• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.453-475
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• 2007

School algebra starts with introducing algebraic expressions which have been one of the cognitive obstacles to the students in the transfer from arithmetic to algebra. In the recent studies on the teaching school algebra, algebraic thinking is getting much more attention together with algebraic expressions. In this paper, we examined the processes of the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and ways for teaching early algebra through algebraic thinking factors. Issues about algebraic thinking have continued since 1980's. But the theoretic foundations for algebraic thinking have not been founded in the previous studies. In this paper, we analyzed the algebraic thinking in school algebra from historico-genetic, epistemological, and symbolic-linguistic points of view, and identified algebraic thinking factors, i.e. the principle of permanence of formal laws, the concept of variable, quantitative reasoning, algebraic interpretation - constructing algebraic expressions, trans formational reasoning - changing algebraic expressions, operational senses - operating algebraic expressions, substitution, etc. We also identified these algebraic thinking factors through analyzing mathematics textbooks of elementary and middle school, and showed the middle school students' low achievement relating to these factors through the algebraic thinking ability test. Based upon these analyses, we argued that the readiness for algebra learning should be made through the processes including algebraic thinking factors in the elementary school and that the transfer from arithmetic to algebra should be accomplished naturally through the pre-algebra course. And we searched for alternative ways to improve algebra curriculums, emphasizing algebraic thinking factors. In summary, we identified the problems of school algebra relating to the transfer from arithmetic to algebra with the problem of teaching algebraic thinking and analyzed the algebraic thinking factors of school algebra, and searched for alternative ways for improving the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and the teaching of early algebra.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.140-154
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• 2010

The core of subject matter education is determined by the choice of subject matter taught to students and by the organization of content according to educational objectives. The purpose of this research is to suggest ways to improve the present content of science education so as to prepare students and schools for a radically different future. We deduced the main issues the solution of which could lead to significant improvements in the contents of science education by analyzing previous studies and investigating the changes in content that were effected during curriculum revisions in the past. The main issues thus revealed through this study are as follows: the essence of the contents of subject matters in science education, the social and cultural background of change in the science curriculum, the rational steps on the way to choosing contents as part of the science curriculum, the processes of choosing the main contents of each subject, the international comparative study of contents, the updating of contents for the benefit of future society, and the reorganization of subject contents. In order to find a concrete improvement on the issues deduced, we organized an expert group. Then, we proceeded to collect and analyze the experts' opinions. A survey was administered to 19 science education experts working with universities and colleges of education. We examined their degree of agreement on the issues and problems, and on the steps that may be taken to us the improvements on these issues. we suggested that: collecting opinion and reaching an agreement on the essence of the contents of the subject matters in science education, the necessity to choose core contents within the scientific domain, developing a structure map in order to integrate and connect various subject domains, presenting explicitly the objective of inquiry by grades, moving toward integrating science contents, diversifying the construction of science textbooks.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2010

This study analyzed the vocabulary level in the 'Water' unit of chemistry I textbook. It also analyzed its relevance to the 11th graders' vocabulary level. The main tool for analyzing vocabulary level was SWA(Science Word Analysis) program which was referenced the Standard Korean Dictionary and Graduated Vocabulary of Korean Language Education. The results in this study turned out to be as follows: The distribution of scientific vocabulary level increased from Level-1 to Level-3 and showed a tendency to decrease from Level-3 until Level-5. The average percentage of Out of level is the largest as 37%. The highest percentage of non-scientific vocabulary was Level-1. The distribution of non-scientific vocabulary level decreased progressively. The Level-5 and Out of level are used 18% averagely. So, there are 6 vocabularies of Level-5 and 82 vocabularies of extra-level inappropriate in scientific vocabularies. And there are 53 vocabularies of Level-5 and 145 vocabularies of Out of level inappropriate in non-scientific vocabularies. Therefore, the overall state of textbooks for grade 11 students are reasonable. But there are a great many vocabularies inappropriate for them. Those should be used minimum, and to be changed to the 1-4 of level vocabulary as stated in the student's level of understanding of appropriate vocabulary.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.63-80
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• 2009

In this study, we analyzed teachers' recognitions of the necessity of mathematical descriptive tests and their practices in the elementary schools. We then suggested several examples of improved formats of the mathematical descriptive evaluation. For analyzing teachers' recognitions and practices of mathematical descriptive assessment, we surveyed 104 elementary school teachers in Seoul. We collected the test items from the schools and analyzed them to find how they are practiced in the schools. The results were as follows. First, most elementary school teachers are basically recognizing the direction and the purpose of mathematical descriptive assessment. Second, the ratio of the descriptive test items was very low compared with the teachers' recognition of necessity of including descriptive items in the tests. Third, the teachers usually made the descriptive items with their colleagues using textbooks, test manuals for teachers, and the references that the office of education provided. Fourth, to enhance teachers' understanding of descriptive assessment, systematic training programs for teachers about the descriptive assessment should be continued. Finally, the office of education and research institutes should provide various types of test items and more teacher training programs on descriptive assessments.

• Korean Journal of Comparative Education
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1-26
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to present the overall landscape of Comparative Education study in teacher training program at universities in Korea. The Comparative Education in Korea is relatively young without a lengthy tail on its name and still on the way of upgrading itself, however various efforts are gathering for the development of Comparative Education. With this understanding, this paper diagnoses the current status of Comparative Education in Korea by analyzing 1) the number of institutions which provide Comparative Education lectures for their teacher training program, 2) aims of Comparative Education teaching, 3) curricular and course titles, 4) teaching methods and textbooks, and 5) current issues and problems currently laid on Comparative Education in Korea designated by actual lecturers and professors who are in charge of Comparative Education lectures. The historical development of Comparative Education in Korea will be briefly presented at the beginning part of the chapter. To gauge the comparative position of Korean Comparative Education, the second half of this paper introduces the cases of Comparative Education at universities worldwide, presenting various countries' status of Comparative Education along with their developmental status. As the first research which pays an attention on the current figure of Comparative Education in Korea, it will form an impetus on why we should teach college students about comparative education and on what next step should be carried for further development of Comparative Education at universities based on the comparative understanding of other countries. Since it is in the transitional stage in terms of its development, it would be critical to have a self-analysis of the current status, which will help to lay the comprehensive understanding background for designating the future direction of its development.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.376-386
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to explore the learning progression of logical thinking in acid and base chemical reactions and to evaluate its validity. For this purpose, we collected 387 participants in 9 schools of elementary, middle and high schools nationwide. The questionnaire developed in this study was composed of nine items. The questionnaire presented the acid and base reactants and products, and the students pictured their thoughts on how these substances change, and answered the reasons of their thoughts. Situation contexts of the questionnaire were divided into two groups: one kind of solute dissolved in a solvent, and two kinds of solute dissolved in a solvent. In this study, six levels of learning progression were assumed by combining material conservation logic, combination logic, proportion logic, and particle number conservation logic. By analyzing the data, Infit and Outfit values of Person reliability, Item reliability, MNSQ and ZSTD were obtained from the Rasch model. As a result of the analysis of data, it was found that lower levels of learning progression prevailed up to the younger grade students till $8^{th}$ grade. The higher levels of learning progression(Level 2~Level 5) prevailed up to the older grade students. However, higher levels of learning progression dropped sharply in Grade 12. The 5 level of learning progression was very low in all grades, and $9^{th}$ grade had highest percentage of students belonging to the 5 level. Interpretation of these unusual results suggests a future research related to explanation differences of textbooks.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.4
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• pp.689-710
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze contents of the elementary school textbooks on 'Forest Education' based on the 2015 revised curriculum. This study is designed to determine the status of forest educationrelated content in the curriculum. Thetypesofforesteducationintextbooksweredividedintoanalysis. In addition, the standards of achievement of the curriculum were analyzed into the areas of forest education curriculum to determine the similarities between the curriculum and the achievement of forest education. This study shows that, first, the field of knowledge in forest education was included in all subjects and grades except mathematics. It noted that the curriculum includes areas of knowledge that directly convey knowledge related to forest education. This showed that the forest education knowledge area is linked to various courses. Second, the types of forest education included in the curriculum appeared differently depending on age. In the lower grades, there was the most information on the tools and sensibilities of forest education, and in the higher grades, the more knowledge and value-related areas were addressed. As the school year increases, so do forest education levels. Third, when analyzing the achievement criteria in the curriculum, the curriculum achievement criteria included key points in forest education. Thus, this study confirmed the link between the curriculum and forest education.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.681-692
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• 2020

This study analyzed a textbook published for Korean culture education in a trend of communicative teaching methods, and suggested the ways for the integrated diversity of culture education with expression activities. This study set up the final goal of strengthening 'cultural competence' which is the next stage of 'cultural awareness' and 'cultural literacy' in the goal hierarchy for culture education, and analyzed not only the theme distribution but the patterns of expression activities in the textbook. It assumed that one of the most effective ways to achieve the goal is the convergence with expression activities in order to strengthen 'cultural competence' which aims to the creative culture production as well as the simple comparison between learners' mother culture and the target culture. This textbook is characterized by abundant visual materials, focus on the behavior culture and the information culture rather than the achieved culture. and media reading materials in diverse levels for utilization possibly in any proficiency levels. Also, it found out by analyzing the patterns of expression activities that the question forms inducing learners' speech and writing are restricted to a few patterns. Lastly, this study proposed the ways to achieve the goal "cultural competence" as follows: diversity of question forms, extension of expression activities and creative application in integrating the related activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.248-256
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception of pre-service elementary teachers on the educational approach to metaverse. Questions about metaverse were asked to 71 pre-service elementary teachers who were taking the course 'Study of Textbooks in Elementary Science II'. The results of analyzing the contents of the questions are as follows. The results and conclusions were presented through numerical analysis and static analysis based on the responses to questions presented using the university's LMS system. First, the level of understanding of the metaverse of pre-service elementary teachers is very high. Pre-service elementary teachers, as the MZ generation, are already living in a very fast IT environment that can be the basis of the metaverse, so it would have been helpful to understand the metaverse. Second, the need for the metaverse of pre-service elementary teachers is very high. There was a tendency to think that the perception of pre-service elementary teachers is because the metaverse has many factors that can provide higher quality education beyond the current educational environment. Third, in the question of applicability exploration in the 'Earth and Space' domain of Pre-service elementary teachers, there have been few cases in which instructional design was planned based on instructional design principles. Based on these results, if the possibility of metaverse application is proposed in the 'Earth and Space' domain, educational contents using virtual space that can transcend time and space will be very necessary. Based on these results, suggestions are made as follows. First, educational content incorporating the metaverse technique based on instructional design should be developed and utilized. Second, financial support should be provided so that the metaverse can be implemented in the educational environment. Third, it is necessary to provide training opportunities for teachers (including Pre-service elementary teachers) to give lectures on metaverse.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to derive the direction of future elementary science curriculum books through delphi study of science education experts. To this end, a panel of 18 experts was formed and two delphi investigations were conducted. By analyzing the mean, median, and CVR values for each item in the Delphi survey, the priorities of changes in science education for the future society and the validity of each item's implementation method were verified. In addition, by synthesizing this, the direction of future elementary science textbooks was derived. As a result, the future elementary science textbook can be 'fun and interesting science study', 'exploration performance-oriented learning' and 'science that enjoys and participates even as an adult'. It should be developed to prepare for culture. For this, it is necessary to use materials in real life, and it is necessary to present an experiment that stimulates curiosity and easy access using materials and preparations with high accessibility. In addition, it is necessary to develop a textbook for learning that science is a discipline that is highly connected with real life, and that it is also related to future career paths.