• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.28 no.8
• /
• pp.860-869
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study is to suggest an instructional direction for improving scientific inquiry problem-finding ability of the scientifically-gifted. For this purpose, this study has made an in-depth analysis of the scientific inquiry problems generated by the scientifically-gifted in Problem-Finding Activity in Ill-structured Inquiry Situation (PFAIIS) and Problem-Finding Activity in Well-structured Inquiry Situation (PFAWIS). The results of this study turned out to be as follows: First, most of the problems generated in PFAIIS and PFAWIS could be categorized into seven types (measurement, method, cause, possibility, what, comparison, relationship) according to the inquiry objectives, while the frequency of each type shown in each inquiry objective was a little different. Second, the frequency of scientific concepts stated in inquiry problem was more in PFAWIS than in PFAIIS. But the scientific concepts were shown more diversely in PFAIIS than in PFAWIS. Therefore, results of this study have the following educational implications. First, it is necessary to offer various opportunities of problem-finding activity under ill-structured scientific Inquiry situation. Second, it is needed to emphasize that a new inquiry problem can be found out even during general scientific experiment and frequently to discuss inquiry problems generated during an experiment. Third, it is needed to encourage the scientifically-gifted to generate a scientific inquiry problem based on at least more than seven types.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.191-207
• /
• 2023

In this study, we comprehensively investigated the cases of science teachers who implemented NOS assessments in Science Inquiry Experiment. Two science teachers working at high schools located in Seoul who taught and assessed NOS in Science Inquiry Experiment according to the 2015 revised curriculum participated in the study. We collected lesson and assessment materials and observed NOS lessons and assessments. We also conducted interviews. Based on the collected data, we analyzed the processes of the teachers' NOS assessments. The analyses of the results revealed that the teachers constructed the assessments by themselves due to a lack of NOS assessment experience and related materials. They had difficulties in selecting an appropriate assessment method and constructing assessment questions and criteria. Both teachers found it difficult to assess an understanding of NOS because it concerns the subjective views of individual students. Therefore, they had difficulties in setting detailed assessment criteria, which also led to difficulties in the overall assessment process. There was a difference in the reflective level of the assessments between the two teachers. In the reflective activities of low levels, the assessments were not properly enacted because it was difficult to infer students' understanding. Orientation toward teaching NOS influenced the perceptions of NOS assessment and overall lessons, resulting in a difference in NOS assessments. Finally, the absolute evaluation of Science Inquiry Experiment also affected teachers' NOS assessments. Based on the above results, implications for effective NOS assessments in schools are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.441-450
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of elementary gifted students' argumentation and examine the special features of argumentation founded in scientific inquiry. 28 students were selected in the special education center for the gifted in K National University. They were organized 8 groups of 3~4 students and engaged in scientific inquiry activity. The researcher wasn't involved in students' inquiry activity and argumentation except for the guiding and introducing their activity. In the first session, each group carried out the experiment 'Putting a heated can in the water' and then, the students discussed to probe their experimental results and build their explanation. In the second session, each group presented their experiment results and evidence from their experiment justifying their claims, and had questions from other groups. The protocol data during 8 groups' argumentations were analyzed using 'Rubric for Scientific Argumentation Assessment' (Yang et al., 2009) in three domains- the form, content and attitude. As a result, in form domain, almost groups were rated 2 points due to their argument without rebuttal on the subcategory of 'composition', but they got a good grade above 3 points in subcategory such as 'claim', 'ground', and 'conclusion'. In content domain, almost groups got points above 3 points. In attitude domain, there were some striking contrast between each groups. Six groups got good score more than 4 points on the subcategory of openness, but two groups, they alleged and got score below 3 point. While the 6 groups of all got 4 points in the aspect of participation, 3 groups got 3 points lower than because they only just asserted and not interact with other groups. Throughout the argumentation, two features were found that; as time goes by, arguments were refined; Students tended to use their prior to knowledge rather than evidence such as experimental data in making claims and conclusions.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.597-610
• /
• 2022

In this study, we investigated actual cases of assessment science teachers conducted and the cases they preferred in a typical situation based on the curriculum in the context of 'Scientific Inquiries in the History' of Scientific Inquiry Experiment. A questionnaire composed of descriptive questions was developed and a survey was conducted with 70 science teachers with experience in teaching 'Scientific Inquiries in History'. Interviews were conducted with eight of them. The assessment cases were analyzed in terms of the assessment areas and assessment methods, and the results were compared. The analyses of the results revealed that 'scientific inquiry ability' accounted for the highest ratio of the assessment areas in the actual cases of assessment. There were few cases that assessed the core concepts presented in the curriculum, 'the nature of science' and 'scientists' inquiry methods'. The assessment methods were greatly biased toward the report method and various assessment methods were not used. In preferred cases of assessment, the ratio of cases that assessed the core concept increased slightly, however the frequencies remained at a low. As for the assessment methods in preferred cases of assessment, the measurement methods decreased, the performance methods increased, and the informal methods which were not shown in the actual cases appeared. However various assessment methods were still not used. The causes of the survey results were analyzed based on the opinions of the teachers who participated in the interviews. Based on above results, plans to actively conduct NOS assessments in Scientific Inquiry Experiment are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.757-767
• /
• 2002

This study investigated the effects of scientific inquiry experiments emphasizing social interaction on the academic achievement, the ability for science inquiry and the learning motivation of the students. To examine the differences among the classes of scientific inquiry experiments according to the way of organizing small groups, the effects of the group in homogeneous cognitive level and the group in heterogeneous cognitive level were compared. 255 7th-graders were grouped into the treatment group and the control group. After the treatment group received the scientific inquiry experimental lessons emphasizing social interaction and the control group received traditional lessons for one year, academic achievement, ability for scientific inquiry, and learning motivation were examined. These inquiry experiments were composed of four steps which are eliciting, familiarizing, constructing and bridging. And students can interact with peers and teachers through the process of relating observed phenomena to concept, constructing experiment procedure, and eliciting results. The ANCOVA results revealed that there were significant effects of science inquiry experiments emphasizing social interaction on the academic achievement, the ability for scientific inquiry and the learning motivation of the students. The significant academic achievement of the students in most of the cognitive levels, if not all, was found and degree of improvement in the ability for scientific inquiry was lower than that in the academic achievement. Concerning the effects according to the way of organizing small groups, there were significant improvement in academic achievement and learning motivation of the group in homogeneous cognitive level compared to the group in heterogeneous cognitive level. These results indicate that social interaction in learning is important and it has positive influences on the improvement in academic achievement and ability for scientific inquiry of students.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.307-315
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of small inquiry method on space perception ability and creative personality. Testees of this research are 36 elementary pre-service teachers taking an astronomical observation class. Doing inquiry activity after 36 elementary pre-service teachers are classified into 6 Jigsaw small inquiry. Learning activity was split into two groups, expert group and a population. To find out research outcome, pre-test was executed space perception ability test, creative personality test. Analysis of test result was accomplished with statistical package SPSS 18.0 paired t testing hypothesis. The results of this study are as follows. First, 'source of season change' class using Jigsaw small inquiry method has effect on space perception ability improvement. This was interpreted that space perception ability improvement was effective because characteristic of Jigsaw small inquiry is made up of lots of semin Second, 'source of season change' class using Jigsaw small inquiry method has no effect on creative personality. This was interpreted that experiment and discussion activity getting accomplished in a short time has no effect on qualitative characterizing Creative Personality improvement.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.197-206
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study is to research pre-service chemistry teachers' inquiry ability and perception on inquiry by analyzing their argument structure. Nine graduating senior students have participated in this study. They have experimented with mass change during state change, which is included in 7th grade science textbook. We have analyzed pre-service teachers' experimental reports using Toulmin's argument model. Also, we have researched their views on science and experiments through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. As results show, various factors have affected pre-services' argument structures; lack of science knowledge and inquiry ability, belief about error, and additive data. This study shows that pre-service teachers' inquiry abilities is insufficient, and it is necessary to review rearrangement of pre-service science teacher curriculum in order to offer inquiry experiments in teacher education program.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.102-111
• /
• 2010

This study examined the instructional influences of MBL programs on elementary school students' science achievement, scientific inquiry skills, and science learning motivation. The perceptions of students and their teacher toward science classes using MBL programs were also examined. The subject of this study was sixty four 4th grade students from two classes. The experimental group engaged in science classes that applied MBL and the control group engaged in traditional science classes based on the textbook and experiment workbook. As results, there was no significant difference in academic achievement, scientific inquiry skills, however, were significantly higher for the experiment group compared to the control group. There was also significant difference in the relevance and confidence, the sub-categories of science learning motivation. In the analyses of students' perceptions toward science classes using MBL, students showed positive perceptions in aspects of interests of science classes, content comprehension, and convenience of experiments. The teacher also showed positive perceptions using MBL in elementary science classes. Educational implications of appling MBL in elementary science classes were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.617-629
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study was to explore the elementary school teachers' perceptions about making a model of volcanic activity. Thirty elementary teachers participated in the study after they in which they conducted the experiment of "Making a Model of Volcanic activity". A questionnaire was used to investigate how the teachers understood the strengths and weaknesses of the experiment in terms of the goals of school science inquiry. The results showed that 50-60% of the teachers were able to conduct the experiment as guided in the textbook regardless of their career or area of concentration. The teachers perceived that the experiment of current textbook was safe and useful for students to develop their creativity. However, they pointed out three major weaknesses of the textbook experiment: First, the textbook experiment does not clearly present the main purpose of the activity. Second, it does not appropriately reflect the natural volcanic activity. Third, it is a merely simple craft activity. In addition, the teachers agreed that the main goals of school science inquiry are the application of scientific knowledge, development of inquiry skills and cultivation of student's curiosity. However, the teachers perceived that the experiment of current textbook did not meet these three goals. They suggest that the experiment reflect the nature of real volcanic activities.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.133-148
• /
• 1995

This study has been performed in order to achieve three objectives. They are as follows: To analyze, based on the research literatures, the nature of scientific inquiry ability and the characteristics of its constitutive elements. To identify inquiry skills and techniques essential to such areas as physics, chemistry, biology. and earth science. To develop instructional models and materials for enhancing inquiry ability on the part of high school students. It was found in the study that the scientific inquiry was interpreted in terms of different meanings according to the viewpoint of the person who are interested in the nature of science. The scientific inquiry has been viewed as the process of knowledge formation, scientific method, inquiry process or process skills depending on the epistemological, methodological, educational perspectives, respectively. It was also identified that certain kind of skills or techniques would be used for inquiry in only one specific area of the science. This study drew a conclusion based on the findings that the skills and techniques will effectively be learned when those are taught with specific knowledge in each area of the science. Reported in this paper are the materials developed, for fostering scienctific inquiry skills on the part of the high school students. The materials were developed, using two themes of a theoretical-abstract chemistry topic and a conceptual-concrete biology topic. Those materals were designed for an experiment and an observation, respectively.