• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.75-92
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• 1992

The purpose of this study was to point out the problems of the competency exam for college education, a new college entrance exam, and to suggest the improvement ideas for it For this purpose, the test items of science inquiry were taken from the first, the second and the third pilot studies of the competency exam for college education which National Institute of Educational Evaluation had done. These tests were administered to 1,223 students of the general high school(422 for the 1st 400 for the 2nd, and 401 for the 3rd test). Also, those students' and the high school science teacher's opinions about the tests and the new college entrance exam were surveyed. The evaluation objectives of those test items were analyzed and the test item analyses were done. The results were as follows; (1) The evaluation objective analysis showed that most of the test The purpose of this study was to point out the problems of the competency exam for college education, a new college entrance exam, and to suggest the improvement ideas for it For this purpose, the test items of science inquiry were taken from the first, the second and the third pilot studies of the competency exam for college education which National Institute of Educational Evaluation had done. These tests were administered to 1,223 students of the general high school(422 for the 1st, 400 for the 2nd, and 401 for the 3rd test). Also, those students' and the high school science teacher's opinions about the tests and the new college entrance exam were surveyed. The evaluation objectives of those test items were analyzed and the test item analyses were done. The results were as follows; (1) The evaluation objective analysis showed that most of the test items were constructed based on the evaluation framework which was composed of scientific inquiry thinking ability, science concept, and scientific inquiry context dimensions. But, those items were unevenly distributed into a few areas of the evaluation framework. (2) The boys had higher mean scores than the girls in all of the tests, but these differences were not statistically significant. The natural science course students had significantly higher mean than the humanities course students in all of the test:(1st, F=12.643, p=0.0004 ; 2nd, F=45.757, p=0.0001 ; 3rd, F=36.162, p=0.0001). A significant interaction of sex and course was found in only 1st test( F=11.352. p=0.0008). (3) Most students answered the test was difficult and they needed more time to finish it Also, they added they had to study in a different way from the traditional one in order to prepare the new college entrance exam. Science teachers answered that those evaluation objectives of the tests corresponded well with the educational objectives of high school science and that the tests were suitable as measuring instruments of the scientific thinking abilities. But they pointed out it would be very difficult for them to teach students for preparing the exam under the exsting educational conditions. To carry out successfully the competency exam for college education, the following improvements were suggested. (1) Good evaluation methodology should be developed. (2) In-service science teacher training models on evaluation should be put in force. (3) Effective teaching models and strategies should be developed.(4) The high school science curriculum should be revised.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.558-565
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• 2001

The purpose of present study is to examine the science attitude level of middle school, high school and university students, and to provide the suggestions for science education. Instrument to invent science attitude consists of four domains as 'Scientific Inquiry', 'Importance of Contribution to Science', 'Normality of Scientist', and 'Social Value of Science'. Inventory instrument have 20 items(Likert scale of 1 to 5). Subjects are 70 middle school, 72 high school, and 95 university students. There is no significant difference among students by school, but the attitude level toward science of female students is lower than that of male students. 'Importance of Contribution to Science' among four domains has the highest score of attitude toward science, whereas 'Normality of Scientist' has the lowest attitude score toward science. To bring up scientific abilities of students, we conclude that it needs the educational plan to increase science attitude of students, through improving and developing curricular system and science curriculum for the secondary school and university.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.307-317
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• 2006

Those students with ability and interest in science should be supported to develop their potential and to reach high levels of achievement in science and technology. In order to ensure that gifted pupils are able to enhance their creativity as well as research abilities, appropriate learning programs and environments are essential. One of the various teaching and learning models for the gifted in science is the discovery learning model based on inductive science activities. There is a clear line of continuity between knowledge discovery at the forefront of research and student's learning activities. If students receive excellent training in organizing scientific concepts for themselves, they will be able to skillfully apply appropriate scientific concepts and solve problems when facing unfamiliar situations. It is very important to offer an appropriate learning environment to maximize the learning effect whilst, at the same time, understanding individual student's characteristics. In this study, the authors took great pains to research effective learning environments for gifted science students. Firstly, appropriate classroom learning environments thought by the teacher to offer the most potential were investigated. 3 different classes in which a revised teaching and learning environment was applied in sequence were examined. Inquiries were conducted into students' activities and achievement through observation, interviews, and examination of students' worksheets. A Science Education expert and 5 elementary school teachers specializing in gifted education also observed the class to examine the specific character of gifted science students. A number of suggestions in discovery learning classes for elementary students gifted in science are possible; 1) Readiness is essential in attitudes related to the inquiry. 2) The interaction between students should be developed. A permissive atmosphere is needed in small group activities. 3) Students require training in listening to others. In a whole class discussion, a permissive atmosphere needs to be restricted somewhat in order to promote full and inclusive discussion. 4) Students should have a chance to practice induction and abduction methods in solving problems.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.556-564
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• 2004

Two biology modules were developed previously for the purpose of improving creativity and scientific thinking of secondary school students. A hypothetical-deductive experimental procedure was reflected in the module when students themselves can perform a series of activities of making hypothesis and designing an experiment to solve the questions. They followed a series of scientific processes to determine some characteristics regarding plant pigments and the transport process of materials in living organisms. Four classes of 9th graders in'S' Science High School were divided into the experimental and the control group. The same contents of the modules were taught to the control group by the traditional experimental way. The students' creativity, scientific thinking, scientific inquiry skill and knowledge achievement were examined before and after the interventions. As results, the experimental groups showed more significant improvement on the areas of the students' creativity, scientific thinking, scientific inquiry skill and achievement than the control groups. Results indicated that the specially designed modules in terms of hypothetical-deductive experimental procedure were effective to improve science high school students' creativity and scientific thinking abilities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2010

This study lays its purpose on examining the effects of lessons with the application of drawing tasks on changes in conception among gifted science students. The lesson with the application of drawing tasks means the lesson where students express key concepts regarding lesson subjects in drawings which are then applied to the lessons to develop conception among the learners. This study analyzed the effectiveness of lessons by comparing conception scores before and after experiments between an experiment group with the application of drawing tasks and a control group with normal lessons for the gifted in general for 8 months from March to October, 2008. In addition, the researcher examined how the effectiveness of the developed lessons show differently according to levels of meta-cognition, creative problem-solving abilities, and scientific inquiry skills among the gifted students. The results from this study are as the following. First, lessons with the application of drawing tasks were effective in changing conception among the gifted science students. It is possibly because in the process where one student compare his/her own drawings with the others' ones and discuss them, changes in conception occurred effectively among the learners. Second, it was revealed that lessons utilizing drawing tasks have equal effects on changes in conception among both student groups irrespective of their levels of meta-cognition. Accordingly the lesson for changing perceptions utilizing drawing tasks developed in this study is a program which can be applied to all gifted science students in order to change conception among them. Third, lessons utilizing drawing tasks have the greatest effects on the gifted science students at a 'middle' level of creative problem solving abilities. Fourth, lessons utilizing drawing tasks have the greatest effects on the gifted science students at a 'middle' level of scientific inquiry skills. Putting these results together, it is thought that if lessons utilizing drawing tasks are applied to gifted science students, not only their concepts would be changed effectively but also their attitudes toward science would be changed positively.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.260-267
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between high school students' observation ability quotient and changes in their stress hormones while observing fruits. This experimental study was performed with 29 first-year female high school students in a metropolitan city. In order to measure the observation ability quotient, an appropriate scientific observation program was developed. In observation program, the subjects carried out observations in an open and autonomous environment and recorded their observations. Their saliva samples were extracted before and after the task so as to analyze the amount of the secreted hormone. Also, their observation ability was measured using the quotient equation of observation ability. And then, in order to investigate the relationship between the observation ability and the cortisol hormone, a correlation analysis was performed. The main results are as follows: First, the amount of learner's hormone secreted during the experiment decreased in overall after the free observation. And the observation ability quotient turned out to be significantly correlated to the cortisol hormone.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.59-76
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• 2015

The study aimed to investigate elementary school gifted students' hypothesis-generating ability and characteristics of hypotheses and to analyze the correlation between hypothesis-generating ability and meta-cognition. Nineteen students enrolled in a science gifted education center affiliated with a university in 2013 were selected as research subjects. An instrument of open ended items about hypothesis generating was developed and administered to students, and their meta-cognition as well as their preferred science teaching method were examined. Hypotheses generated by students were classified into two categories: scientific and non-scientific hypotheses, and then a closer analysis was conducted on characteristics of non-scientific hypotheses. It was found that 47% (18 out of 38 hypotheses) was scientific ones showing that elementary school gifted students in science in this study presented low level of ability in generating hypothesis. It was also found that non-scientific hypotheses frequently showed characteristics of uncertain in causality or impossible to verify relationships. Furthermore, differences in hypothesis-generating ability and characteristics of hypotheses were appeared in conditions whether inquiry questions and variable identification process were given or not. Students showed high abilities in hypothesis generating and variable identifying when inquiry questions and variable identification process were given. Compared to previous research results, students in the study showed high level of meta-cognition and tendency of utilizing monitoring strategy more than planning and regulating. In ill-structured conditions that students themselves find inquiry questions and identify variables, a significant (p<.05) correlation appeared between hypothesis generating ability and meta-cognition and a high level of correlation between planning and regulating strategies. It was also found that differences existed in hypothesis-generating ability and preferred science teaching methods between students with high level and those with low level of meta-cognition; and students with low level of meta cognition showed difficulties in generating hypothesis and identifying variables.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.347-354
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• 2008

Many advanced technologies of computer and internet make the information communication technology education to be changed in elementary schools. The transition from the education of computer utilization to the education of computer science knowledge in ICT education area helps the child to enhance his or her logical thinking and the abilities of problem solving. In this study, we did some analysis of textbooks which have the updated information communication technology education, supporting these features. We collected six textbooks developed according to the guideline of information communication technology education since 2007. The main contents of this study are systematic analysis, quantity analysis and Romey's analysis about six textbooks. Specially, we found that 'Understanding of Information Society', 'Understanding of Information Processing' and 'Various Activity' among the ICT five area in textbooks support student's inquiry activities in elementary schools.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.347-361
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• 2006

This research intends to understand classroom culture of gifted youths in secondary mathematics. For this purpose, we have observed ethnographically the mathematics classes of gifted youths for eight months at two Science Education Centers for Gifted Youths. We have collected qualitative data using the methods, participation observation, interviewing, video taping, recording, collecting assistant materials. And these data were closely connected and analyzed synthetically. From this, we found the followings; First, gifted youths in mathematics evaluate the academic abilities as the best standard for their friendship. Second, the gifted youths in secondary mathematics are under an obsession that they should act like gifted youths. Third, even though they know the merits of class type of inquiry and discussions, they didn't participate actively in those types of class. Forth, main differences of classes between Gifted Education Centers and general middle school come from the difference of class type, the roles of teachers and students.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.87-98
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• 2010

In this research, we analyzed the effects of the independent research program on the educational experience of undergraduate students in a research-centered university setting. The independent research program was developed to provide undergraduate students with opportunities to engage in self(student)-initiated, self-regulated and self-responsible research projects. We hypothesized that outcomes of the program would be utilized as a baseline information in formulating the strategies for improvement of the undergraduate curriculum. Eighty three undergraduate students participated in the program during the period of 2003-2009. In order to evaluate results of the program, we carried out survey and in-depth interviews with the participants. According to the participant reports, the independent research program has helped them to develop self-managed research abilities and problem solving skills. They also indicate that the program has offered them the opportunities to survey the various major fields transcending different domains, so as to help them to contemplate on their future career choices. We suggest that such information may provide an essential guideline for developing an innovative undergraduate curriculum.