• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2005

We compared algorithmic problem solving and conceptual understanding of chemistry with three types (algorithmic, pictorial- and wordy-formatted conceptual) of problems. The familiarity, confidence, and preference to the three type of problems were also examined. The chemistry problem solving ability test was administered to 228 students from two top high schools in the province of Gyeonggi who were preparing the chemistry examination among the four optional subjects (biology, chemistry, earth science, physics) for enter university. After administrating the chemistry problem solving ability test, the degree of familiarity to some problems and the degree of confidence of their answers in a Likert scale were asked to the students. Besides, the students were asked to place preference to the type of problems in order. The students scored better on the algorithmic problems than on the conceptual problems (pictorial and wordy problems), and were also most familiar with the algorithmic problems. The students were more confident of their answers on both of types pictorial and algorithmic problems, and preferred pictorial problems rather than both of types algorithmic and wordy problems.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1063-1069
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• 2004

This study investigated the effects of grouping method in solving chemistry problems using Think-Aloud Paired Problem Solving (TAPPS). Three classes (125 students) of a co-ed high school in Seoul were randomly assigned to the control, the homogeneous TAPPS, and the heterogeneous TAPPS groups. Prior to the instructions, a test of awareness of metacognition was administered. In the treatment groups, students were grouped into either homogeneous or heterogeneous group on the basis of their pre-achievement levels, and worked in pairs on chemistry problems about chemical equation and stoichiometry. Students' analytical skill, problem solving ability, and awareness of metacognition were examined after the instructions. One-way ANCOVA results indicated that the scores of the homogeneous TAPPS group in the analytical skill test were significantly higher than those of the heterogeneous TAPPS group. However, there were no significant differences among the three groups in the problem solving ability and the awareness of metacognition.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 1997

Students' protocols obtained from think-aloud interviews were analyzed in the aspects of the success at first two problem-solving stages (understanding and planning), the time to complete a problem, the time at each problem-solving stage, the number of transition, and the transition rate. These were compared in the aspects of the context of problem, the success in solving problem, students' logical reasoning ability, spatial ability, and learning approach. The results were as follows:1. Students tended to spend more time in everyday contexts than in scientific contexts, especially at the stages of understanding and reviewing. The transition rate during solving a problem in everyday contexts was greater than that in scientific contexts. 2. Unsuccessful students spent more time at the stage of understanding, but successful students spent more time at the stage of planning. 3. Students' logical reasoning ability, as measured with the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking, was significantly correlated with the success in solving problem. Concrete-operational students spent more time in completing a problem, especially understanding the problem. 4. Students' spatial ability, as measured with the Purdue Visualization of Rotations Test and the Find A Shape Puzzle, was significantly correlated with their abilities to understand a problem and to plan for its solution. 5. Students' learning approach, as measured with the Questionnaire on Approaches to Learning and Studying, was not significantly correlated with the success in solving problem. However, the students in deep approach had more transitions and greater transition rates than the students in surface approach.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.569-576
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• 2007

In this study, the effect of grouping by communication apprehension level in paired think-aloud problem solving was examined. Three classes of 9th graders (N=99) were randomly assigned to a control group, homogeneous group or heterogeneous group based on the test scores of their communication apprehension. After the instructions concerning ‘writing balanced chemical equation', ‘the law of conservation of mass', and ‘the law of definite proportions' for 7 class hours, students' chemistry problem solving ability and the perception to the paired think-aloud problem solving were examined. Two-way ANOVA results revealed that there was an interactive effect in the score of chemistry problem solving ability test. In simple effect test for the students of low communication apprehension, the scores of the heterogeneous group were found to be significantly higher than those of the control group. However, the students in homogeneous group had relatively positive perceptions to the paired think-aloud problem solving.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.182-188
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• 2004

In this study, the effects of a four-stage problem-solving strategy emphasizing planning and checking stages were investigated. Two high school classes (N=55) were randomly assigned to either treatment or control group, and taught about two topics, 'gas' and 'solution' for 8 class hours. Teacher used the four-stage problem-solving strategy emphasizing planning and checking stages in the treatment group, and used traditional lecture in the control group. Two-way ANCOVA results revealed that the test scores of the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group in the problem-solving ability, especially in the subcategories of 'conceptual knowledge' and 'mathematical execution'. There was significant interaction between the instruction and the level of prior achievement in the 'satisfaction' of the learning motivation. The lower level students in the control group were more satisfied with chemistry class than those in the treatment group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the scores of the awareness of metacognition. Educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.337-345
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• 1998

This study examined the influences of computer-assisted instruction(CAl) upon high school students' conceptual understanding, algorithmic problem solving ability, learning motivation, and attitudes toward chemistry instruction. CAl programs were designed to supply animated molecular motions for emphasizing the particulate dynamic nature of matter and immediate feedbacks according to students' response types at each stage of four stage problem-solving strategy(understanding, planning, solving, and reviewing). The CAl and control groups (2 classes) were selected from a girls high school in Seoul, and taught about gas law for four class hours. Data analysis indicated that the students at the CAl group scored significantly higher than those at the control group in the tests on conceptual understanding and algorithmic problem solving ability. In addition, the students at the CAl group performed significantly better in the tests on the learning motivation and attitudes toward chemistry instruction.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.624-633
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• 2000

This study investigated students' verbal behaviors in paired think-aloud problem solving. High school students in chemistry classes were asked to use 4 stage problem-solving strategy through paired think-aloud problem solving, and their small-group behaviors were audio/video taped. Verbal behaviors of the solvers and listeners were classified into 8 categories. Solvers frequently exhibited the behaviors of 'require agreement', 'provide', and 'modify', and listeners frequently exhibited the behaviors of 'agree', 'ask', and 'point out'. With behaviors exhibited frequently, the verbal interaction between solvers and listeners were also investigated. In studying partial correlation between verbal behaviors and the improvement of problem-solving ability, listener's 'agree' and 'point out', and solver's 'modify' were positively related with listener's improvement. However, there was negative correlation between listener's 'point out' and solver's improvement. In a perception questionnaire, many students were found to perceive that the paired think-aloud problem solving helped them to be aware of the problem-solving processes. However, some listeners also perceived that it was difficult to know solver's problem-solving processes.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.75-83
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to determine the strategies that middle school students used in solving problems concerning density and solubility. These were compared in the aspects of problem contexts for 42 students of varying logical reasoning ability, spatial ability, and learning approach. A coding scheme used consists of five categories: reading & organization, production, errors, evaluation, and strategy. Students' protocols were analyzed after intercoder agreement had been established to be .95. The results were as follows: 1. Students had more difficulties in reading and organizing the problems in everyday contexts than in scientific contexts. Students at the concrete-operational stage and / or surface approach were more likely to have difficulties in reading and organizing the problems than those at the formal-operational stage and / or deep approach. 2. Students tended to split up the solubility problems into sub-problems and to solve the density problem in everyday contexts in random manner. These were significantly correlated with the test scores concerning logical reasoning ability, spatial ability, and learning approach at the .1 level of significance. 3. Major errors in solving the density problems were to disregard the given information or generated and to use inappropriate information. Many errors in solving the solubility problems were found to be executive errors. The strategy to use the information given appropriately was positively related to students' logical reasoning ability, spatial ability, and learning approach. 4. More evaluation strategies were found in everyday contexts. Their strategies to grasp the meaning of answers and to check the math were significantly related to students' logical reasoning ability. 5. Students used the random trial-and-error strategy more than the systematic strategy and the systematic trial-and-error strategy, especially in everyday contexts. The strategies used by the students were significantly related to students' logical reasoning ability, spatial ability, and learning approach.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.617-627
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• 2012

We investigated pre-service science teachers' understanding of and problem-solving ability with regard to chemistry concepts in the high school curriculum. For this purpose, we used related certain items and analyzed the results. We found that in the case of all items, some pre-service science teachers, who do not have clear concepts, selected incorrect answers. The in-depth interviews we conducted with the participants revealed some of the causes for the results obtained. First, although pre-service science teachers have better concepts as compared to high school students, they have the same misconceptions as students with regard to some concepts. Second, although they are familiar with the general definitions or meanings of scientific concepts, they do not understand the specific content that is emphasized in the curriculum. Moreover, they tend to solve problems by the information visually conceived. Third, although they know the necessity of general concepts related to problem solving, they sometimes fail to apply inquiry skills and tend to suggest concepts from the higher education curriculum that are not helpful for solving problems.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.286-294
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• 2023

We studied learners' perceptions and learning styles of project research activities in the chemical field conducted by 54 science high school students. In a survey of students' perceptions of task research, positive responses were found in "internal motivation," "cooperation," "task solving," and "tenacity and immersion," and statistically significant differences were found in "self-directedness," "cooperation," and "tenacity and immersion" by year. The 'lower' group responded most positively in the 'cooperation' category, and the 'higher' group responded most positively in the 'task solving' category. As a result of investigating the learning styles of the students who conducted the task research, it was found in the order of assimilator, converger, accommodator, and diverger. The assimilators showed the characteristic of systematically and scientifically approaching the problem. Convergers were found to have excellent problem-solving and decision-making ability, are practical, and have experimental-based thinking characteristics. In this study, the characteristics of science high school students showed well in the results of the learning style performed.