• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.620-626
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• 2005

In this study, we conducted a comparative study to investigate the curriculums on electricity and magnetism between in Korean and in Ontario elementary schools in Canada with respect to connectivity and difference among course materials with grades. We compared textbooks that contain the contents about electricity and magnetism, and connectivity in curriculums that were relevant to the science content system in each country. We report the following differences in the curriculums on electricity and magnetism in each country. First, it turns out that science is taught from the first grade in Ontario, while it is taught from the third grade in Korea. Second, Ontario covers electricity and magnetism only in science curriculum, while Korea covers the same topics both in the science and practical arts curriculum. Third, while the curriculum in Korea introduces 'a magnet' in the third grade, 'electricity' in the fourth and the fifth grade, and 'an electromagnet' in the sixth grade, while the curriculum in Ontario covers the concept of energy from the first grade. As the grades go up, the contents of electricity and magnetism tend to be more deepen. It also emphasizes enhancing students' ability that they can communicate what they learn about technology with others, and that they can apply their knowledge to other fields as well. Based on this study of the Ontario curriculum, we suggest that it is necessary for us to n Science curriculum from the first grade, so that the students can learn science from the early grade, without a need to run another subject, like practical arts. We also found that the Korean curriculum has an interesting structure for the young students to learn to apply their knowledge to the real life immediately, based on an idea that the topic of 'Manipulating the electric appliances' in practical arts curriculum moves to the Science.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.217-241
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• 2014

This study aimed to explore the direction and possibility of development of the integrated curriculum for the Gifted students in the discipline-centered curriculum perspective. To this end, the study analysed the Ontario interdisciplinary curriculum based on a Drake's Integration Model which is typical model of the discipline-centered curriculum and explored the applicability to Science Gifted Academy in Korea. Through showing the possibility of enrichment on the selected majors, integration with other disciplines and solving the future problems by the integrated curriculum centered on 'Big Idea', the Ontario interdisciplinary curriculum gave suggestions of curriculum integration within or through individual research and integrated curriculum for the Gifted. The application of the Ontario's "Introduction to Information studies" to "Information Science" in Science Gifted Academy in Korea could be obtained the conclusion that the Drake's Integration model is applied to the Gifted by the individualization of the navigation network, KDB(Knowledge-Do-Be) umbrella, and the final interdisciplinary task. From this result, we could suggest that the development of integrated curriculum for the Gifted should be considered the clarity of learning objectives for the Gifted, the plan of evaluation to demonstrate big understanding and big idea, the integration with other disciplines or real-world problem, as well as the need of teachers council for the integrated curriculum. This study is expected to be contribute to development of the integrated curriculum model for the gifted based on the their characteristics and to be utilized in Science Gifted Academy.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.215-223
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• 2017

This study aims to find an effective way to present essential science concepts in national science curriculum through international comparisons. Next Generation Science Standard (US), Ontario Science Curriculum (Canada), Australia Science Curriculum, and British/English Science Curriculum were selected for comparison. In science curriculum documents, these countries used terms such as 'Key ideas,' 'Big ideas,' 'Key concepts,' 'Disciplinary core ideas.' and 'Fundamental concepts' to present essential concepts of science. This study reviewed the characteristics of the meaning, the status, and the role of essential concepts country by country. The result shows essential concepts have been used with different meanings and statutes in each case. Furthermore, various roles were performed through essential concepts in order to organize their science curriculum. From these foreign nation's cases, this study proposes several ways to present essential science concepts based on results. First, interdisciplinary integrated concepts were needed to organize an integrated science curriculum. In science curriculum documents of the United States, Canada, Australia and England, two types of terms were used in order to structuralize an integrated science curriculum. Second, essential concepts should include concepts related with function and value as well as scientific knowledge. Third, essential concepts need to be presented in such a way as to show specific contexts. Therefore, selecting appropriate contents and structure are needed to be able to improve the way to present essential concepts in Korea's educational environment.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.21-32
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• 2014

The feasibility of integrated concepts as a key element in designing integrated science curriculum has been investigated by analysing science contents included in performance expectations stated at different grades. The science curriculum of Singapore and the state of Ontario in Canada, and next generation of science standard (NGSS) were selected. Each of them presents theme, fundamental concepts, and crosscutting concepts, which has the characteristics of integrated concepts proposed in the study. Analysis showed that theme, fundamental concepts, and crosscutting concepts were influenced by the characteristics of each curriculum. In addition, science contents related to integrated concepts at different grades varied with the nature of integrated concepts. Based on results, some suggestions were made. First, the total number of integrated concepts should be considered for designing integrated curriculum. Second, the nature of integrated concepts and science contents associated with the integrated concepts should be considered. The integrated concepts should be vast and deep enough in the meaning to contain various content knowledge of different science domains. Third, it should be considered that how the integrated concepts have to be presented at different grades.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.65-81
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate the international trends of how the core competencies are reflected in mathematics curriculum, and to find the implications for the revision of Korean mathematics curriculum. For this purpose, the curriculum of the 9 countries including the U.S., Canada(Ontario), England, Australia, Poland, Singapore, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong were thoroughly reviewed. It was found that a variety of core competencies were reflected in mathematics curricula in the 9 countries such as problem solving, reasoning, communication, mathematical knowledge and skills, selection and use of tools, critical thinking, connection, modelling, application of strategies, mathematical thinking, representation, creativity, utilization of information, and reflection etc. Especially the four most common core competencies (problem solving, reasoning, communication, and creativity) were further analyzed to identify their sub components. Consequently, it was recommended that new mathematics curriculum should consider reflecting various core competencies beyond problem solving, reasoning, and communication, and these core competencies are supposed to combine with mathematics contents to increase their feasibility. Finally considering the fact that software education is getting greater attention in the new curriculum, it is necessary to incorporate computational thinking into mathematics curriculum.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.639-646
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• 2017

As computational thinking(CT) is gaining focus as a key 21st century skill much attention has been paid to promoting CT through software education. However, more studies are needed to design and implement effective CT assessment methods. This study aims to investigate the effects of three CT assessment methods in a course designed to enhance CT competencies of 52 pre-service teachers with a non-computer science background during one semester. To analyze pre-service teachers' CT competencies, we used 3 CT assessment methods: (1) pre-and post-testing based on Bebras computational thinking challenge questions, (2) Dr. Scratch to analyze group scratch projects automatically, and (3) scratch exam designed in this study to evaluate the development of CT. Our results show the positive effects of integrating assessment methods for promoting CT competencies. We end this paper with the discussion of advantages and implications of this integration.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.331-344
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• 2020

This study aims to find meaningful implications for the development of Korean elementary school math education courses and textbooks by comparing and analyzing the number and arithmetic areas of Korean and Canadian math textbooks in fifth and sixth grades. To this end, the textbook composition system of Korean and Canadian elementary schools was compared and analyzed, and the number and timing of introduction of math textbooks and math textbooks by grade, and the number in fifth and sixth grade and the learning contents of math textbooks were compared and analyzed. The following conclusions were obtained from this study: First, it is necessary to organize a textbook that can solve the problem in an integrated way by introducing the learned mathematical concepts and computations naturally in the context of problems closely related to real life, regardless of the type of private calculation or mathematics area. Second, it is necessary to organize questions using materials such as real photography and mathematics, science, technology, engineering, art, etc. and to organize textbooks that make people feel the necessity and usefulness of mathematics. Third, sufficient learning of the principles of mathematics through the use of various actual teaching aids and mathematical models, and the construction of textbooks focusing on problem-solving strategies using engineering tools are needed. Fourth, in-depth discussions are needed on the timing of learning guidance for fractions and minority learning or how to organize and develop learning content.