• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.599-610
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze mechanistic reasoning in Fabre's inquires and to develop mechanistic reasoning model. To analyze the order of the process elements in mechanistic reasoning, 30 chapters were selected in book. Inquiries were analyzed through a framework which is based on Russ et al. (2008). The nine process elements of mechanistic reasoning that was presented in Fabre's inquires were as follows: Describing the Target Phenomenon, Identifying prior Knowledge, Identifying Properties of Objects, Identifying Setup Conditions, Identifying Activities, Conjecturing Entities, Identifying Properties of Entities, Identifying Entities, and Organization of Entities. The order of process elements of mechanistic reasoning was affected by inquiry's subject, types of question, prior knowledge and situation. Three mechanistic reasoning models based on the process elements of mechanistic reasoning were developed: Mechanistic reasoning model for Identifying Entities(MIE), Mechanistic reasoning model for Identifying Activities(MIA), and Mechanistic reasoning model for Identifying Properties of entities (MIP). Science teacher can help students to use the questions of not only "why" but also "How", "If", "What", when students identify entities or generate hypotheses. Also science teacher should be required to understand mechanistic reasoning to give students opportunities to generate diverse hypotheses. If students can't conjecture entities easily, MIA and MIP would be helpful for students.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.457-476
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• 2009

The research aimed to investigate characteristics of middle school students in a biology class as science gifted education in terms of self-regulated learning abilities, personality traits and learning preferences. The twenty subject in the study responded to questionnaires of a self-regulated learning ability instrument, a personality trait tool, and a learning preference survey in March, 2009. It was found that the research subjects showed higher levels of cognitive strategies, meta-cognition, and motivation than those students in a previous study(Jung et. al., 2004), while environment was opposite. The level of cognitive strategies was significantly correlated with meta-cognition(r=.610, p=.004) and motivation (r=.538, p=.014) and meta-cognition with environment(r=.717, p=.000). Those students who showed highest levels of self-regulated learning ability displayed various personality traits. One male student with the highest level of self-regulated learning ability showed a personality of hardworking, tender-minded, and conscientious traits and wanted to be a medical doctor. The female student with the second highest level of self-regulated learning ability presented a personality as creative, abstract and divergent thinker and she showed a strong aspiration to be a world-famous biologist with breakthrough contribution. The five students with highest levels of self-regulated learning ability showed a common preference in science learning: they dislike memory-oriented and theory-centered lecture with note-taking from teacher's writings on chalkboard; they prefer science learning with inquiry-oriented laboratory work, discussion among students as well as teachers. However, reasons to prefer discussion were diverse as one student wants to listen other students' opinions while the other student want to present his opinion to other students. The most favorable science teachers appeared to be who ask questions frequently, increase student interests, behave friendly with students, and is a active person. In conclusion, science teaching for the gifted should employ individualized teaching strategies appropriate for individual personality and preferred learning styles as well as meeting with individual interests in science themes.