• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.138-146
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• 2013

This study examined the characteristics of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) in Science according to gender. It investigated gender achievement differences in the science section of the 2010 NAEA, the ratio of gender difference in achievement, the ratio of correct answers within each content domain and behavioral domain, and the items which showed high differences between males and females. The results indicate first, that, for 9th graders, females outperformed males in academic achievement in science. Second, with respect to the ratio of correct answers, males outperformed females in the advanced and below basic level groups, but females outperformed males in intermediate level groups. Third, females outperformed males in knowledge and inquiry in the behavior domains, and in chemistry and biology in the content domains. Fourth, an analysis of the items showing the largest gender gap indicated that males outperformed females in interpreting data, while females outperformed males in the items concerned with daily life and items related to the memorization of rules. This research on gender differences in science will allow teachers to complement the weaknesses of students when they study science, and support improved instructional methods in science.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.106-119
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• 2018

The purposes of this study were to develop a learner activity-centered science class program, apply it to the fourth-grade elementary students, and analyze its effects on their attitude towards science, academic achievement, and concept sustainability. To this end, the content of the fourth-grade elementary subject related to 'volcanoes and earthquakes' was reorganized through 12 periods, and the class was divided into two groups. Then, general science class was applied to the comparative group, and the learner activity-centered science class program including writing, making, and expressing was applied to the experimental group. In order to compare the two groups regarding attitude towards science, academic achievement, and concept sustainability before and after the application, mind map data was collected and analyzed based on mind map grading criteria. As a result of the post-test, the two groups showed statistically significant differences in all the sub-factors of attitude towards science, that is, recognition, ability, value, and interest sustainability, especially in interest sustainability. As for academic achievement, as a result of the post-achievement test, the experimental group had higher average scores than the comparative group, and it also showed improved scores compared to the pre-achievement test results. In addition, as a result of the post-achievement test, both the two groups showed statistically significant results. In the concept sustainability test after the post-achievement test, the experimental group had higher average scores than the comparative group in the areas of center circle, branches, and expression, which were the evaluation criteria for the mind map analysis, and the two groups showed statistically significant differences in the areas of center circle and expression, except for branches. In conclusion, learner activity-centered science class turned out to be effective on students' attitude towards science, academic achievement, and concept sustainability. If the learner activity-centered science class program is actively introduced and used in actual educational sites, it is expected to contribute to improving related classes.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.168-178
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the errors that students committed in the processes of constructing graphs on experimental results by the students' science achievement level. A test of constructing a graph about 'the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas' was administered to 7th graders (N=145). Results revealed that most students committed errors in the processes of constructing the graph, showing 12 error types in the categories of 'Misinterpreting the variables', 'Mismarking the graphical elements', and 'Misusing the data'. The students in the lower achievement level had more errors than those in the higher achievement level in the two error types, that is 'representing the bar graph' and 'marking the scale in the presented data order', but the results were reversed in the three error types, that is 'marking the independent variable and dependent variable reversely', 'adding the data', and 'neglecting the data'. In the other error types, there were little differences in the frequencies of the errors by students' science achievement level.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Design Studies Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.78-79
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• 1998

• Educational Technology International
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.93-122
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• 2018

It is crucial to understand the characteristics of learner questioning due to the effects it has on learning. This study focuses on the effects of middle school students questioning on their academic achievement in an online inquiry learning environment. A survey of 827 middle school students was conducted; the students took part in an online math and science program offered by a center for the gifted. Throughout the survey, learner questioning was analyzed, and its correlation with academic achievement was investigated. An analysis was based on questioning categories of a low- and high-level questions from previous studies. Through the survey, it was found that the number of learner questions asked in the online environment was small, but the number of low- and high-level questions were almost equal. Secondly, the higher the academic achievement level of the student, the higher the possibility they would ask either low- or high-level questions. Lastly the group of students in both low- and high-levels of questioning earned the highest average scores on formative evaluations and inquiry tasks. This indicates that regardless of the level of questions, the act of questioning itself is highly related to the academic achievement. However, in the case of advanced learning projects, the quality of questioning and high-level questioning affected the academic achievement of students. Based on these results, implications for the encouragement of learner questioning and support for asking high-level question are suggested.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.119-138
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• 2015

This study analyzed the academic achievements on above-level testing of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and English in newly entering students of science specialized high schools. It can be expected that newly students of science high specialized schools have reached ceiling level in the middle school mathematics and science academic scores. Above-level testing(or off-level testing) is a test tool used to evaluate student's ability which are above-grade level. In this study, above-level testing tools were used to develop the same type examination paper of the 2013 Korean College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and English. The conclusions of this study were as follow: First, the academic achievement level of science specialized high school freshmen were higher the average level of general high school senior because that over 50% of them are within the 5 grade of CSAT in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In English, 19.3% science specialized high school freshmen have reached within the 5 grade of CSAT. Second, as a result of examining characteristics of academic achievement with respect to units of subjects, in mathematics, it was showed that the academic achievement of 'continuity and limit of a function' unit was higher, 'statistics' unit was lower. In physics, the academic achievement of 'Electricity and Magnetism' unit was higher, 'Waves and particles' unit was lower. In chemistry, the academic achievement of 'compounds in life' unit was higher, 'Air' unit was lower. In English, the academic achievement of 'practical sentence' of reading area was higher, 'Sentence' of writing area was lower. In conclusion, above-level testing provided a good strategy for identifying and determining appropriate programming interventions for gifted students who are two or more grade levels above their age-mates in achievements, aptitude, or ability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.147-161
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• 2020

In order to help elementary students understand the astronomical unit in depth, this study applied backward design 2.0 to check the effect on students' science academic achievement, performance evaluation, and science class satisfaction. As a result of the study, there was no statistically significant difference in the science achievement test, but the average score of the experimental group has improved. As a result of the performance evaluation test, there was a statistically significant difference because the feedback was well provided through the process-focused assessment and it helped in-depth understanding. As a result of the science class satisfaction test, there was a statistically significant difference in the areas of science curriculum and peer relation except for the science teacher area. This is because a differentiated science curriculum was designed through analysis of achievement standards, and various teaching methods of student-centered were implemented to reach achievement standards. We hope this study will focus on the impact of backward design 2.0 on learners in elementary science classes and help find ways to effectively apply backward design 2.0 in the field.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.137-149
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of middle school students' stress in relation to certain variables, those of grade, gender, academic achievement, coping behavior and self-concept. The subjects were 574 students selected from 4 middle schools in the Incheon area. The instruments included a stress index, coping behavior questionnaire and self-concept inventory. The statistics used from this data were t-test, one-way ANOVA (Scheff test), correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. This study showed that middle school students' stress was influenced significantly by the grade, gender and achievement in school. Also, coping behavior and self-concept were influenced significantly by the grade, gender, and achievement in school. Correlation analysis indicated that student's stress and certain coping behavior were postively correlated, especially avoidance coping behavior indicated a higher correlation to students' stress than active coping behavior. The relationship between stress and self-concept indicated a negative high correlation. It was also found that avoidance coping behavior, family self-concept, general self-concept, school and class self-concept, grade and academic achievement were significant predictors of middle school students' stress.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.510-523
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• 2014

Modern society is rapidly changing in the fields of science and technology, with new information and knowledge constantly being discovered. So enhancing the creativity and positive attitude of students is important. STEAM education enables students to develop their creativity, personality, intelligence and sensitivity with a well-balanced curriculum. In this study, considering the student's interest, a theme-centered STEAM program was developed in the 'Strata and Fossils' unit of elementary 4th grade science. The purposes were to find the impact on the academic achievement, creative problem solving abilities, and scientific attitude of elementary school students. The STEAM program are composed of contents which can be applied effectively indoors. As application results for STEAM program to J elementary school's students in J province, the experimental group increased significantly in the academic achievement, creative problem solving abilities and scientific attitude compared to the control group. Therefore, it is necessary to be developed continuous and systematic STEAM programs in units of various subjects to improve the students' academic achievement, creative problem solving abilities and scientific attitude.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.407-416
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• 2011

The study examined and compared relationships among self-esteem, self-efficacy, and academic achievement of children in poverty and the comparative groups. The subjects of this study were 97 elementary school students who had benefited from the free meal project and 97 students as the comparative group who did not receive the benefit. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ tests, and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The results showed that academic scores of the comparative group were statistically higher than those of children in the poverty group in Korean language, mathematics, science, and sociology. Also, self-esteem of children in the poverty group was lower than that of the comparative group's in terms of leadership and popularity. The poverty group also showed lower self-efficacy in self-regulated efficacy tasks. Finally, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that different sub-factors of self-esteem and self-efficacy predicted the academic achievement of children in poverty group and the comparative groups.