• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.459-469
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated the difference in the affective characteristics between science-gifted students and general students through the positive experiences about science (PES) index. We also explored ways to apply the characteristics of gifted classes suggeseted by the teachers of this study, which had a positive effect on science-gifted students, to general science classes. For this study, a PES survey was carried on middle school science-gifted students enrolled in the gifted education center in the central region and general middle school students in the same area who had no experience in gifted education. Based on the survey result, we conducted in-depth interviews with teachers, having teaching experience with both science-gifted and general students. The results revealed that science-gifted students showed a significantly higher PES index than general students in all five areas of PES. The area with the largest difference between the two groups was science-related self-concept and the smallest was science academic emotion. Teachers suggested ways to apply the characteristics of science-gifted classes to general science classes, such as organizing general science classes around inquiry activities, supporting class materials such as MBL or tablets, reconstructing the classes using materials reflecting students' needs, and changing the textbook content and narrative style, to induce students' interest and curiosity. Based on the study results, ways to enhance the PES through science classes for general students were proposed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore the teaching and learning experiences to improve the positive experiences about science (PES) of scientifically-gifted elementary school students. For this study, 36 students in grades 5~6 at a gifted science education institutes in Seoul were selected and conducted pre-test and post-test for 'Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES).' After the weekly science classes of the institutions were over, individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with some students to explore the teaching and learning experiences for improving their PES. The analysis of the results reveals that the science classes for scientifically-gifted students have been shown to improve PES of scientifically-gifted elementary school students. The teaching and learning experiences to improve their PES included eight teaching and learning experiences that appeared in general elementary school students of previous study such as 'practice-centered exploratory activities,' 'student-led class,' 'positive and professional feedback,' 'construction of knowledge through exploration,' 'class considering student's interest and aptitude,' 'use of materials related to real life,' 'smooth communication and collaboration in group activities,' and 'appropriate difficulty in learning content.' There were also six teaching and learning experiences that newly emerged from science-gifted students: 'Learning experience through the strategies for improving scientific creativity,' 'inquiry experience as a little scientist,' 'advanced or accelerated learning experience,' 'learning experience with excellent students,' 'experience helping other students,' and 'experience with high or low achievement'. Based on these results, the practical implications for improving the student's PES are suggested.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.317-330
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influences of science leading schools on primary and middle school students' positive experiences about science (PES) through in-depth interviews with teachers in charge of science leading schools. Science leading schools at the primary and middle school level such as Creative Convergent Science Labs and Student Participatory Science Classes were investigated and 11 teachers were participated in focus group interviews. Teacher in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the factors that led to the effectiveness of science leading schools in improving the student's PES in light of operational characteristics of science leading schools, characteristic factors of science leading schools on students PES, and improvement plans and requirements of science leading schools, as well as implications for general high schools. Science leading schools including Creative Convergent Science Labs and Student Participatory Science Classes applied for the leading school funding to secure supplies, equipments, and lab improvement for authentic science classes. In addition, reconstructed the curriculum more broadly than before, and emphasized and expanded student participatory classes and process-centered assessment at the teacher learning community level. Through student-participatory classes, the science leading schools stimulate students' interest in science, provide students with PES) through various instructions including projects, engage students in interesting science experiences in Creative Convergent Science Labs, and enhance inquiry skills and PES as well as science content knowledge. Based on the results, ways to spread the characteristics of science leading schools to general schools are suggested including expanding budget support, securing the space of science labs and improving spatial composition, providing diverse teaching and learning materials, diversifying assessment subjects and methods, and the necessity of teachers' continuous professional development, etc.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.279-293
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• 2019

This study investigated the effects of national science leading school programs on students' positive experiences about science (PES) and teachers' perceptions of curriculum implementation factors affecting students' PES. For this study, Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES) was administered to a total of 11,488 students from 117 national science leading schools and 1,315 students from 50 normal counterpart schools. In addition, a total of 105 teachers were given a survey asking their curriculum implementation levels and perceptions on importance and performance levels of each identified factor that was known to influence students' PES. Students' total PES scores and scores in five sub-components of PES were widely varied across science leading school program types. In general, participating teachers reported common curriculum implementation factors that most positively affected students' PES including 'science-related activities out of school,' 'student-centered research projects,' 'ICT-related materials' and 'performance assessment.' Based on these results, implications for science education were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.183-203
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factor for improving elementary and secondary students' positive experiences about science (PES). In-depth interviews with 32 students and 8 teachers from 8 elementary and secondary Science Core schools were conducted to explore the factors for improving the student's PES. The analysis of the results reveal that the eight key factors which had a decisive impact on a student's PES were 'practice-centered exploratory activities', 'student-led class', 'positive and professional feedback', 'construction of knowledge through exploration', 'class considering student's interest and aptitude', 'use of materials related to real life', 'smooth communication and collaboration in group activities', and 'appropriate difficulty in learning content'. There were also five environmental factors that affected these key factors: 'teacher's professionalism for science classes', 'science class environment', 'teacher community in unit schools', 'change in curriculum', and 'scientific activities other than regular classes'. Based on these results, the practical implications for improving the student's PES are suggested.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2022

This study analyzed the trends and causes of the decline in Korean students' positive experiences about science (PES). To do this, 4th to 10th grade students were sampled by grade at general elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul, and then a questionnaire was administered to ask the students about their PES and the causes for their decline. The results of one-way ANOVA for Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES) revealed that there were no statistically significant differences according to grade and school level in the overall mean of TIPES scores. However, the results were slightly different for each sub-component. That is, in 'science academic emotion,' the mean of elementary school students was statistically significantly higher than that of middle school students. In addition, the mean of 4th graders was significantly higher than the mean of middle school 1st graders, middle school 3rd graders, and high school 1st graders, respectively. The mean of high school students was statistically significantly higher than that of middle school students in 'science-related career aspiration.' In the 'science-related self-concept', 'science learning motivation,' and 'science-related attitude,' the differences in scores according to grade and school level were not statistically significant. The main causes of the decline in each sub-components of PES were somewhat different depending on the school level. Based on these results, the ways to improve students' PES were sought according to grade and school level.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.525-534
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influences of Science Core schools on students' positive experiences about science (PES) through in-depth interviews with teachers in charge of science core schools. In-depth interviews with teachers were conducted to explore the factors that led to the effectiveness of science core schools in improving the student's PES in light of operational characteristics of science core schools as leading schools, characteristic factors of science core schools on students PES, and improvement plans and requirements of science core schools as leading schools, as well as implications for general high schools. In the case of science core schools, the teacher's enthusiasm for science teaching encouraged students' participation in science classes, promoted students' interest in science other than science-core classes, improved students' inquiry and research skills, increased students' competencies such as communications and collaboration by improving science instructions, and affected career search and exploration based on interests in science experiences. Based on the results, ways to spread the characteristics of science core schools to general schools' curriculum implementation are suggested including providing opportunities to experience the value of science study, to experience science and engineering careers through senior students, to participate in team projects and self-regulated science inquires, and so on.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.168-182
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• 2020

This study investigated how elementary students' science-related affective characteristics and their perception of measurement changed following participation in citizen science activities through a GLOBE program. Before and after the activities, test of positive experiences about science (PES) and perception of measurement were conducted with twelve fourth grade students. In addition, the teacher who participated in the GLOBE program with students observed and recorded the students' involvement, conversation and behavior to qualitatively analyze the value of the program and the students' perceptions of measurement. After the end of the program, an open questionnaire was conducted to fill any gaps in these observations. The results showed that citizen science activities had a positive impact on elementary students' science-related affective characteristics. In all areas of PES test, the post-test scores were higher than the pre-test results, and a statistically significant difference was seen in the 'science learning motivation' area. Furthermore, students' perception of the value and meaning of measurements was seen to deepen through ongoing global environmental data measurement activities. And their understanding of various units of measurement and numerous situations in which they might need to make measurements was also elaborated.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.507-521
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate a meaningful path model among the components of students' positive experiences about science and science learning to understand the interactive relationships among different variables of affective domains. Positive Experiences about Science (PES) means whole experiences that have positive effects on students' affectional achievement related with science learning, which consists of science academic emotion, science-related self-concept, science learning motivation, science-related attitude, and science-related career aspiration. We conducted an online survey with 1,841 students consisting of 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th graders from 17 provinces and cities using Test for Indicators of Positive Experiences about Science (TIPES). To explore the structural relationships among variables, we selected and analyzed an optimal structural equation model and then conducted multigroup analyses among groups. According to the analysis of the structural equation model, 'positive as well as negative science academic emotion' has effects on science learning motivation, science-related attitude, and science-related career aspiration via science-related self-concept. According to the independent t-test results for TIPES scores by participants' characteristics, there were statistically significant differences in the average scores of five sub-components of PES depending on gender, school-level, school location, and participation in science-related activities. According to the multi-group analysis results, the difference of path coefficients by gender and school-level were statistically significant, whereas the difference of path coefficients by school location and participation were not significant. Discussed in the conclusion are the implications of this research for science education research and ways to help students' affectional achievement related with science learning.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.293-311
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• 2022

In this study, a restriction enzyme mapping inquiry experiment was developed for cultivating basic knowledge on molecular biology and the effects on inquiry experiment ability and positive experience on science through student-centered molecular biology inquiry experiment class for second graders of a general high school was analyzed. First of all, it was found that the experimental class through the inquiry experiment was significantly effective as the percentage of high school students who answered 'yes' or higher in the positive science experience of general high school students was higher after than before the test. As a result of developing and applying a series of five classes for the creation of restriction enzyme maps, not only did the students' interest in science studies, but also their class participation increased. They were also used as effective specific science learning motives, science career aspirations and experience data. The science environment of the inquiry experiment class led to the improvement of students' learning attitudes and positive science experience, which had a positive effect on the importance of class concentration and class quality, active communication and mutual cooperation among students. In addition, inquiry and experiment classes will provide opportunities for career experience, which will become the foundation for cultivating basic knowledge on molecular biology and advancing to science and engineering.