• Journal of Science Education
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.291-305
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to survey the perceptions of the elementary school teachers on the smallscale chemistry(SSC) following its training session. The teachers participating in the survey were 266 teachers in the Gyeongnam province. They were given a questionnaire that focused on the nine areas of the SSC: Needs for the teacher training and its application, its benefits, issues of safety and danger as well as treatment of environmental pollution, its economic efficiency and the development of investigative skills. The designed questionnaire was checked by an authority, and the responses to each question were tallied and analyzed. The results are as follows. The biggest problems of the traditional experimental methods as rated by the teachers were, in the order of importance, the preparation time, the legal liability of teachers for the safety and accidents, financial issues, disposal of the experimental wastes and the lack of relevant data. Since most of the teachers had not experienced the SSC lab programs in the field, they responded positively to the questions of need for its introduction and training. The implementation of the experimental SSC lab programs should proceed in the following order: introduction into the textbook, teacher training program, after-school education and the invitation of instructors. The most useful materials for the SSC program were CDs, videos, books and various printed materials, in that order. The responses regarding benefits of the SSC program included its simplicity, convenience, time savings, diversity, qualitative and quantitative aspects, integration into the regular class and use of toys. In particular, the teachers mentioned the increased safety due to the small amount of experimental reagents needed and the durability of plastic instruments. The familarity from the use of everyday tools as well as easy access to and the low-cost of the instruments were other important benefits. The teachers in general rated the educational content of the program highly, but many also found it to be average. Some pointed out the lack of sufficient discussion due to the individual or pair groupings as a potential shortcoming. The potential for development of problem solving ability and improvement of skills was rated positively. The number of teacher who rated the development of creativity positively was just over the half. As for the area of improving investigative skills, many found its assessment difficult and confusing because of the lack of its systemic definition and categorization. Based on the findings of this study, I would like to recommend the application and a wider dissemination of the small-scale chemistry lab program into the elementary school science curriculum.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.303-314
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiment for measuring chemical reaction rate by precipitate formation and to develop experiments applying small-scale chemistry. For this study, the experimental method for measuring the effect of concentration and temperature on chemical reaction rates presented in the 10 high school science textbooks were classified by their experimental methods of confirming production. Subsequently, problems observed in carrying out the experiments for measuring chemical reaction rates by precipitate formation frequently presented in the 10 high school science textbooks were analyzed. Experiments applying small-scale chemistry were developed measuring chemical reaction rate by precipitate formation. According to the result of this study, there were some problems in the experimental method of precipitate formation for measuring chemical reaction rates presented in the high school science textbooks. Those problems in the science textbook experiments were insufficient specification of mixing methods of reaction solutions, obscurity of knowing when the character letter X disappeared, time delay in collecting the experimental data, formation of hazardous sulfur dioxide, uneasiness of fixing water bath container, controlling the reaction temperature, and low reproducibility. Those problems were solved by developing experiments applying smallscale chemistry. Presenting the procedure of mixing reaction solutions on the A4 reaction paper sheet made the experimental procedure clearly, using well plates and stem pipette shortened the reaction time and made it possible to continuously collect the experimental data. Furthermore, the quantity of hazardous sulfur dioxide was reduced 1/7 times and the time when the character letter X disappeared could be observed clearly. Since experiments for measuring the effect of concentration and temperature on chemical reaction rates could be performed in 30 minutes, the developing experiments applying SSC would help students understand the scientific concepts on the effect of concentration and temperature on chemical reaction rates with enough time for experimental data analysis and discussion.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.302-316
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to devise a Small-Scale Chemistry (SSC) lab program for primary school learners and to examine its effects on science learning achievement. In addition, it will be examined whether the type of learning groups affects the achievement or not. The participants in the current study were 173 6th graders from 6 classes of Y elementary school in Changwon city, Gyeongnam. Three classes(86) were assigned to the experimental group and the other three, the comparative group after checking the pre-homogeneity between the two groups through t-test on the scores of the science mid-term exam. We conducted five experimental sessions on the Acid and Base in the science textbook for the sixth graders. The students of one experimental class worked in pairs and another class worked individually, but the students of the comparative classes were divided into groups of six(one group with pair, another group with individual work in the SSC program, and the other group conducting the traditional experiment with groups of six students). The data were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA. The results showed that experimental learning using individual work in the SSC program compared to traditional experimental learning was effective in improving science learning achievement. also it was indicated that the teachers could reduce their burden of preparing for classes and of school hours when they utilized the SSC laboratory learning program. Teachers could also actively support students' experimental activities in employing the program. Based on the results, we suggest that the development of the SSC laboratory learning program is meaningful in the sense that this program can help elementary schoolers to improve science learning achievements more than the existing traditional experimental methods.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.139-142
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• 2013

A study was carried out to evaluate the solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) for formaldehyde emission analysis of uncoated plywood. In SPME, formaldehyde was on-fiber derivatized through headspace extraction and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The SPME was compared with desiccators (DC-JAS 233), small-scale chamber (SSC-ASTM D6007) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE-EPA 556) methods which were performed in accordance with their respective standards. Compared to SSC (RSD 4.3%) and LLE (RSD 5.0%), the SPME method showed better repeatability (RSD 1.8%) and not much difference from DC (RSD 1.4%). The SPME has proven to be highly precise (at 95% confidence level) with better recovery (REC 102%). Validation of the SPME method for formaldehyde quantitative analysis was evidenced. In addition, the SPME by air sampling directly from plywood specimens (SPME-W) correlated best with DC ($r^2$ = 0.983), followed by LLE ($r^2$ = 0.950) and SSC ($r^2$ = 0.935).