• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1-24
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• 2006

This study investigated differences in beliefs about English learning of 286 EFL college students and 52 English teachers in Korea. Data was collected using Horwitz's Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory and compared between students and teachers in beliefs. To address the research questions, the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics including frequencies, factor analysis, MANOVA, ANOVA, t-test, and reliability coefficients. The results showed four factors in student beliefs: Difficulty of learning English, nature of learning English, importance of correctness in learning English, and motivation and perceived importance of learning English. Clear differences were found in students and teachers' beliefs in English learning aptitude and importance of translation, error correction, and grammar rules. A few belief differences were also identified between Koreans and native-speaking English teachers related to the importance of vocabulary learning, pronunciation, and cultural knowledge. The findings of the study indicated that background variables such as gender and major field of study have an effect on student beliefs about L2 learning. The present study also provided pedagogical considerations to reduce mismatch between students and teachers beliefs and to improve the L2 planning and instruction.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.221-234
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• 1997

The purposes of this study were (a) to ascertain early childhood teachers' beliefs and practices relative to the developmentally appropriate practices, and (b) to determine the relative differences of child care center teachers' beliefs and practices and kindergarten teachers' beliefs and practices. Although interest in obtaining information regarding teachers' beliefs and practices for developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education is not new, it has commanded considerable attention recently, reflecting concern about growing fragmentation and discontinuity between the early childhood education and care services. A questionnaire measure of 4-and 5-year-old classroom teachers' beliefs and practices based on the guidelines for developmentally appropriate practices of the National Association for the education of Young children, which was consisted of the Teachers' Beliefs Scale(TBS) and the Instructional activities Scale(IAS), was administered to 215 child care center teachers and 215 kindergarten teachers. Positive correlations were found not only between teachers' beliefs and practices but also between developmentally appropriate belief and activities, and between developmentally inappropriate beliefs and activities. There was significant difference between child center and kindergarten teacher groups on the mean scores of each subscale, revealing that kindergarten group had a greater mean score on both TBS and IAS than child care center group. The results of this study implies that there is a great deal of teaching in either child care centers or kindergartens which is not congruent with developmentally appropriate practice. Also, the information obtained with the questionnaire has supported the contention that early childhood education and care services are need to be amalgamated based on the developmentally appropriate practices.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• no.3
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• pp.71-93
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• 1997

Teachers' beliefs about teaching English are reflected in their practices in the classroom. They influence on the students' attitude to English learning. Any teacher training program expects the trainees to change or modify their existing beliefs and attitude through the new ideas and information introduced by the program toward a desired direction. The present study describes a teacher training program for elementary school English teachers and compares the beliefs of the teachers about teaching English before and after the training. The subjects are the elementary school English teachers around Chungnam area who get a special training of 120 hours during January 1997. The investigation of the subjects' beliefs on English teaching is conducted through examining two journals of each subject before and after the training. The journals show the teachers' inner flow of thought, so teacher trainers are expected to get insight on their general instructional considerations and have implications on the future teacher training program through examining these journals. In addition, the journal writing itself gives the teachers opportunity to reflect their practice and rethink about their beliefs, and develop themselves as professional English teachers.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.221-234
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• 2007

A comparison of mathematics teachers' personal beliefs between in- and pre-service teachers for Chinese secondary schools (grades 7-12) about mathematics theories, teaching and learning has been studied. In-service teachers' beliefs are close to constructivist's aspect and pre-service teachers' beliefs are close to absolutist's views. Based on the results, we give some suggestions to both teacher education and in-service teachers' training.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1035-1046
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• 2009

The study was designed to explore mothers' and teachers' beliefs on children's literacy development by comparing their beliefs with the whole language approach. Also, their literacy practices at home and in the classroom were compared and how their literacy beliefs and practices were related was investigated. 176 mothers and 72 daycare teachers participated in this study in Kyunggi-do. Mean, standard deviation, frequency, t-test, and multiple regression were employed to analyze the data. The results showed that the mothers' age, mothers' education, fathers' education and family income mostly predict the mothers' literacy beliefs. Also the teachers' age, education, and their learning experiences with the whole language approach are the main predicting variables in the teachers' beliefs. In practices, the mothers' age, number of children, and fathers' education are independent variables predicting the mothers' practices. The teachers' age, education, interest about the whole language approach, learning experience, and number of children in the classroom are independent variables into the teachers' practices. Overall, teachers showed a higher level of beliefs on the whole language approach and did more literacy practices than the mothers.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.39-50
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• 2003

Secondary school environmental education is offered mostly in extra-curricular activities, not included in the school curriculum. Therefore, drawing out its curriculum has been left to teachers' discretion. Teachers' beliefs in EE have much more influence on the selection of content of EE than any other psychological factors. It follows that the reality of school EE depends on what teachers believes about EE and which content of EE they select according to their beliefs. This study is to research the realities of the secondary school EE: examine teachers' beliefs about EE and analyse environmental views in their environment-related programs; examine whether teachers' programs reflect their beliefs and environmental views; identify the factors which teachers inhibit teachers from their expression of these beliefs. To identify what perspective was reflected to these programs, this study employs environmentalism. Environmentalism can be classified into 3 categories: environmental management; deep ecology; social ecology. Data were gathered by means of in-depth interviews with five teachers. To show teachers' beliefs clearly, the analysis of the data was conducted on the basis of 5 categories: 'ecological sensitivity', 'value education', 'behaviors', 'issues', 'perception of a cause of environmental problems, related to social structures'. These belifs reflect deep ecological perspective and social ecology. But these perspectives did not accord with those in programs. Most EE programs included only the deep ecological perspective. They didn't reflect their beliefs that students should perceive the cause of environmental problems in the social structure. The factors which teachers find as inhibiting or supporting their expression of these beliefs were analysed as following: (1) EE requests the change of curriculum and methods of instruction; (2) teachers should acquire 'environmental consciousness' and environmentrelated knowledge; (3) programs requests an administrative and financial support.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.133-147
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• 2012

This study focused on the relationship among playfulness in teachers, teaching efficacy on play and teachers' positive play beliefs in a sample of 151 teachers working childcare center in Seoul and Chungcheungnam-do. The collected data were analyzed using simple regression and hierarchical multiple regression. The main results of this study were as follows. First, teachers' playfulness had a positive influence on their positive play beliefs. Second, teachers' playfulness had a positive influence on their teaching efficacy on play. Finally, effect of teachers' playfulness on their teaching efficacy on children's play was totally mediated by their positive play beliefs.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 2016

This study examined the effects of constructivist educational beliefs and self-regulated learning skills of children on teacher professional development. The study was conducted by sampling 273 teachers. Three kinds of variables, which included constructivist educational beliefs, self-regulated learning ability, and professional development level were measured and analyzed for this study. The results were as follows. First, early childhood teachers beliefs of constructivist education, self-regulated learning ability and professional development were found to be higher than average. Second, the professional development of early childhood teachers is shown to be correlated with constructivist educational beliefs and self-regulated learning ability. When constructivist educational beliefs and self-regulated learning ability scores increases, the professional development score is high. Third, metacognitive strategies, cognitive strategies and constructivist educational beliefs are factors that predict the professional development of early childhood teachers. According to results of this study, it suggests that constructivist educational beliefs and self-regulated learning ability are important factors to be addressed.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.59-73
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of early childhood teacher's constructivist educational beliefs and teaching efficacy on creative teaching behavior. Methods: The subjects of this study were 262 early childhood teachers working in daycare centers and kindergartens all over the country. A questionnaire was administered which assessed early childhood teacher's constructivist educational beliefs, teaching efficacy, and creative teaching behavior. SPSS 28.0 was used for data analysis. Results: First, the constructivist educational beliefs of early childhood teachers had a positive effect on teaching efficacy. Second, it was found that early childhood teachers' constructivist educational beliefs and teaching efficacy had a positive effect on creative teaching behavior, and at the same time, early childhood teachers' constructivist educational beliefs were partially mediated by teaching efficacy. Conclusion/Implications: This study revealed the mediating effects of teaching efficacy in constructivist educational beliefs and creative teaching behavior relationships. Therefore, in order to promote creative teaching behavior of early childhood teachers, efforts should be made to increase teaching efficacy based on constructivist educational beliefs.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.389-404
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• 2013

This study aimed to explore elementary teachers' beliefs about science teaching, science learning and the nature of science and consistency among these beliefs. Data was collected by using an open questionnaire and semi-structured individual interview. Teachers' beliefs were classified as traditional beliefs and constructivist beliefs. Traditional beliefs were further divided into content knowledge-centered beliefs and procedural knowledge-centered beliefs. The result showed that a relatively large number of teachers among the total 30 teachers had traditional beliefs about science teaching, science learning, and the nature of science(respectively 60.0%, 66.7%, 83.3%). Most of traditional beliefs were identified as content knowledge-centered beliefs. The proportion of teachers with consistent beliefs for all three aspects was 40.0%, the proportion of those with consistent beliefs for two of them (those with related beliefs) was 53.3%, the proportion of those with different beliefs for them (those with divergent belief) was 6.7%. Most of the teachers with the consistent beliefs had the content knowledge-centered beliefs of traditional beliefs. Although constructivism has been widely emphasized in science education from the 1980's, the rate of the teachers with the consistent beliefs in constructivism was as low as 6.7%.