• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.31-46
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• 2010

Theory of minimal surfaces has always been in the center of differential geometry. The most difficult part in minimal surfaces is how to find meaningful examples. In this paper we survey the history of search for minimal surfaces. We also introduce examples of recently emerging maximal surfaces in the Lorentz-Minkowski space and compare the processes in the search for the minimal and the maximal surfaces.

• School Mathematics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.571-588
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• 1999

Our mathematical curriculum has been revised frequently compared to another countries. The frequent revisions may mean that the current curriculum is not so complete in the selected contents of each grade levels. The idea is partially supported by the fact that the didactics of mathematics has both hypothesis-deductive and hypothesis-constructive property. Investigating the items which are used in TIMSS study and based on the relatively common curriculums of 40 more countries, the styles of them are a bit different from those of our textbooks of primary and secondary school. Hence, we consider that the construction and implementation of our mathematical curriculum may be a large scale of experiment for the improved curriculum carried by the nation. Additionally, we propose less compulsive curriculum than the current for minimizing the possible trial and errors.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.19-29
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• 2012

According to the result of PISA and TIMSS, it was reported that interest for Math and Science was far lower compared to high achievement of Them. The purpose of this study is to investigate effects of robot based STEAM education on elementary school students' Math learning behavior and Science motivation. Robot based STEAM education integrated science, mathematics and art with a theme of 'Energy' was practiced for test group and For control group, those three subjects were taught separately in order to achieve this purpose. Curriculum of fourth grade second semester's science, mathematics and art was analysed to teach a robot based STEAM class and STEAM class Model with the theme 'Energy was designed and applied to elementary students. In science class, heat transfer experiment was conducted with robots and the result was related to drawing polygonal lines in mathematics. In art class, robot components were used to describe the heat energy in shapes and colors. The research shows that students' Math learning behavior and Science motivation were improved more with robot based STEAM education than with traditional lessons(p<.05). It proves that robot based STEAM class can be effective for improving interest in elementary Math and Science.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.89-102
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to diagnose the problems of mathematics education in Korea by conducting an in-depth analysis of international comparative studies, a Delphi method, and a survey. Further analysis of TIMSS and PISA results also reveals several negative aspects of mathematics education practice in Korea. The mathematics education experts' opinions collected by Delphi method were classified into 12 categories: private education and test-driven education, curriculum and textbooks, lessons, evaluation, teacher, learner, teaching aid and facilities. affective aspects of mathematics, discrepancy between a theory and a practice, preservice/inservice teacher education and teacher employment test, education policy, and overall. Another survey was conducted to focus more on the development of curriculum which is a pending issue. Considering the fact that mathematics education should contribute to improve practical aspect as well as elaborate theoretical aspect, this study lays a foundation of improvement of mathematics education in Korea.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-44
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• 2014

This study aims to develop strategies for improving the affective characteristics of Korean students based on results from international achievement tests. In pursuing the goal, different research methods are employed including a) analysis of the theories and literature regarding the affective domains included in PISA and TIMSS studies; b) analysis of the current situation and needs of Korean students with respect to the affective factors based on PISA and TIMSS results; c) case studies of best practices in relation to students' affective domains in Korea and abroad; and d) development of strategies for improving and supporting Korean students' affective characteristics. In this paper, first of all, relevant theories on affective characteristics in literature are introduced. In other words, the concepts of three affective domains in question - interest, self-efficacy, and value - are reviewed, and their definitions for the present study are made. Also, teaching strategies and support plans for improving students' affective factors are extracted from previous studies. Furthermore, this paper reviews recent trends in research on how the affective domains are related to mathematics education and how one can teach them effectively. The teaching guidelines for each affective domain are developed according to the instruction principles extracted through literature review in general for all subjects. Based on the results of the findings mentioned above, this paper establishes and suggests the guidelines on how to teach mathematics reflecting the affective characteristic.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.433-445
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• 2024

This study aims to compare and analyze the educational contents of the material area in the elementary science curriculums of North and South Korea. The research subjects are materials and motion and energy (partial) areas of the revised science curriculum of South Korea in 2022 and materials around us and science in daily life (partial) areas of the nature and education program of North Korea in 2013. This study compared the elements of the educational content of the material domain between North and South Korea according to the grade. Furthermore, the reflection of the material domain goals of North and South Korea at the international level was analyzed using the evaluation framework of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2023 for the material content domains for fourth-grade elementary schools. Four teachers who majored in elementary science education and one expert in science education participated in the analysis. The results are as follows. First, in terms of the properties of matter, the content covered in the curriculum of North and South Korea differed in application period by grade and in the scope and level of content. Second, regarding material change, North Korea did not cover acids and bases but included methods for speeding up dissolution. Third, North Korea reflected the goal of the TIMSS 2023 properties of materials more highly than South Korea. Fourth, similar to the results for the analysis on the properties of materials, North Korea reflected the goal of the TIMSS 2023 for changes of materials more highly than did South Korea. In conclusion, the elements and timing of application of the material contents differed between North and South Korea, and the degree of reflection of goals at the international level was found to be higher for North Korea. In the future, this study hopes that cooperation and research on the development of integrated science and curriculum will occur along with the revitalization of educational exchange between North and South Korea from the perspective of the preparation for unification beyond the ideological conflict between them.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.535-555
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• 2007

The framework for mathematics assessments traditionally has been organized around two dimensions, a content dimension specifying the subject matter to be assessed within mathematics, and a cognitive dimension specifying the domains or thinking processes to be assessed. The cognitive dimensions describe the sets of behaviors expected of students as they engage with the mathematics content. The purpose of this paper is an attempt to make diversify and concrete the sets of behaviors by reviewing the current strands suggested by CAST(College Scholastic Ability Test), assessment framework developed by KEDI, and NAEA(National Assessment of Educational Achievement), and as famous foreign tests PISA, TIMSS, NAEP and NCTM.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.166-185
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• 2010

Astronomy areas in the elementary science textbooks of Korea and the U.S.A. have been compared to find advantages and disadvantages of Korean textbooks. The analysis objects are the 7th national curriculum science textbooks for Korea and the Macmillan McGraw-Hill(MMH) science textbooks for the U.S.A. The results are as follows: First, in contexts, Korean science textbooks contain mostly inquiry activities and partly reading materials. However, MMH ones contain mostly explanations including photographs, related activities, and various reading materials. Second, in the contents and order, the observation activities of constellations are emphasized in Korean science textbooks, while the MMH ones explain solar system up to the universe in details. In addition, Korean science textbooks deal with one subject only once during the whole elementary course while MMH ones deal with one subject repeatedly in several grades. Third, in the frameworks of the international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) 2007, Korean science textbooks do not introduce some contents presented in TIMSS 2007, whereas MMH textbooks introduce every one of them in time. Fourth, the major subjects such as change of moon phases, constellations, the solar system, and change of seasons are handled independently in Korean science textbooks without strong correlation, while they are systematically done related with the rotation and the revolution of the earth in MMH ones.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.185-199
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to discuss what the incorporation of humanistic imagination into mathematics means to mathematics education and to suggest implications for mathematics education in school mathematics. Traditionally, mathematics has been perceived to be far from our life problems because it targets logical and pure abstract thinking. According to international mathematics and science studies such as TIMSS and PISA, Korean students have relatively high mathematics achievement in the international research, but their attitude toward mathematics is very negative and their awareness of why they are learning mathematics and their satisfaction with life is low. In mathematics education, linking mathematics with humanities imagination allows students to view problems of human life from a humanities perspective, and to have an understanding of others and reflect on themselves from a new perspective. The researcher introduces several examples of whether mathematics and humanistic imagination can be combined for mathematics education. In this study, the ultimate reason for learning mathematics is to achieve learners to realize the principles of life or Dharma, and to live a happier life. However, in order to expand its rich meaning by making these new attempts in mathematics education, the researcher argued that tolerance and patience are needed for many challenges and difficulties in improving the quality of mathematics content itself including applying humanistic imagination to mathematics properly.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.195-209
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• 2023

This study examined the effect and structural relationship of math teachers' teaching ability and class activity types on learners' value perception, confidence, and interest of mathematics at the student level and teacher level. To this end, data from 2nd graders of korea middle school in TIMSS 2019 were applied to the multilevel structural equation model. As a result of the analysis, the teaching ability of math teachers had a positive effect on value perception, confidence, and interest of mathematics at the student level and teacher level. Also, math value perception and math confidence had a positive effect on math interest. and it was confirmed that the teaching ability of math teachers indirectly had a positive effect on math interest by mediating math value perception and math confidence. In addition, the math class activity of applying what was learned to problems had a positive effect on math value perception, but it had a negative effect on math interest. and the class activity of the same ability group had a positive effect on math confidence and math interest. This study presents meaningful implications for math classes in the school field through a multilevel analysis of the student level and the teacher level.