• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.902-912
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of teaching based on analysis of a hierarchy of the concepts associated with astronomical observation as well as each learner's status of knowledge through analytical methods of the knowledge state. A test instrument was developed to measure high school students' concepts associated with astronomical observation before instruction. The learners' psychological hierarchy associated with astronomical observation that the participants possessed showed the order of 'motion of the earth${\rightarrow}$coordinate system${\rightarrow}$astronomical observation (mechanism of the telescope${\rightarrow}$installation of the telescope${\rightarrow}$observation through the telescope)', and so was the hierarchy of teaching (70.6%). The learners' knowledge state that is supposed to be similar each other in the ability of observing celestial bodies was different even through they scored the same on the concept test. There were cases with the knowledge state well-structured and not well-structured, which suggests that differentiated instruction with appropriate teaching-learning prescriptions be prepared. An analysis of the knowledge state can play the role of both preparing individualized learning prescriptions and formative evaluation. In the unit dealing with astronomical observation of Earth ScienceI, teaching according to the psychological hierarchy of learners rather than the order in which the textbook syllabi were presented scored significantly higher (p<0.05) on the level of concept achievements. This result suggests that the teacher can help students achieve more efficient in learning by analyzing the learner's knowledge state and reordering the syllabi of the textbook in teaching the concepts associated with astronomical observation.