• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.136-147
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• 2024

It has recently be emphasized in science education that lessons that can develop "scientific participation and action" should be implemented to scientifically recognize various problems and respond to them as well as risks that occur in real life. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of scientific participation and action lessons as perceived by the preservice primary school teachers. To do that, the researchers collected and analyzed the lesson plans designed by the preservice teachers based on the achievement standard related to noise for grades 3-4 in 2022 revised science curriculum. Focusing on the stages of "problem recognition," "data collection and analysis," and "implementation and sharing," the results identity the four main characteristics as problem-solving activity, inquiry activity, investigative activity, and activity that encourages practical actions. The two or three features were found to be combinated in a lesson depending on its context. In some cases, only one feature was seen in a lesson. Based on the results, educational implications were discussed in terms of the teaching and learning methods and teacher education for implementing scientific participation and action.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.527-536
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• 2006

This study investigated the components of science teacher professionalism, the meaning of PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge), examples of science PCK, and complementary measures that should be taken to improve teacher professionalism. Six science teachers recommended by their colleagues explained that the science teacher's professionalism (or professional knowledge) consists of science content knowledge, knowledge about teaching, knowledge about learners, and improvement efforts. Science teachers' definition of PCK, which is the professional knowledge that members of the wider society expect teachers to possess, is the teacher's materialized knowledge that aims at students' understanding and PCK is the accumulated know-how of teachers as they strive to make their teaching comprehensible by students. Science teachers also contended that teachers as professionals need to complement an accountability system, acknowledgement of continuous self-developmental efforts, collegiality, and securing validity in the teacher employment test. The teachers argued that the societal recognition of teaching professionalism is essential for a high quality teaching. Suggestions for how to improve science teaching professionalism are also discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.450-462
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the influences of teaching practices upon pre-service secondary teachers' perceptions on the learning cycle by their understanding of it. Surveys on their understanding and perceptions of the learning cycle were administered to 37 seniors at the department of chemistry education in two colleges of education before teaching practices, and the survey for perceptions of the learning cycle was given to them after teaching practices. In addition, we selected seven pre-service teachers with decreased perceptions after teaching practices, and interviewed them thoroughly to investigate the factors influencing the decrease of their perceptions. The results revealed that the degree of pre-service secondary teachers' understanding of the learning cycle was not high, but their perceptions on the advantage/disadvantage of the learning cycle, their willingness to implement it, and the external aids influencing implementation were relatively positive before they practiced teaching. However, their positive perceptions more or less decreased after entering the teaching practice and the degree of decrease for those having a higher understanding of the learning cycle was larger than those having a lower understanding of it. The results of the interviews suggested the factors of pre-service teachers, students, curriculum and outside conditions as the causes of the decrease. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.874-885
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze illustrations, contents, and experiments in 6 kinds of science textbook from the 9th grade covering the phases of the Moon (on the phases of the Moon in six 9th grade science textbook) and to suggest coherent and effective contents and frame of the science textbook. Hence, the researcher decided the study problem. The study problems are as follows; 'Are the illustrations in the science textbook presented to help understand the phases of the Moon depending on the position of the observer?', 'Does the contents of the book clearly mention the phases of the Moon?', 'Can students understand the phases of the Moon through the experiments in the science textbook?', 'Do illustrations, contents, and experiment of the science textbook consistently explain the phases of the Moon?'. 10 persons (9graduate students including the researcher) took part in this study. All things unanimously agreed upon by all participants were reflected in the results. The results are as follows: First, the universal observer's view point is mixed with the earth observer's view in the illustration of these science textbook regarding the phases of the Moon. Moreover, illustrations of some textbooks are presented with such words as 'sunrise', 'midnight' and consequently contain too much. Second, the contents of the science textbook concerning the phases of the Moon is not described clearly. In addition, they don't give clear and detailed explanations for the reason of these changes. Third, all of the textbooks, except one textbook, describe the experiment regarding the phases of the Moon with the earth observer's view point but don't specifically mention that the view point is that of the earth observer's view point. Fourth, illustrations, contents, and experiments in the science textbook don't coherently explain the phases of the Moon. In addition, it is confirmed through the process of the result analysis that the described contents in the science curriculum is not well constructed or logical.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.547-558
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to compare inquiry activities in science textbooks' physics contents for Korean secondary schools with those of Singapore in order to provide a reference for further improvement of inquiry activities in Korean science textbooks. We analyzed inquiry activities using the framework of Millar et al.(1998) and Chinn & Malhotra (2002). The results of this study are as follows: There are differences between Korean and Singaporean inquiry activities in the area of 'learning objectives', 'students' thinking activities' and 'degree of openness'. In the area of 'learning objectives', the Korean textbooks have more activities associated with the learning of science content than those in Singaporean, whereas the Singaporean textbooks have more activities associated with the processes of scientific inquiry than in Korean textbooks. In the area of 'students' thinking activities', the Singaporean textbooks have activities like 'test a prediction', which Korean textbooks lack. The 'degree of openness' is higher in Singaporean textbooks than in Korean textbooks. And some differences in the area of 'authentic scientific inquiry' between Korean and Singaporean textbooks were also found. While the Korean textbooks do not have any activities associated with 'generating research questions', the Singaporean ones feature such activities. In the area of 'designing studies', the Singaporean textbooks have activities corresponding to 'selecting variables' and 'controlling variables', while the Korean ones never have such activities. The results of this study imply that it is necessary to balance inquiry activities in the area of 'learning objectives', 'students' thinking activities' and 'degree of openness', and to present activities close to authentic scientific inquiry in inquiry activities in textbooks.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.743-752
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of scientifically gifted students' views on the nature of science. A multiple-choice format questionnaire was administered to 237 Korean 10th, 11th and 12th graders at the Korea Science Academy. The differences and similarities by gender and experience of R&E program on the students' views of the nature of science were investigated. The questionnaire developed by Lim(2004) was implemented for this investigation. We found that the majority of scientifically gifted students had highly possessed the tentativeness of scientific knowledge. The students who experienced R&E program have relatively high apprehension of scientists' motivation for researches and activities in social context compared to the students who did not experience an R&E program. Scientifically gifted students had relatively high apprehension that government should not control researches of scientists and relatively low apprehension of social responsibilities of scientists comparing to general high school students. The experience on R&E program was identified as a factor to effect changes in the students' views on the nature of science. The study has implications for the development of gifted program and curriculum such as running and assessing R&E program, and also the pre-service preparation of science teacher, teacher education reformat in both the practical and the policy levels.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.732-742
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• 2006

This study expects to understand Korean girls' weaknesses in science achievement and to make suggestions for improvement. The analyses of 95 released items in TIMSS 2003 show that Korean girls had few difficulties in 'inference and analysis', 'very hard or very easy' items, 'previously-learned' items, and items presented in context of 'school science'. They achieved lower in items of understanding science concept or factual knowledge. Inference and analysis items, which were favorable to girls, worked unfavorably to them as case science knowledge intervened. Girls outperformed boys in items with 80% or more and with 20% or less percent correct. Also, the boys showed much higher achievement in previously learned and contextualized items, which proves girls' lack of interest in science in everyday life. On the base of item analysis, several suggestions were made for the girl-inclusive science education in Korea: First, girls should have more opportunities for science experience not only in school context but also in everyday life. Second, more teaching and learning programs should be developed to care girls' weaknesses in science learning. Lastly, gender issues in science education should be actively included in curriculum development process and teacher training programs.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.359-372
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to develop the FPHER (problem finding, prediction & discussion, hands-on & experiment, explanation & arrangement, enrichment) instructional model emphasizing the social interactions, and as applied, characteristics of verbal interactions were examined overall and with each step. For this study, this model was applied to the students in 10th grade chemistry classes in a science high school, and their group verbal interactions were recorded and analyzed. The results of this study show that most verbal interactions were classified as on-task interactions in the FPHER instructional model, where suggestions were predominant to the acceptance of opinions. There were a few interactions in the F step, and there were many suggestions relating to the solutions and lacking in confidence in the P step. There were many suggestions relating to the process and orders in the H step. Also, there were many questions, some explanation and dissatisfaction, as well as a lack of confidence in the E step. There were many high-level interactions in the R step, and mainly interactions with worksheets showing high-level problem-solving abilities. More in-depth research is needed to develop the teaching strategies that can activate student-to-student interaction and student-teacher interaction with regard to instructions, enhancing thought as counter-argument, justification or sophistication, based on the instructional model in this study.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.901-921
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary teachers' views on the barriers in implementing inquiry-based instruction in science education. For this, semi-structured in-depth interviews were performed with 22 elementary school teachers who have served for more than five years in the Gyeonggi province. The interview questions were developed through triangulation of Seidman's phase to achieve reliability in the interview data, then interview questions were modified and completed through an analytic induction method in pre-interviews. In-depth interviews were performed individually and all the interviews were recorded. The data of teachers' views on the barriers were categorized and analyzed into external and internal factors of teachers. The study found that the external factors referred by teachers included the following; the lack of a unit time, lack of materials and equipments, too many students in a class, problems in science curriculum management, difficulty in the assessment of students' inquiry activities, the students' learning, lack of opportunities for teaching inquiry activities, harmfulness of accidents, and so on. Internal factors included the following; lack of preparation for inquiry activities, lack of self-confidence, lack of patience, and so on. The various barriers presented and their causes were analyzed in detail, and possible efforts in activating inquiry activities in elementary science education were suggested.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.233-251
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• 2024

Meaningful learning occurs through an active process of engaging with the content in a lively interaction between teacher and student. In this study, we explored teachers' learning, challenges, and changes as they learned and practiced responsive teaching (RT), a practice that supports students to put their ideas at the center of their lessons. As a result, we found that teachers initially embraced RT from different perspectives and struggled to implement it in ways they understood. We then explored RT more deeply by focusing on the case of a teacher who was teaching science herself, and found that her experience was both rewarding and confusing. However, by the end of the learning process, the teachers were able to define RT in their own ways, which strengthened their commitment to implementing RT in elementary science education. Based on this teacher learning process, it was suggested that teachers should be viewed as curriculum experts, that they should learn and explore collaboratively through a community of teachers, and that they should be researchers who continue to explore various practices in the field.