• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.295-305
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• 2019

In previous study, visual representation competence taxonomy (VRC-T), which is composed of two dimensions, was developed for the purpose of promoting effective visual representation use and research in science education. In this study, elementary school students' visual representation competence for shadow phenomenon was investigated using VRC-T. In terms of visual representation competence, 'interpretation' was the highest score, followed by 'construction' and 'integration'. It also showed that students' visual representation competence was not high even after learning shadow-related units in the regular curriculum. On the other hand, text-based scientific knowledge was not correlated with all categories of visual representation competence. This indicates that there is a need to emphasize visual representation more in science class. Finally, hierarchical relationship among cognitive processes of VRC-T was explored according to ordering theory. If the tolerance level is somewhat loosened, a linear hierarchical relationship was found between the six cognitive processes. This suggests that VRC-T is an analytical framework that can be useful when designing assessment tools, tasks, and science class activities to enhance visual representation competence.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2018

Various forms of visual representations enable scientific discovery and scientific reasoning when scientists conduct research. Similarly, in science education, visual representations are important as a means to promote students' understanding of science concepts and scientific thinking skills. To provide a framework that could facilitate the effective use of visual representations in science classroom and systemic science education research, a visual representation competence taxonomy (VRC-T) was developed in this study. VRC-T includes two dimensions: the type of visual representation, and the cognitive process of visual representation. The initial categories for each dimension were developed based on literature review. Then validation and revision was made by conducting teachers' workshop and survey to experts. The types of visual representations were grouped into 3 categories (descriptive, procedural, and explanative representations) and the cognitive processes were grouped into 3 categories (interpretation, integration, and construction). The sub categories of each dimension and the validation process would be explained in detail.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.26-39
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• 2020

Visual Representation Competence Taxonomy (VRC-T) was developed in previous study(Yoon, 2018) to provide a framework conducive to assess visual representation competence and to devise appropriate educational activities for it. This study is an extension of the previous study. It aimed to explore the usefulness of VRC-T and revise it by analyzing the patterns of visual representation use in science lessons. The researcher collected lesson plans on shadow principle from 11 pre-service and 13 in-service elementary teachers and conducted individual interviews regarding what visual representations they considered and how they tried to use them in science lessons. VRC-T was used as an analytical framework to examine the types and cognitive processes of visual representations. As a result, new categories were added and the revised VRC-T was completed (VRC-TR). It was also found that both pre- and in-service teachers mainly focused on 'interpreting' the 'descriptive representation' while designing their lesson plans. Additionally, in-service teachers showed more limited use of visual representations compared to pre-service teachers. In-service teachers largely relied on the national science textbooks, while pre-service teachers reflected their own learning experiences in their teacher-training program. These results showed that teachers' use of visual representations heavily relied on their prior learning and teaching experiences. The VRC-TR presented in this study and examples of class activities in each category can be helpful for teachers and researchers who want to use visual representations more effectively.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.152-165
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• 2017

The magnetic field due to a current is one of the core concepts in electromagnetism which has been taught in secondary science education. In addition, it is a representative example of using visual representations to explain the relation between invisible physical quantities; current and magnetic field. In this study we investigated middle school students' representational competence into three components; interpretation, construction, and application of visual representations. According to the analysis, more than 75 % of the respondents interpreted the meaning of the arrows for current and magnetic field correctly. However, half of them confused the movement of electric charges with the direction of magnetic field. Over 60 % of the students constructed the magnetic field representation as circular closed curves, but many of them could not express the density of field lines properly. In application of visual representations, more than half failed to draw the direction of compass needle correctly. The scores were in order of interpretation, construction and application. There were also significant correlations among three components of representational competence. More attention and research on students' representational competence and effective use of visual representations is needed to better support science learning and teaching.