized as necessary for teaching science through science practice. Examining interview data in this study, science inquiry teaching efficacy was identified in both planning and implementing in the areas of managing efficacy, instructional strategy efficacy, and content knowledge efficacy. In planning science inquiry instruction, there is science curriculum management efficacy under managing efficacy. There are the efficacy of outlining science inquiry lesson, efficacy of organizing science practice, efficacy of questioning for science practice, and efficacy of understanding student science practice under instructional strategy efficacy. Under the content knowledge efficacy are contents and science practice understanding efficacy and core ideas efficacy. In implementing science inquiry instruction, managing efficacy includes science practice time management efficacy and science practice classroom culture efficacy. Instructional strategy efficacy includes efficacy of motivating student science practice, efficacy of responding to student science practice, efficacy of stimulating student active thinking, efficacy of student active engagement in argumentation, efficacy of evaluating student participation. No content knowledge efficacy have been identified in implementing science inquiry instruction.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.620-632
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• 2004

This paper tries to examine differences between geography classes taught by majored and non-majored teacher and to find problems in the latter case, tv observing four middle school geography classes in Seoul, from April to May 2003. The observation was fecund on (1) organization of a class (2) dialogue between teacher and students (3) strategy of explanation. In addition, the author conducted personal interviews with social studies teachers in the schools where the observations were made. The analyses of the observed classes were made by micro-ethnographic research method. Major findings of the observation and analysis are as follows. First, the transition from one topic to another topic was not smooth in the case of non-majored teacher class. Second, the questions that the non-majored teacher posed in the classroom played less significant role in keeping up the class in an organized fashion than those that the majored teacher posed. Third, the non-majored teacher focused on the concepts, terms and contents appeared in the textbook and simply tried to explain them, whereas the majored teacher demonstrated teaching methods such as comparing and contrasting cases to provide students with a more dynamic and comprehensive understanding on the topic they teamed. Fourth, the non-majored teacher used maps less frequently and less actively than the majored teacher. In addition, although the non-majored teachers are well aware of their problems in the class as a non-majored teacher, they think that the problems are inevitable in a given curriculum structure of social studies in Korea.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.567-592
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate effective teaching and learning method for teaching decision-making on Socio-Scientific-Issues(SSI) in science classroom. So we carried out new teaching and learning trial for decision-making about Global Warming issues. Our new trial focused on self-directed and cooperative learning in decision-making about SSI. And our participants were science gifted or science high-achieved students in middle school. We analysed students' written decision-making of the last process in our new trial. We can find our instruction made progress in informed decision-making, structure of argumentation, reflective thinking stage, using the scientific information and understanding of the nature of science. As a result, self-directed and cooperative learning in decision-making on SSI leads students to the meaningful decision-making scientifically.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.793-811
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to understand how a teacher's teaching can be changed while he or she teaches the same contents in different classes. The qualitative research method was used in this study. Data were collected from classroom observations, several in-depth interviews, and stimulated-recall interviews after each class. All the data were transcribed and analyzed interpretively, and then, the results of the analysis were checked by each participating teacher. The results are as follows: First, changes appeared in each class in terms of the teaching items, tools, sequence, and time, even though the same teacher taught the same contents. It showed that the teacher's teaching practice changed immediately and intuitively in class. Second, teachers tried to implement "exploratory teaching" or "move-testing teaching" to address the emerging problems during their teaching. They then reflected on and modified their own teaching. This type of change, which happened during the teaching practice, can be an example of "Reflection-in-practice." Thus, the results of this study can provide helpful insights into how teachers might adapt and reflect in their teaching. It suggests that teachers need to recognize their subconscious teaching changes and learn "Reflection-in-practice."

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.694-708
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• 2011

In this study, we developed tasks including cognitive scaffolding for students to explain scientific phenomena using valid evidences in science classroom and sought to investigate how tasks influence the development of small group scientific argumentation. Heterogeneous small groups in gender and achievement were organized in one classroom and the tasks were applied to the class. Students were asked to write down their own ideas, share individual ideas, and then choose the most plausible opinion in a group. One group was chosen for investigating the effect of tasks on the development of small group argumentation through the analysis of discourse transcripts of the group in 10 lessons, students' semi-structured interview, field note, and students' pre- and post argument tests. The discrepant argument examples were included in the tasks for students to refute an argument presenting evidences. Moreover, comparing opinion within the group and persuading others were included in the tasks to prompt small group argumentation. As a result, students' post-argument test grades were increased than pre-test grades, and they argued involving evidences and reasoning. The high level of arguments has appeared with high ratio of advanced utterances and lengthening of reasoning chain as lessons went on. Students had elaborate claims involving valid evidences and reasoning by reflective and critical thinking while discussing about the tasks. In addition, tasks which could have various warrants based on the data led to students' spontaneous participation. Therefore, this study has significance in understanding the context of developing small group argumentation, providing information about teaching and learning context prompting students to construct arguments in science inquiry lessons in middle school.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.419-429
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• 2015

In this study, we explored students' epistemological framing during scientific argumentation and how interactions among group members influenced group argumentation. Twenty-one gifted science students divided into groups of three or four participated in this study. Students' discussions related to data interpretation concerning the rate of photosynthesis were analyzed. Students' activities were videotaped in groups so the discourse could be transcribed and students' behavioral cues analyzed. Students' epistemological framing has been identified through analysis of their speech and behavioral responses to the anomalous data from the inquiry process. Subsequently, their sources of warrant and group argumentation levels were explored. We found out that group members framed the inquiry in two ways: "understanding phenomena" and "classroom game." Group members whose framing was "understanding phenomena" required other members to justify the anomalous data by examining its validity and reliability, which conclusively demonstrated a high level of argumentation. On the other hand, when group members used "classroom game" to frame their argumentation, they did not recognize the necessity of explaining the anomalous data; rather, these students used simple empirical justification to explain the data, reflecting a low level of argumentation. When students using different epistemological framing disagreed over interpretations of anomalous data throughout the discussion, clashes ensued that resulted in emotional conflict and a lack of discussion. Students' framing shifts were observed during the discussion on which group leaders seemed to have a huge influence. This study lays the foundation for future work on establishing productive framing to prompt scientific argumentation in science classrooms.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1039-1048
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to analyze verbal interaction between teachers and students in order to collect qualitative data on the characteristics of the interaction to enhance teaching efficacy. Total of 12 classes of eight science teachers were observed and were interviewed. The classes were video taped and all the verbal interactions were transcribed. The transcribed content and interviews were further analyzed to draw any conclusions on the verbal interaction between teachers and students. Analysis criteria for the data on the class and interview were developed based on the literature review and applied to analyze the collected content. The analyzed data showed that verbal interactions composed of confirmation questions for memorization, students' short responses and teacher's immediate feedbacks. The results of the study also suggested that there needs to be further studies on the interactional techniques for teacher in utilizing the class materials and activities. The teachers should acknowledge the importance of the questions and feedbacks of teachers for students to stimulate their sound learning through literatures.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.893-906
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• 2007

The purposes of this study are to understand pre-service science teachers' areas of practice concern and reflections on the science classes during student-teaching, and to grasp the factors affecting their concerns and reflections. Four pre-service science teachers participated in this study. Data were collected from four pre-service science teachers' practice journals, instructional materials, and semi-structured individual interviews after their student-teaching. The results are as follows: firstly, the pre-service teachers' concern is focused on the teaching environment and strategies, particularly classroom atmosphere and class management. On the other hand, they pay little attention to science content. Secondly, pre-service teachers' reflections are confined within the limited areas such as classroom management, the proper role as science teachers, or various teaching materials. The level of their reflections is low, mostly concentrated on 'routine' or 'technical' level. Higher levels of reflections, such as 'dialogic' or 'transformative' are not revealed at all. Thirdly, the mentor teachers have the biggest influence upon the concerns and reflections of pre-service teachers during student-teaching.