• The Mathematical Education
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.299-317
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• 2019

In this study, we analyzed the change of teacher knowledge through task design in the teacher-researcher community focused on knowledge of students in the area of derivatives application. The following subjects were studied. First, we have analyzed the focus of the discussion related to teacher knowledge of students within the teacher-researcher community. Second, we have analyzed the change of teacher knowledge of students according to the focus. The results of this study are as follows. First, community member' different knowledge of students led the discussion on the task solving paths. The main focus of the discussion was the possibility in inducing responses and motivation. Second, the process of reviewing and evaluating task solving paths and reaching consensus led the improvement of teacher knowledge. Teachers and researchers led changes of teacher knowledge by sharing the knowledge based on previous research and experience, respectively. This ultimately shows the necessity of co-learning between teachers and researchers in teacher education.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.378-387
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• 2018

In this research, the change of Korean middle-school science education environments is investigated through analyzing eighth graders' survey data collected over the past 20 years of TIMSS. We extracted educational context variables that provide meaningful information on changes of Korean science education, and have been surveyed more than 3 study cycles up to TIMSS 2015. The selected educational context variables include school resources and school climate from the school principal's questionnaires, and teacher characteristics and instructional activities from the teacher's questionnaires. For each context variable, we analyzed its trend over TIMSS cycles, and discussed its implications in light of Korean educational policy and curriculum changes. Based on the results, we recommended several ways that help to improve science teaching and learning in light of lab assistants, computer availability, teacher learning community, and middle school Earth science curriculum.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.210-224
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate science teachers' orientation toward scientific inquiry-based teaching. In this study, five middle school science teachers formed and participated in a teacher learning community for scientific inquiry-based instruction during one year. Data collection consisted of pre and post questionnaire and interviews, audio-recordings of teachers' collaborative lesson planning and reflection on teaching practice, and field notes of participant teachers' teaching practice and follow-up interviews. Data analysis indicated that there were four orientations toward scientific inquiry-based teaching. They were knowledge and beliefs about 'goals of scientific inquiry-based teaching', 'scientific inquiry-based teaching and learning', 'argumentation-based teaching and learning', and 'nature of science and science inquiry'. Teachers' collaboration in a teacher learning community would be effective in facilitating teachers' orientation to scientific inquiry-based teaching.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.102-115
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• 2019

This study investigated how elementary school teachers reconstruct science curriculum and how they perceive about their experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with four elementary school teachers who had experience in restructuring science curriculum. Two distinct types of reconstruction were found; restructuring within the subject and integrating between subjects. The teachers who were restructuring science curriculum from personal needs usually substitute, delete, add some contents or activities and change the order of unit within science subject. In contrast, the teachers who were participating in research school usually integrated science with other subjects, developing a new unit or project. The latter recognized the need of teachers' reconstruction of science curriculum more strongly and the importance of teacher's voluntary learning community in implementing the reconstruction. Though they had some difficulties in identifying students' interests and level of understanding and lack of time, all teachers valued curriculum reconstruction by relating it to teacher professional development, identity as a teacher, and job consciousness.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.363-384
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• 2009

School library programs are a specific strategy connecting user to resources. Accordingly in order to strengthen school libraries, it is necessary for teacher librarians to develop partnerships that can form relationships between internal and external resources. As a result of analyses of partnerships appeared in current middle school library programs, its most programs are based on the internal reading events. In addition to, classroom teachers and external human resources rarely participate in the program. To improve these problems, it is essential to develop teacher librarians' leadership and collaborative networks fostering educational presence of school libraries in a learning community.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.209-233
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• 2021

This study aims to obtain implications for educational information services for elementary school teachers by analyzing their information seeking behavior. The in-depth interview was carried out in-depth interviews with 11 elementary school teachers and it analyzed of the core roles and tasks of elementary school teachers, the required information and usage behavior of information sources. The study result showed that elementary school teachers perceived homeroom duties, teaching/learning activities, school duties, and other as their works and tasks, and the response to the importance of task performance was homeroom teacher, teaching-learning activities, school works, and other tasks. Also, elementary school teachers needed information in order of teaching-learning activities, homeroom teacher, school works and they used various information sources including web, interpersonal sources and book. Moreover, this study observed some factors that elementary school teacher mainly used web information source which other elementary school teacher developed and that they got teaching-learning materials from fellow teachers. Based on these findings, the author proposed teacher librarian share library based instruction materia in web resource, provide cooperative educational information service through learning community, and provide homeroom work material for elementary school teachers.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.437-451
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• 2013

This study was conducted as a part of the project to establish professional development system(PDS) for teachers in Korea. This study aimed to provide a case of running a professional learning community(PLC) of teachers in science education based on the collaboration of a national university of education and its affiliated elementary school, in search of learning by participants and implications for professional development of teachers as well as for science teaching in elementary schools. Teachers and researchers who participated in the PLC were able to accumulate meaningful experiences through 11 rounds of meetings. It was not easy to secure enough time for meetings, but they were able to boost their self-confidence for science teaching and enhance the quality of lessons through these gatherings. Participating teachers had a chance to share instructional design, planning, strategies and practices, which include cases of guiding free-choice research activities among students, thereby to be motivated for improved science teaching for the future. The researcher participating in this PLC was also able to understand the identity of an elementary school, especially the affiliated school, and identify the reality and difficulties related to science teaching in schools. Experiences of participating in PLC are expected to help improve the quality of science teaching in affiliated elementary school and pre-service teacher education of the university.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.12-24
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate how middle school teachers perceived major features of the 'Free Learning Semester'. In 2013, the Free Learning Semester has been proposed by Korean government to provide students with the educational programs which deals with various activities in classroom in order to increase student's learning ability. The Free Learning Semester helps students to figure out their dreams and develops their talents. The government plans to expand the Free Learning Semester to all middle schools by 2016. Since teacher's perception is an important matter in the application of the Free Learning Semester, this study seeks to document the changes in curriculum by observing the perception of teachers in the school that implemented the Free Learning Semesters and those that did not implemented the Free Learning Semesters. 172 teachers from nine middle schools in Busan that their school schedules allowed were surveyed. Two school which operated the Free Learning Semester were compared to seven schools which did not operate the Free Learning Semester. The results are summarized as follows: First, almost all (97.7%) teachers in the Free Learning Semester schools have completed a training whereas 74.6% of the teachers in the non-Free Learning Semester schools have not. The usefulness of the training was satisfactory, but the teachers in the Free Learning Semester Schools wanted more practical help with the curriculum. Second, the result, which was statistically significant(p<.05), revealed that the first grade second semester of middle school was the best time to implement the Free Learning Semester. In order for its successful establishment in schools, there needs to be a reliable and effective evaluation system. However, the results regarding the introduction and management of the new system were not statistically significant. Lastly, in the Free Learning Semester Schools, the changes in teachers' perception were statistically significant (p<.05). The results show that the teachers need the training and the teacher's community to implement the curriculum and set a basis for valuation.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.221-232
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• 2019

Despite the continuing emphasis on the importance of scientific inquiry, research studies have commented that authentic scientific inquiry is not implemented in school science classroom due to a lack of understanding of scientific inquiry by the teacher. The purpose of this study is to investigate understanding of scientific inquiry developed by beginning teachers through open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. They voluntarily set up the goal of inquiry-based classes, planned inquiry-based classes, shared and reflected their teaching experience in professional learning community for more than a year. It appeared that participant teachers understood scientific inquiry as 'what scientists do', 'process how students do science' and 'science teaching methods.' All teacher participants described scientific inquiry as 'what scientists do', and understood 'the process of doing scientific investigation to solve problems related to natural phenomenon' and 'the process of constructing scientific knowledge using scientific practice.' Two participant teachers seemed to understand scientific inquiry as a 'teaching method' based on the understanding of the process how scientists or students do science. Participant teachers had a limited understanding of scientific inquiry that it is the same as laboratory works or hands-on activities prior to engaging the professional learning community, but they developed an understanding of scientific inquiry that there are various ways to conduct scientific inquiry after engaging in professional learning community.

• School Mathematics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.105-126
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• 2016

Math classes has been regarded as an independent area of a teacher and his/her students of a particular class. In Recent discussions about the professional development of teachers, for the improvement of practices, the point of view of that the community of teachers must work together is spreading. What are the considerations in organization and operation of learning communities for professional development of teachers? In this study, we analyzed the case of the learning community of math teachers in a Science Academy for the purpose of improving math classes to promote the participation of learners. Research results show that teachers share the principles and goals of mathematics teaching through the learning community. Also, through participation in learning communities, the members were practicing the lessons improved by reflection on the lessons of his/her and their colleagues. These results provide implication that it is important to provide opportunities for objectifying his/her classes through the learning community for a substantial improvement in math classes.