• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.472-479
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to develop an inquiry-based professional development program for in-service secondary science teachers and to investigate it's application. The inquiry-based professional development program was reconstructed based on SSCS problem-solving model, which is composed of 4 stages of search, solve, create, and share. The 28 science teachers' understanding of the SSCS program were investigated as implementing the program. As a result of this study, 8 SSCS modules have developed as the science teachers have searched, solved, created, and shared various situated problems. The science teachers found themselves to have positive perception of SSCS program. The SSCS program was effective in changing the learners' teaching/learning attitude and to develop individual scientific thinking. To make the SSCS problem solving successful and more effective, both science teachers' professionalism and pedagogical knowledge for selecting topic as the levels of learner should be considered.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1312-1328
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated preservice secondary science teachers' uses of curriculum materials in curriculum design through a case study. Two preservice science teachers at a college of education in Seoul participated in this study. We interviewed them about their beliefs on teaching and learning prior to their teaching students. We then observed their teaching and collected all of the teaching/learning materials. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted before and after the instructions. Their uses of curriculum materials were systematically analyzed in the aspects of reading, evaluating and adapting curriculum materials. The analyses of the results revealed that their uses of curriculum materials had a significant difference in curriculum design. There was a difference in the way of reading curriculum materials that derived from different perspectives of curriculum reconstruction. The perspectives of curriculum reconstruction also affected the way of adapting curriculum materials. While the 'adding' was an important adaptation in curriculum design with active perspectives, the 'changing' was an important one with passive perspectives. In addition, the degrees of evaluating curriculum materials from the learners' views depended on their beliefs on teaching and learning. It was also connected to qualitative differences of adaptation in 'increasing student control over an activity' and 'increasing teacher control over an activity'. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.143-154
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• 2017

Science inquiry has long been emphasized in Korean science education. Scientific modeling is one of key practices in science inquiry with a potential to provide students with opportunities to develop their own explanations and knowledge thereafter. The purpose of this study is to investigate teacher's understanding of models in science and science teaching. A professional development program on Models (PDM) was developed and refined through three times of implementation while teachers' conceptions of models and modeling were examined. A total of 29 elementary and secondary teachers participated in this study. A survey based on model use of scientists in the history of science was developed and used to collect data and audio recordings of discussions among teachers and artifacts produced by the teachers during PDM were also collected. Three ways of ontological and two ways of epistemological understanding of models and modeling were found in teachers' ideas. After PDM, a quarter of the teachers changed their ontological understanding whereas very few changed their epistemological understanding. In contrast, more than two thirds of the teachers deepened and extended their ideas about using models and modeling in teaching. There were no clear relationships between teachers' understanding of models and ways and ideas about using models in science teaching. However, teachers' perceptions of school conditions were found to mediate their intention to use models in science teaching. The findings indicate possible approaches to professional development program content design and further research.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.261-274
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the influences of teaching practices upon preservice elementary school teachers' self-images of science teaching. Twenty-six juniors were selected from the departments of science education in a national university of education. The Draw-A-Science-Teacher-Test Checklist (DASTT-C) was administered before and after teaching practices. Five juniors were also interviewed in depth, and some of their science classes during teaching practices were observed, in order to investigate the factors influencing the formations of their self-images of science teaching. Analyses of the results revealed that their self-images of science teaching changed from near 'studentcentered' to near 'teacher-centered'. Many juniors responded that the main factors affecting the formations of their images of science teaching before teaching practices were teaching-learning experiences in elementary and secondary schools, and/or universities. After teaching practices, however, many juniors responded teaching-learning experiences during teaching practices. The factors were classified into three types, which are the influences of the experiences in teaching elementary school students in science classes, the influences of other preservice elementary school teachers, and the influences of guidance teachers. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 2011

This study aimed to identify the difficulties that new science teachers in secondary schools experience. Subjects for this study were 190 science teachers attending qualifying training for 1st degree of teaching certificate. Using an open questionnaire, the difficulties these teachers encounter were collected, categorized, and compared between their first year and their succeeding years of teaching in terms of their school level, gender, majors and regions. Results showed that first year science teachers have had difficulties in areas including subject teaching, guidance, administrative affairs, human relationship and self-understanding. On their succeeding years, difficulties about subject teaching were reduced to half while other difficulties remained. New teachers in middle schools have experienced the most number of difficulties about guidance, while new teachers in general high schools have experienced the most number of difficulties about subject teaching. Based on these findings, some recommendations were proposed for new science teachers in secondary schools, school administrators, and training institutions.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.658-666
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• 2014

This study was designed to explore pre-service secondary science teachers' understanding and views of argument-based inquiry approach. Participants were 17 pre-service secondary science teachers enrolled in chemistry curricular materials and teaching methods course for majors in the college of education at a university in Seoul. Main data sources included each student responses to an open ended survey and individual interviews. Data analyses indicated that the pre-service teachers had very limited and biased understanding on scientific inquiry at the beginning of the semester. While the pre-service teachers understood that scientific inquiry should be an essential component of science teaching, a few pre-service teachers mentioned 'argumentation' or 'discussions' when they defined what scientific inquiry is. The majority of the pre-service teachers mentioned that science should be taught through scientific inquiry since science is inquiry itself. However, the pre-service teachers expressed several potential barriers and their concerns on implementing argumentation in scientific inquiry. While they concerned about students' lack of participation at the beginning of the semester, they concerned more about the teachers' ability of leading student argumentation at the end of the semester.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.971-987
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate the formation and development of science teachers' practical knowledge by life history. In the sociocultural perspective, a science teacher is a producer and consumer of knowledge. There were two secondary science teachers who participated in this study. Each of them had three to six years experience in teaching. They were familiar with the researchers because they had been to the same university or were colleagues with them in graduate school for several years. The two science teachers had formed their practical knowledge for their professional development based on their biographical backgrounds. Model of Life history and structure of personal practical knowledge were used as analytical tools. As a result, the science teachers' practical knowledge has shown a significant difference in the main concern and weight according to their life contexts. The science teachers' formation of their practical knowledge played a role as an important motive to improve their professionalism based on the teacher's life path. In addition to that, the science teachers' practical knowledge showed a tendency to be solidified with continuous reflection.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.53-62
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• 2004

For teachers to develop new beliefs regarding science teaching and learning, they must undergo a process similar to what they are trying to provide their students. Seventy-one Korean secondary school teachers including 20 earth science teachers have participated in such process. In the four-week long summer workshop hosted by University of Iowa, science teachers were exposed to several activities and lectures wherein they experienced student-centered lessons by playing the roles of both teachers and learners. This study examined the influence of such experience on the teachers’ beliefs about science teaching and learning. Changes in teachers’ beliefs were found in seven question items on the subjects of goals of science learning, the roles of science teachers and students, and classroom practices after workshop participation; it was found that teachers’ beliefs of science learning and teaching shifted from teacher-centered to student-centered. Although this shift does not denote a complete shift from one extreme to the other, it is meaningful to note that teachers’ beliefs after attending the workshop were interpreted to be either anti- or contrary to teacher-centered. One of the possible factors for making such positive changes may have been teamwork or the teachers’ cooperative learning experience.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.665-676
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• 2015

In this case study, we analyzed the processes of STEAM lessons conducted by preservice secondary science teachers. Three preservice science teachers at a college of education in Seoul participated in this study. After the workshop for STEAM education, they planned and practiced STEAM lessons. All of the teaching-learning materials were collected before lessons, and their lessons were observed and videotaped. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted before and after their lessons. The processes of STEAM lessons were analyzed while focusing on PCK and PDC. Their difficulties, needs, and views on STEAM education were also studied. It was found that they have taken much efforts to reflect the objectives and characteristics of STEAM education, and prepared teaching-learning materials by searching on the internet and arranging creative contents. Their great difficulty was to determine topics for STEAM lessons. While one preservice teacher satisfied with her lesson perceived STEAM education positively, the others perceived that it would be very difficult to practice STEAM lessons in school. For their STEAM lessons to be successful, the workshop needs to include some specific information on grades, proper topics for each grade, ways of making materials, and tips for effective STEAM lessons. In addition, it will be effective if the workshop is carried out after their study on constructivist learning theory and if they experience successful STEAM lessons.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.949-959
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• 2015

In this case study, we analyzed the STEAM lessons conducted by secondary science teachers in the perspective of the CHAT. Two science teachers at high schools in Seoul participated in this study. All of the teaching-learning materials were collected before lessons, and their lessons were observed and videotaped. We also observed the atmospheres in both school offices and classrooms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted before and after their lessons. All the data collected were categorized according to the elements of the activity system and analyzed by using the constant comparative method. The analyses of the results revealed that both teachers did not consider the student-centered self-directed activities in their STEAM lessons, but that they differed in the subject element such as teacher's professionalism on STEAM. Various elements of the activity system such as environmental characteristics of the school and policies about the STEAM influenced the performance of their STEAM lessons. Contradictions in the elements of the activity system brought about various changes. Successful experiences of the STEAM lessons by complex effects of the elements positively influenced their performances on their STEAM lessons. Based on these results, we have made some suggestions for the establishment of the STEAM in secondary schools.