• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.405-414
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• 2007

This study examined students' achievement of Earth science in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) that was conducted with 46 participating countries in 2003 and analyzed average percent-correct items for Earth science were analyzed in terms of subcategory, item type and cognitive domain. In addition, items showing a gender difference and a big difference in the test scores of Korean and international students were analyzed. Korean students performed higher than the international average, especially in the astronomy-related topic and in the cognitive domain of 'reasoning and analysis'. In an analysis of the five items that Korean students scored lower than the international average, Korean students performed not so well in demonstrating what they understood with drawings and writings. Korean female students showed a difficulty more than male students did in multiple-choice items that asked recalling of factual knowledge and demonstrated lack of confidence in the items that they have not learned yet. Based on the result content organization of Earth science curriculum and ways to improve teaching and loaming methods were recommended.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.607-616
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• 2016

In the 2009 revised science curriculum, comprehensive verbs such as 'know (38%)' and 'understand (46%)' are used in more than 80% of the achievement standard. Many readers, such as teachers, textbook makers, etc. have difficulties in interpreting the meaning of achievement standard sentences with these comprehensive verbs. On the other hand, 'Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)' uses more various and specific verbs to express the cognitive domain. In this study, we analyzed the 2009 revised science curriculum achievement standard focusing on the TIMSS cognitive domain assessment framework. We divided achievement standard to 228 sentences and three teachers analyzed the meaning of verbs in achievement standard. There were two main results of this study. First, the verb 'Know' was analyzed into different kinds of meanings, such as 'Describe (27%)', 'Recall/Recognize (25%)' and 'Relate (17%)', etc; and the verb 'Understand' was analyzed into 'Explain (37%)', 'Relate (27%)' and 'Describe (21%)', etc. Second, there appeared to have a disagreement among the three analysts during the process of interpreting the achievement standards when the level and scope of the contents of each grade is not clear. This study concludes that there's a need for continuous discussion on the use of verbs in achievement standard to promote clearer expressions for better understanding.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.31-46
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• 2024

This study analyzes the academic achievement characteristics of Korean fourth graders on the problem solving and inquiry tasks (PSIs) introduced in TIMSS 2019. TIMSS 2019 conducted a computer-based assessment in addition to the traditional paper-based assessment. The PSIs were included only in the computer-based assessment, so 30 countries participated in the PSIs of the computer-based assessment. PSIs consist of integrating multiple content and cognitive domains, including 10 or fewer items. Most of the items are constructed in an open-ended format rather than multiple-choice. The analysis results showed that there were differences in student achievement across countries depending on the inclusion of PSIs. Korea's average achievement score decreased by 1 point. The analysis of individual items showed that students' achievement was somewhat low, and the correct answer rate for male students was generally higher than that for female students in many items. Furthermore, item-by-item analysis revealed that there were items where countries such as England and Finland had higher correct answer rates than traditional high-achieving countries, i.e. Singapore, Taiwan, and Korea. Considering the recent emphasis on integrated education, it seems necessary to review the use of PSIs in assessments in Korea as well.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.200-211
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze Korean middle school student achievement in environmental science based on the TIMSS 2003 (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), a student comparison of 46 participating nations. Korea ranked the fourth with a mean score of 554 in environmental science. However, all 3 environment science topics assessed in TIMSS are not included in the Korean science curriculum through 8th grade, even though they are included in most other participating nations' curricula. The average percent correct of items was analyzed according to the main topic, the item type and the cognitive domain. Items that showed differences between the average percent correct of Korea and the international average as well as differences between the average percent correct of boys and girls were further analyzed. Results revealed that Korean students performed better than the international average, especially in 'use and conservation of natural resources', multiple-choice items, and items requiring 'factual knowledge'. Also, male students demonstrated significantly higher achievement than female students. On the other hand, Korean students showed relatively lower achievement in constructed-response items, items that contained content they had not learned in science lessons and items requiring descriptions of the uses and effect of science and technology. Moreover, Korean student lacked understanding about acid rain, global warming, and ozone layer destruction. Korean female students showed relatively lower environmental conceptions and lower performance on items requiring data analysis than Korean male students. On the basis of these results, this study suggested that topics of environmental science be included in the science curriculum and taught in the science classroom to help middle school students more fully comprehend environmental issues.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.246-257
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• 2006

TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) aims to produce reliable and internationally comparable indicators of student achievement. The TIMSS science achievement scale summarizes student performance on test items designed to measure a wide range of student knowledge and proficiency. This study analyzed Korean middle school students' science achievement at the advanced and high international benchmarks of the four benchmark levels of the benchmarks classified in TIMSS 2003 in light of science content areas (physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and environmental science) and item characteristics. The average percent correct on items at the advanced benchmark by Korean students was highest in physics followed by earth science, biology, chemistry, and environmental science, whereas internationally the order was earth science, chemistry, biology, physics and lastly environmental science. Korean students performed relatively better in physics yet somewhat worse in chemistry than other top-performing countries. According to item analysis, Korean students reaching the advanced international benchmark understood some fundamentals of scientific investigation, but demonstrated weakness in written explanations of scientific principles, abstract science concept comprehension, and application of scientific concepts to solve quantitative problems. In addition, Korean students reaching the high international benchmark demonstrated relative weak conceptual understanding of ecology compared with other countries.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.207-220
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to verify the trends of Korean students' achievement of earth science, especially the gender differences, in recent two international comparative studies, TIMSS-R (The Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat) and PISA 2000 (Programme for International Student Assessment). To achieve this purpose, the 33 earth science items in TIMSS-R and 13 earth and environmental science items in PISA 2000 were analyzed. As a result of the comparison between Korean- and international percent correct, Korean students showed especially higher achievement in close-ended items or items required 'understanding of simple information.' Korean students, in particular Korean male students, also showed higher achievement in items of data interpretation. On the other hand, Korean students, in particular Korean female students, showed relatively lower achievement in astronomy items. The serious gender differences occurred in all aspects of items, regardless of item content, item format, and performance expectations.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.649-659
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to analyse students' achievement of 'Earth Science' in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat(TIMSS-R), which was performed in 1999 with 38 nations participating. Korean 8th grade students' achievement of 'Earth Science' was compared with those of other countries and other content areas in science. Average percent correct of items in each subcategory was also analysed. Most of the 'Earth Science' topics were included in the intended curricula of Korea; they were taught to most of the students in science classes. Korean students ' average scale score of 'Earth Science' was significantly higher than the international average, but in comparison with other science content areas, achievement of 'Earth Science' was relatively low. The teachers' confidence in teaching earth science was lower than their confidence in teaching other science areas. The paper presents the results of item analysis and their implications for science education.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.175-189
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• 2020

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the structural relationships between elementary teachers' mathematics instruction, teachers' mathematics teaching efficacy, students' mathematical interest, and mathematics achievement. To achieve this goal, we used TIMSS 2015 Korean data and implemented multilevel structural equation modeling given that student data were nested within the school data. The findings reveled that at the student level, the instructional quality rated by students positively affected student mathematical interest. Additionally, student mathematical interest positively affected student mathematics achievement. Although the direct effect of instructional quality on student mathematics achievement was insignificant, the total was significant. At the school level, there were positive direct effects of instructional quality and teacher's mathematics teaching efficacy on student mathematical interest. The direct effects of instructional quality, teachers' mathematics teaching efficacy, and student mathematical interest on mathematics achievement were not significant. However, the total effects of instructional quality and teachers' mathematics teaching efficacy on mathematics achievement were significant. Based on the results, we discussed the implications of the study.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.459-471
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• 1999

This study is to develop a mathematics assessment framework based on the mathematics assessment framework and content strands suggested by KEDI, NCTM, NAEP, TIMSS, Oregon State, New Zealand. According to the literature review, there has been more emphasis that students themselves 'communicate' what they 'understood' and how they 'thought' during the situation of 'solving problems'. As a result, communication ability is considered one of the most important factors in assessment situation, which always accompany the abilities of understanding, thinking, problem-solving, etc. In conclusion, the framework related to mathematical knowledge consists of content and behavior domains. The content domain is categorized into 6 content areas of the 7th mathematics curriculum, and the behavior domain is divided into computation, understanding, inference, problem-solving, and communication.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.20 no.2 s.26
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• pp.283-293
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• 2006

According to the TIMSS and PISA, Korean students proved to score one of the best group among the participated countries on the cognitive area of school mathematics. As an attempt to find out the Korean students' trends of mathematics learning, we compared Korean and American 10th graders' mathematics test result. It was proved that Korean students were especially well equipped in retaining basic fact and formulas.