• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5539-5543
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• 2012

Objective: The smoking prevalence in Malaysia is high, especially among men and adolescents. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors towards cigarette smoking among school teachers in Malaysia. Methodology: This study was a school-based cross-sectional study conducted among 495 secondary school teachers. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of 29 questions categorized into two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and smoking behaviour. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program 13.0. ANOVA; t-tests were used in univariate analysis; multiple linear regression was applied for multivariate analysis. Results: The majority of the participants were female (81.6%), in the age group ranged between 30-39 years (44%), Malay (90.1%), married (89.7%), degree holders (85.1%), with monthly income ranged between 3000-3999 Ringgit Malaysia (33.5%), from urban areas (94.7%), their specialty is social studies (33.9%) and with no family history of cancer (83.6%). The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be 7.8%. Regarding reasons to start smoking among school teachers: the major reason was found to be relaxation (33.3%), followed by stress-relief (28.2%). Univariate analysis showed that sex, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (p<0.001, p=0.004, p=0.031, p=0.010; respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that gender and marital status were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (p<0.001, p=0.033; respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be relatively low. Sex, marital status, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.152-163
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• 2009

This study aims to describe, explain, and understand the process of coteaching instruction in which two pre-service science teachers plan, perform, and reflect the instruction in a university lecture. Pre-service science teachers exchanged their perspectives on teaching, selected the learning model and the science content to teach, and prepared the teaching material together. They performed the coteaching using the lecture room effectively and exchanging the role of leading the instruction. The professor and other pre-service science teachers participated to the coteaching instruction directly or indirectly with the role of students or lesson critics, and shared the evaluation and reflection on the instruction. We discussed the meaning and implication of the coteaching instruction on the secondary education field, the science teacher education, and the science education.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.87-116
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate science teachers and secondary students' perception of pseudoscience. Subjects were 491 secondary students and 65 science teachers who enrolled in secondary schools located in Korea. The instrument of this study was a questionnaire which consisted of 33 items on 7 domains: fortune and fate, parapsychology, spiritual beings, alternative medicine, UFO and mystery, creationism, and introduction of the pseudoscience concepts in science education. The results suggested that it is necessary to develop science education programs focused on the pseudoscience for secondary students and science teachers. Media such as television, movie, and books should provide a well-organised scientific programs.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.359-371
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• 1997

The purpose of this investigation was to examine and compare pre-service and in-service secondary tearchers' beliefs about STS, particulary beliefs about the nature of science and technology and their interaction within society. For this study, a belief was defined as something that people believe and accept as true. Instrument used in this investigation was empirically developed multiple-choice instrument entitled the Tearchers' Belief about Science - Technology - Society(TBA-STS) by Peter A. Rubba and William L. Harkness. The result of survey showed that large percentages of the preservice and in-service secondary science teachers in the two samples held misconception about the nature of science and technology and their interactions within society. And there was no apparent difference between the samples on their beliefs about STS interactions.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.484-499
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• 2015

This study explores the impact of a STEM integration teacher professional development program focusing on teachers' perception of engineering and their attitudes toward integrating engineering into teaching. A total of sixty-eight teachers from ten schools participated in the program for five days. Data are collected from three main sources including (1) pre and post concept maps probing teachers' perceptions about the engineering discipline, (2) a pre and post survey measuring teachers' self-efficacy of teaching science/mathematics within the engineering context, and (3) engineering integrated science and (or) mathematics lesson plans and teaching reflections. This study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research methods depending on the data we have collected. The results show that both science and math teachers thought that integrating engineering into teaching provided valuable outcomes, i.e., promoting students' learning about engineering and improving their interest in science or math through real-world problem solving exercises. Participants also felt more comfortable about integrating engineering in their teaching after the program. The results also imply that the teachers' understandings of engineering become more concrete after the program. This study also provides an overview of the challenges and advantages of teaching engineering in K-12 science and mathematics classrooms.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.364-378
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• 2021

This study explores the perception of Engineering Design of teachers who have long experience in the Integrated STEAM education. The teachers participating in this study were 12 elementary and secondary teachers with more than five years of experience in the Integrated STEAM Education. The study conducted semi-structured interviews. Interview questions focused on experiences of Integrated STEAM Education and recognition of Engineering Design, whether or not to reflect the curriculum of Engineering Design, and actual cases of Integrated STEAM Education with Engineering Design. As a result of this study, the teachers who participated in this study recognized that 'identification and coexistence of concepts for science, technology, and engineering' about Engineering Design, 'Creative design is possible when creativity is added to Engineering Design', 'Engineering Design is to analyze the economic feasibility and utility of the output created through the creative design process', 'Engineering Design is only for students who choose a career in science and engineering'. Based on this research, We need to establish and present correct concepts for science, technology, and engineering, and make an effort to include Engineering Design for solving scientific problems in the curriculum. In addition, we will have to develop and spread the Integrated STEAM Education program including Engineering Design and apply it in the field. Through this, we will have to find concrete action plans to improve the perception of science and engineering Integrated STEAM programs and Engineering Design among novice teachers and preservice teachers.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.717-728
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• 2019

The cultivation of creative convergence talent has become more important than ever, the Korean curriculum has also undergone many changes, aiming for convergence and integrated education. In addition to these changes in science and curriculum, we examined the changes in perception and Professionalism(PCK) of integrated science education of science teachers over the past decade. For this study, 359 elementary and secondary science teachers in 2008, when the 2007 revised curriculum was applied, and 360 elementary and secondary science teachers in 2018, when the 2015 revised curriculum was applied, were examined for 10 years of changes in perceptions and PCK of integrated science education. The conclusions from the analysis were as follows. First, in 2018, elementary and secondary science teachers were found to have a statistically significant increase in awareness of integrated science education. Nevertheless, cognition was found to be 'normal'. Second, teachers' perception of the necessity of improving the professionalism of teachers, providing teaching and learning materials, reducing the contents of learning, reducing the number of students and securing flexible timetables, and raising the perception of integrated science education for students and parents as a condition for the success of integrated science education, was analyzed to be significantly higher in 2018. Third, the results of PCK survey through self-diagnosis, teachers' PCK on integrated science education, such as competence to secure curriculum contents knowledge, comprehension of curriculum and class composition related to integrated science education, teaching strategy for integrated, creation of teaching and learning environment for integrated teaching, efforts to improve administrative constraints and the professionalism of integrated science education, was significantly higher than it was ten years ago. Therefore, the recent emphasis on convergence education has increased the experience of applying convergence classes in the field of education, and it was seen as a result of the continuous efforts of science teachers to meet the changes in the education paradigm.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.269-281
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• 2008

In Korea, the criteria for the requirements of a secondary school science teacher's certificate are based entirely on the subjects and/or areas as prescribed in laws for the teacher's licensure examination. However, the criteria do not account for the specific competencies or qualities that a good science teacher should possess. The objective of the research was to explore and suggest the three lists of the image of an ideal science teacher, science teacher's role and science teacher's competency that might be used to establish the criteria for science teachers' certificate and the curricular content for science teacher education in Korea. In order to achieve this objective, the study used such research methods as literature analysis, status survey in combination with on-line workshop, in-depth interview, and professional consultation. The participants in the research comprised of a group of 258 students (186 middle school students and 72 high school students) and 13 in-service science teachers (8 middle school science teachers, 5 high school science teachers) for questionnaire survey and on-line workshop, and 4 science teachers for in-depth interview. The list of the image of ideal science teacher, science teacher's role, science teacher's competency contains 44, 32, and 75 statements, respectively. Based on the results of the research, this paper suggested that the criteria for the Korean secondary school science teacher's certificate requirements be selected and organized in consideration of the teachers' competencies rather than the courses and/or subject areas. It is also implied in the paper that further research over a period of time is necessary for using the competencies for curricular contents and/or science teacher's certificate standards.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.90-96
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• 2019

The contributions of nuclear science and technology in enhancing prosperity and quality of life all over the world and its potential to achieve many important Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are well recognized. It also is now recognized that with fewer students getting attracted to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in general and nuclear science and technology (NST) in particular; hence, there is a vital need to reach out to young students to provide the crucial human resources needed for these endeavours to continue in this highly specialized area. The success of a recently completed IAEA project related to introducing NST during 2012-2016 in secondary schools in the Asia-Pacific region countries encouraged the formulation of a new IAEA TC project RAS0079 entitled "Educating Secondary Students and Science Teachers on Nuclear Science and Technology" for 2018-2021, focusing on enhancing existing educational approaches through training and development opportunities both for teachers and students. The project aims at reaching a million students during the project duration while keeping the depth of learning between teacher and student. The strategy of executing the project, implementation status and its impact so far is presented in this paper.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.854-869
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• 2007

In this study, we investigated secondary science teachers' internalization of constructivistic science teaching who participated in a collaborative program between teachers and researchers designed by researchers according to constructivist views. The program consisted of lecture, workshop, and small group activities. New trends in science education and framework for science teaching were introduced during lectures, and understanding about the framework were deepened by analyzing school science classes recorded during workshops. In small group activities, participating teachers and researchers cooperated to design science lesson plans using science teaching frameworks. Five secondary science teachers participated in collaborative workshops. Collaborative programs were video-taped. Semi-structured interviews were conducted before and after workshops. All data recorded were transcribed and analyzed. In the process of internalization, participating teachers attended on different parts. Various and discernable factors such as there own background, beliefs, values, and school context produced tensions with or facilitated internalization of constructivistic science teaching. Teaching experiences and student understanding affected teachers' lesson planning activities. Teachers also showed different understandings on inquiry, application, and model from the framework, and they interpret those concepts in the framework based on their prior understanding. They perceived that too much content should be dealt within relatively limited time. Therefore, they tended to separate science class into two parts when developing science lessons: explaining science content by lecture and science laboratory as a constructivistic activity. The results of the study provide meaningful implications to the constructivist teacher education and professional development.