• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.517-551
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• 2012

We are imitating animals. True imitation can be defined as a learning to do an act from seeing it done by others. We have been building culture by imitating others' skills and knowledge with high fidelity. In this regard, it is important to ask how the faculty of imitation has evolved and how imitation behaviors develop ontogenetically. It is also interesting to see whether nonhuman animals can imitate truly or not and how different imitation learning is among human and non-human animals. In this paper, first I review empirical data from imitation studies with human and nonhuman animals. Comparing different species, I highlight their different levels of copying fidelity and explain the reason why they are showing the difference. Then I review recent studies on neurobiological mechanisms underlying imitation. The initial neurobiological studies on imitation in humans suggested a core imitation circuitry composed of mirror neuron system [inferior parietal lobule(IPL) and inferior frontal gyrus(IFG)] and the posterior part of the superior temporal sulcus(pSTS). More recent studies on the neurobiology of imitation, however, has gone beyond the studies on the core mechanisms. Finally, I try to find out implications of psychology and biology of imitation for cultural evolution. I argue for a memetic approach to cultural evolution, along the lines with a recent study on measuring memes by mirror neurons system.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.344-355
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• 2014

The 2009 revised curriculum emphasizes science writing as a way to foster scientific thinking, creative thinking and communicative abilities. This research attempted to find out the aspects of science writing in science textbooks by analyzing seven versions of the 2009 revised science textbooks. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, it was found that the proportion of science writing pages is small and the amount of science writing differs a lot depending on the kind of textbook. Also, science writing is generally located in the wrap-up part of each unit, and the amount and the number of science writing vary substantially from unit to unit depending on the textbook. Second, it was found that 'scientific knowledge-explanation' statements have the largest proportion and 'STS-assertion' statements have the second largest proportion in terms of topics and styles of science writing in science textbooks. Some 'scientific knowledge-explanation' statements are not appropriate to foster scientific ability because they evaluate reading comprehension of the suggested passage as nonliterary writing, not the writing itself as a method to learn science. Third, it was found that there are many predicates that do not indicate a clear purpose of the science writing contained in science textbooks.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.40-50
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• 2001

To meet the objectives of environmental education, teachers especially have to perceive the importance of environmental education, comprehend various characteristics of teaching/learning methods, and be able to conduct classes by choosing proper teaching/leaming methods in accordance with a specific purpose and educational focus about environmental education. Therefore, it Bs necessary to investigate the current status of Korean environmental education and provide teachers with appropriate environmental teaching/leaming methods. To this end this study aims to examine Korean science teachers'perceptions'on environmental education and the kind of teaching/learning methods which can be utilized in environmental education. Teachers who completed the survey were 135 science teachers from middle and high schools in Seoul, and 126 social science teachers from Kyoungki province. The majors of the science teachers were in physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and earth science. Also, there was one teacher who majored in special education. For social science teachers two majors were common, geography and general sociology. After analysis of the data from the surveys the results are as follows. First, science and social science teachers in middle and high school recognized the necessity of environmental education in school education. Second, most teachers had applied environment related topics to their subject of study occasionally, but they mostly concurred that environment related contents should be included in their textbooks. Third, science teachers agreed that field trip, discussion, and the STS approach were the most proper methods for environmental education, and social science teachers agreed that field trips, inquiry, and discussion were the most appropriate methods for a teaching environment. They realized that they should decide good teaching-learning methods appropriate to the objectives and content needed for effective environmental education as they selected different teaching-learning methods according to detailed environmental objectives and contents in their textbooks.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.325-331
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to analyze learning objectives of biology contents in SATIS 14-16. Modified the 5th NAEP three dimentional science assessment framework was used to analyze learning objectives of SATIS 14-16. This study will be a basic data for the development of STS programs in KOREA. The following results were obtained. 1. In a content dimension, 'structures and functions of organism'(63.9%) was the most frequently found, followed by 'the nature and our Iives'(22.1%), 'a continuity of Iife'(9.4%) and 'our surrounding Iives'(4.7%). 2. In a cognitive dimension, an understanding of scientific knowledge(32.7%) was the most frequently found, followed by an improvement of inquiry ability(25.6%), attitude(24.7%), and scientific knowledge and its application(17.0%). 3. In a context dimension, a personal context(32.8%) was the most frequently found, followed by a social context(27.3%), a scientific context(20.0%) and a technological context(20.0%). 4. There were some differences in behavior when each content was compared. In 'surrounding lives' and 'a continuity of life', an understanding of scientific knowledge was the most frequently found. In 'structures and functions of organism' and 'the nature and our lives', proportions of four behavioral catagories were relatively even. 5. There were some differences in context when each content was compared. In 'surrounding lives', scientific context was the most frequently found, whereas in 'structures and functions of lives', individual context was found the most frequently. In 'a continuity of life', scientific and social context were found more frequently than others. In 'the nature and our lives', social context was the most frequent one.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.86-101
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• 2005

In this study, a brain-basrd model for science teaching and learning was developed based on the natural processes which human acquire knowledge about a natural object or on event, the major domains of science educational objectives of the national curriculum, and the human brain's organizational patterns and functions. In the model, each educational objective domain is related to the brain regions as follows: The affective domain is related to the limbic system, especially amygdala of human brain which is involved in emotions, the psychomotor domain is related to the occipital lobes of human brain which perform visual processing, temporal lobes which perform functions of language generating and understandng, and parietal lobes which receive and process sensory information and execute motor activities of body, and the cognitive domain is related to the frontal and prefrontal lobes which are involved in think-ing, planning, judging, and problem solving. The model is a kind of procedural model which proceed fiom affective domain to psychomotor domain, and to cognitive domain of science educational objective system, and emphasize the order of each step and authentic assessment at each step. The model has both properties of circularity and network of activities. At classrooms, the model can be used as various forms according to subjects and student characteristics. STS themes can be appropriately covered by the model.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.181-192
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• 2017

This study aims to examine the educational effects of the SSI program using Digital Storytelling (DST) approaches. Since DST provides students opportunities to express their own opinions in the form of stories and to share learning outcomes through the web, we developed and implemented SSI program by adopting the concept of DST in order to produce synergistic effects on student learning. Twenty-four 9th graders who enthusiastically engaged in the DST-based SSI program participated in this study. The students responded to focus group interviews after the instruction, and all interviews were transcribed for analysis. The results indicated that the students became aware of socio-ethical perspectives of each SSI topic while searching and collecting data by themselves. They also felt the necessity to consider multiple perspectives around the issues by having discussions with group members. Second, pre-producing DST allowed students to negotiate to settle on a group discussion, and to use emotional contents that can lead viewers to have sympathy. In addition, while producing DST, students considered various factors such as design, soundtrack, visual effects, and screen composition in order to express their opinions and convey their messages more effectively. In the stage of sharing DST outcomes and receiving feedback, they realized new perspectives that they did not perceive in the previous production process, and to move them into an action for resolving the problems caused by SSI. This study showed the potentials of DST-based SSI instruction as a good strategy to support students' SSI engagement.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.157-171
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• 2024

The purposes of this study were: (1) to revalidate the revised Systems Thinking Measuring Instrument (Re_STMI) reported by Lee et al. (2024) among Vietnamese high school students and (2) to investigate the differences in systems thinking abilities between Korean and Vietnamese high school students. To achieve this, data from 234 Vietnamese high school students who responded to translated Re_STMI consisting of 20 items and an Scale consisting of 20 items were used. Validity analysis was conducted through item response analysis (Item Reliability, Item Map, Infit and Outfit MNSQ, DIF between male and female) and exploratory factor analysis (principal axis factor analysis using Promax). Furthermore, structural equation modeling was employed with data from 475 Korean high school students to verify the latent mean analysis. The results were as follows: First, in the item response analysis of the 20 translated Re_STMI items in Vietnamese, the Item Reliability was .97, and the Infit MNSQ ranged from .67 to 1.38. The results from the Item Map and DIF analysis align with previous findings. In the exploratory factor analysis, all items were loaded onto intended sub-factors, with sub-factor reliabilities ranging from .662 to .833 and total reliability at .876. Confirmatory factor analysis for latent mean analysis between Korean and Vietnamese students yielded acceptable model fit indices (χ²/df: 2.830, CFI: .931, TLI: .918, SRMR: .043, RMSEA: .051). Lastly, the latent mean analysis between Korean and Vietnamese students revealed a small effect size in systems analysis, mental models, team learning, and shared vision factors, whereas a medium effect size was observed in personal mastery factors, with Vietnamese high school students showing significantly higher results in systems thinking. This study confirmed the reliability and validity of the Re_STMI items. Furthermore, international comparative studies on systems thinking using Re_STMI translated into Vietnamese, English, and other languages are warranted in the context of students' systems thinking analysis.