• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.575-596
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• 2007

This study investigates preservice teachers' development of subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in teaching function concept. This development takes place in the pedagogical mathematics courses in which the theory of constructivism and cooperative learning theory are aligned. Pre and post courses test were administered to examine the development and the follow-up interviews were conducted to gain more details. Analysis of the written questionnaire results and interview transcripts reveal that their limited concept image can be extended and developed in depth through pedagogical mathematics courses that apply reformed teaching methods.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-47
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• 2024

Mathematical modeling activities are gaining popularity in K-12 mathematics education curricula worldwide. These activities serve dual purposes by aiding students in making sense of real-world situations intertwined with social justice while acquiring mathematical knowledge. Despite efforts to prepare teacher candidates for instructing in mathematical modeling within a single country, little attention has been given to teacher candidates' approaches to mathematical modeling on a social justice issue from different countries. This article employs an in-depth, small-scale comparative study to examine the approaches of U.S. and Korean teacher candidates in solving a justice-oriented mathematics task. Our findings reveal that, although both U.S. and Korean teacher candidates identified certain variables as key when constructing a mathematical model, Korean teacher candidates formulated a more nuanced model than U.S. candidates by considering diverse variables. However, U.S. teacher candidates exhibited a heightened engagement in linking the task to social justice issues, whereas Korean teacher candidates barely perceived real-world problems in relation to social justice concerns. This study serves as a valuable tool to inform the roles and limitations of teacher education programs, shaped within specific educational contexts.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.345-358
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated the current status of the teacher education curriculum and the recruitment of general science teachers, and the ways to improve them as suggested by Professors from the Department of Science Education. Most science education departments have not required double majors in general science, and there are wide differences in the number of students who take the general science programs. There is not any department that requires science courses other than its own science major courses when students get only their own in-depth science major certificate. A few departments provide integrated science courses such as history of science, scientific creativity, integrated science, and so forth. Most professors revealed negative perceptions toward 'a compulsory requirement of double majors in general science' with other in-depth science majors such as physics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences. The majority of professors also suggested providing elective courses in integrated science-related subjects. Regarding general science majored teacher employment, most professors did not agree with separate employment for the general science teacher, although they agreed with the necessity of the general science teaching certificate. They also suggested that preservice teachers need to take science courses other than their own specialized science majors for the in-depth science teaching certificate. Based on the results, we suggested ways to improve the teacher education curriculum and the recruitment of general science teachers.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.530-537
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting the satisfaction with pre-service childcare, the work related stress, and the conflicts perceived by pre-service childcare teachers. The data was processed using the SPSS Statistical Package Program, and the frequencies, means, and standard deviations were calculated. Reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were also conducted. The results showed that the class contents, the environment of childcare practice, and the conflicts with children were stressful and they negatively affected practice satisfaction. Second, there was statistically significant negative correlation between the pre-service teachers' childcare practice stress, conflict during the practice, and practice satisfaction. Third, the stress of preservice teachers' childcare practice and the conflict felt during the practice also affect the childcare practice satisfaction. Based on these findings, further study is needed for implementing effective measures in order to improve the practice satisfaction with exhaustive pre-practical education and the field job-oriented curriculum. These measures will enable students majoring in childcare to experience less stress and conflicts during their education.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.63-80
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• 2020

This study analyzed 3,114 articles published in KCI journals and 1,636 articles published in SSCI journals from 2000 to 2019 in order to compare domestic and international research trends of mathematics education using a topic modeling method. Results indicated that there were 16 similar research topics in domestic and international mathematics education journals: algebra/algebraic thinking, fraction, function/representation, statistics, geometry, problem-solving, model/modeling, proof, achievement effect/difference, affective factor, preservice teacher, teaching practice, textbook/curriculum, task analysis, assessment, and theory. Also, there were 7 distinct research topics in domestic and international mathematics education journals. Topics such as affective/cognitive domain and research trends, mathematics concept, class activity, number/operation, creativity/STEAM, proportional reasoning, and college/technology were identified from the domestic journals, whereas discourse/interaction, professional development, identity/equity, child thinking, semiotics/embodied cognition, intervention effect, and design/technology were the topics identified from the international journals. The topic related to preservice teacher was the most frequently addressed topic in both domestic and international research. The topic related to in-service teachers' professional development was the second most popular topic in international research, whereas it was not identified in domestic research. Domestic research in mathematics education tended to pay attention to the topics concerned with the mathematical competency, but it focused more on problem-solving and creativity/STEAM than other mathematical competencies. Rather, international research highlighted the topic related to equity and social justice.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.278-287
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to research how a teaching personality and ethics in teaching affect the competence of students majoring in early childhood education. Questionnaires were distributed to 211 early childhood education students residing in I-city. For this study, frequency analysis, averages, and standard deviation were calculated by using SPSS 22.0, with Cronbach's alpha for the reliability test. To determine the relevance of each variable, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were done, with results as follows. First, the teaching personalities perceived most by the students were morality and educational principles. Ethics for infants and ethics for households were most perceived in the ethics of teaching; for competency, understanding of the curriculum, understanding infant protection, and learning support were perceived the most. Second, there is a statistically significant correlation among a teacher's personality, ethics, and competence. Third, the sub-factors of both personality and ethics have a positive effect on competence. The above results indicate that there should be multilateral research into students majoring in early childhood education to ensure they have correct and positive competency so they can provide high-quality early childhood education services, recognizing the importance of competence.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.307-320
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• 2020

This study explores how the positioning of two pre-service science teachers (PSTs) is reflected in their different epistemic understandings of inquiry-based lessons. We collected the PSTs' products during their design and enactment of an inquiry-based lesson and recorded their practices in the enacted lesson. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. The results indicate that one PST, Dohyung was positioned as a subject of evaluation throughout the course and the other, Jinwoo, was positioned as a preservice teacher and a subject of evaluation. Their positions were reflected in their epistemic understandings of inquiry-based lessons, which were developed when designing these lessons. During lesson design, both PSTs showed a shared understanding; they explained inquiry-based lessons as students setting and evaluating hypotheses under teachers' guidance. However, as they faced unexpected situations during lesson enactment, they developed different epistemic understandings. To receive a good grade, Dohyung showed a strong preference for anticipating situations that could occur in class and planning responses to them. He understood inquiry-based lessons as ones in which students conduct experiments to produce results expected by the teacher. On the other hand, Jinwoo emphasized the reasoning process based on students' prior knowledge and explained inquiry-based lessons as ones in which students construct new knowledge through a scientific reasoning process based on their knowledge. The findings of this study will contribute to developing strategies to support PSTs' development of their epistemic understandings of knowledge construction in inquiry-based lessons.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.80-90
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to investigate manual skills of experimental apparatuses of pre-service elementary school teachers by examining and analyzing the process of experiments conducted by pre-teachers. For this study, 24 pre-service elementary school teachers were selected as the subjects and 4 experimental apparatuses were chosen through analyzing science textbooks from 3rd grade to 6th grade in elementary school. The selected experimental apparatuses were alcohol burner, dropper, microscope, instruments for making a prepared specimen. In addition, a task was carefully chosen to conduct an investigation in real settings and a series of evaluation standards was developed. While 3 subjects conducted experiments in separated and independent space at the same time, 3 collaborators observed the experiment process and recorded whether the subject met the evaluation standards or not, using O, X. The study suggests that pre-service elementary school teachers' manual skills of experimental apparatuses were under far below our projections. Particularly, in case of alcohol burner, the subjects showed lower ability to properly light the burners - which is to brush through the lampwick with fire - and to adjust the height of tripods according to the flame. Also, when it comes to dropper, they were not held the way they were supposed to be. In addition, when designing prepared specimen, the subjects used their hands instead of tweezers and often skipped the process of dripping water drop and wiping water with an oilpaper. Moreover, they did not know how to use a microscope properly so there were many times that they could not focus a microscope, failing to observe the objects. Educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.194-204
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between types and sources of background knowledges of elementary preteachers' questions about astronomy contents in the elementary science text books. Data were extracted from the preteachers' classes established in a university of education. The results are as follows. First, right background knowledges of questions were found in about 58% questions, wrong background knowledges 15%, and no background knowledges 26%. Second, it was found that 'school' as a source of background knowledges was found in 29% questions, 'friend' 21%, 'internet' 14%, 'book reading' 12%, 'others' 9%, 'TV' 7%, 'institute' 4%. In case of the type that right background knowledges have casual relation or correlation with question contents, 'book reading' and 'TV' sources rate increased, but 'internet' and 'others' decreased when compared to total questions. In the type which background knowledges are right and did not have casual relation or correlation with question contents, 'internet' source rate increased and 'friend' decreased. In case of the type that wrong background knowledges do not have casual relation or correlation with question contents, 'friend' and 'TV' sources rate increased, but 'school' and 'book reading' decreased. The type which background knowledges are right and did not have casual relation or correlation with question contents, 'internet' source rate increased and 'friend' decreased. In case of the type of no background knowledges, 'TV' and 'institute' source rate increased, but 'internet' and 'book reading' decreased. Third, the questions in 'Earth and Moon' unit have little background knowledges. The questions in 'solar system and stars' have background knowledges with no relation to the questions. Especially, in the unit 'changes of seasons', right background knowledges were found in more than half questions, but the contents of questions and background knowledges were not connected scientifically.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.857-874
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• 2011

The purposes of this study were to develop teaching strategy enhancing creative problem solving skills and to examine the instructional influences on studints' creative thinking skills, critical thinking skills, creative personality and academic self-regulation. In this study, a model using inter-disciplinary analogies(PDCA model) was designed and applied to the existing 'Teaching model for the enhancement of the creative problem solving skills'. And it was implemented to preservice science teachers for the one semester. Results indicated that the experimental group presented statistically meaningful improvement in creative thinking skills, especially in the originality of identifying a problem, making hypothesis, and controlling variables (p<.05). In addition, the strategy contributed to improving critical thinking skills, especially in inquiry process of recognizing problems, making hypothesis, interpreting and transforming of data (p<.05). This strategy also helped students' academic self-regulation (p<.05). But there was no significant improvement in creative personality(p<.05).