• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to look into self-concept and teaching anxiety of elementary school teachers about inquiry instruction in science class, and investigate correlations among them. For this study, the survey was carried out on 338 elementary school teachers, and the interview was conducted with 5 of them. The results of this study are as follows; Self-concept of elementary school teachers about inquiry instruction in science class was more positive than usual. And the teachers who were male, older and majored in science education showed more affirmative self-concept about inquiry instruction in science class. Teaching anxiety of elementary school teachers about inquiry instruction in science class was less than usual. And the teachers who were male, older and majored in science education showed less teaching anxiety about inquiry instruction in science class. The correlation of self-concept and teaching anxiety of elementary school teachers about inquiry instruction in science class was an negative interrelation. This presents that the teachers, who have more positive self-concept about inquiry instruction in science class, have less teaching anxiety than those who have more negative one. Consequently, teacher training and retraining programs should be developed and conducted by grasping teachers' self-concept and their anxiety, to reduce anxiety about inquiry instruction in science class.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to compare the elementary science curriculum and textbooks of Korea, the United States, Japan, and Singapore to know how the contents on particulate concept of matter is introduced and expressed. In Korea, particulate concept of matter was adopted as a term for 'molecules' in the 3rd through 6th curriculum, and the term for 'particles' was adopted in the 2009 revised curriculum. In the United States, NGSS adopted the term 'particle' in fifth grade. Japan presented the concept of 'particle' as a core concept of matter in the commentary, and the expressions 'particles' were being introduced in the textbooks. But it did not cover particulate nature of matter at the elementary school level in Singapore. An analysis of elementary textbooks in Korea, the United States and Japan except Singapore showed particulate expressions in 'dissolution', 'state change of water', 'gas pressure and volume', 'combustion and extinguishment' units. Korean textbook was only being introduced in 'dissolution' and 'gas pressure and volume', but in the textbooks of Japan and the United States, water was expressed as particles in 'state change of water' unit. Discussion and implication on the introduction of particulate concept to elementary science curriculum and textbooks were suggested based on the results.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.427-440
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to develop a science writing teaching strategy, and to apply it to the fourth-graders in elementary science classes. We examined its effect on their motivation, attitude, and understanding of science concept. For the research fourth grade children were grouped into three classes: an experimental class A of 27 children, an experimental class B of 24 and a comparative class of 27. All of them are from H elementary school in Seoul, Korea. Experimental class A learned science writing with a newly developed strategy while experimental class B learned science writing in a traditional method. Comparative class did not learn science writing. As a result, class A showed positive changes on students' science motivation, attitude, and understanding of science concept. In addition, class B with even one science writing task for a chapter had higher achievement in the understanding of science concept than the comparative class had.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.607-619
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of concept understanding on the stratum for elementary school students. For this objective, questions on the stratum concept were developed, and concept survey was conducted for random sampling of $5^{th}$ and $6^{th}$ grade 536 students. As a result, students chosen correct answers of the average 57.4% for 16 questions. Below the average rate of correct answers in each domain were 1 question in the definition of the stratum, 3 questions in formation of the stratum, and 4 questions in features of the stratum. Especially, the percentage of correct answers were appeared in lowly that the difference between the visible side and non visible side on the stratum, the definition and formation process of a fault and the main cause of the stratum's exposure. Also, between the residence, grade, and gender of students, there were significant differences in 2 questions, 7 questions, and 1 questions, respectively. Therefore, many elementary school students do not have high understanding about the stratum concept. Through the results of this study, it can be contributed to find an efficient ways as a basic data for modify misconceptions of the stratum to the scientific concept.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2011

This survey investigated elementary school teachers' Astronomical Spatial Concept and their Attitudes about Astronomy for Effectively Teaching Strategy. This study surveyed 53 teachers in Ulsan. The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS WIN 18.0. The results of this study are as follows : First, Elementary school teachers' level of understanding of the concept of astronomical space, usually lower. In particular, the lower the level of understanding of the concept of spatial location. Second, Elementary teachers' attitudes about astronomy, astronomers generally appreciate the value of the information and guidance, but difficult for astronomers had recognized. Third, the concept of space and astronomy astronomical elementary teacher attitudes about sex and there was no significant difference according to the teaching career. Therefore, in order to develop effective teaching strategies for elementary teachers attitudes about astronomy and astronomical space concepts from their spatial position to increase the understanding of astronomy, often on the job training to strengthen the astronomers should eliminate the difficulties.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.208-218
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• 2004

Many elementary school students have misconception related to dissolution and solution. Moreover, they usually fail to apply the results of the experiments in their science classes to their everyday life, and also have low science achievement. Therefore, they are not interested in science, and sometimes some of them are even afraid of it. The purposes of this study is to investigate the effects of concept mapping activity on science achievement and attitude. In addition, this study also aims at presenting the teaching and learning method of utilizing concept maps in order to have the students form correct concepts. The subjects were classified into two groups one group is composed of thirty-seven students (experimental group) who were participated in concept mapping activity, and the other is composed of thirty-eight students (comparison group) who were participated in the traditional teaching method. The major findings of this study are as follows: First, the concept mapping activity has a positive effect on improving students＇ science achievement. Second, the classes using concept maps have a good influence on forming students＇ science attitude. Third, the concept mapping activity is more effective in improving science achievement of mid and low level students. In conclusion, the loaming by concept mapping activity positively influence students＇ science achievement and attitude. Particularly for the students in mid and high levels, the effect is more remarkable.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.413-423
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of science writing on organizing scientific knowledge and improving science process skills and science attitude, as science educators have indicated. For this study, two classes of $5^{th}$ grade students were chosen in the same elementary school. Subjects were divided into an experimental and a control group. The students in the experimental group took part in a science writing program for 14 lessons of science classes. The students in the control group were taught according to the traditional science program using standard science textbooks. To identify the effects of science writing, both groups' students were tested on science achievement, science process skills, and science attitude before the program implementation and were tested on science concept, science process skills, science attitude after the program implementation. The results of this study showed that the experimental group gains significantly higher scores than the control group in science concept and science attitude, but there was no significant difference on science process skills for either group. In conclusion, science writing had positive effects on science concept and science attitude of elementary school students, helping them to express their thinking logically and systematically, but science process skills were not affected.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.209-223
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze science self-efficacy, science self-concept and scientific attitude according to the class size in the elementary school. For this purpose, three research questions were set as follows; First, are there any differences in science self-efficacy according to the class size? Second, are there any differences in science self-concept according to the class size? Third, are there any differences scientific attitude according to the class size? To solve this research questions, the subjects in this study were 809 5th and 6th grade students of eight elementary schools in Busan. 220 were sampled from small-size classes, 354 from mid-size classes and 235 from large-size classes. The results of this study through the process are as follows; First, there were significant differences in science self-efficacy according to the class size. Second, there were significant differences in science self-concept according to the class size. Third, according to the result, there was not a significant difference in scientific attitude according to the class size. The findings of the study suggest that it is necessary the class size should be adjusted to the appropriate level for improving student's science self-efficacy and science self-concept.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.535-550
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was the identifying differences between physicists' expectations and teachers' representations about the primary physics concepts in elementary schools. For this, the material subjects analyzed were the 7th curriculum, the textbooks of elementary school and the texts using at the department of physics in many universities. The primary physics concepts extracted from the texts were to be fundamental and basic. Also, they were restricted to the domain of dynamics. And besides, the human subjects were physicists, professors and students majoring physics of the graduate school, researchers of institutes or laboratories and elementary school teachers. At the result of this study showed the scholars and teachers have the different opinions.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.567-578
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• 2022

In this study, we examine whether the description of the elementary science curriculum guide, the concept of evolution, and the beliefs of teachers affect the teaching practice in classes related to adaptation of elementary school teachers. First, we examined the alternative concept among the sentences described in the bio-adaptation-related unit of the 2009 Elementary Science Curriculum Teacher's Guide and identified the effects of this description on the teaching practice of elementary school teachers. Next, six elementary school teachers were classified according to the results of the evolutionary concept test paper and the evolutionary belief test paper, and based on the class recording data and interview data, whether there is a difference in teaching execution. As a result, it was confirmed that there were a total of 18 descriptions corresponding to the concept of evolutionary alternatives in the analysis of instruction descriptions, and that these descriptions influenced elementary school teachers' adaptation concepts and teaching practice. Next, the group with high and low levels of evolution differ in the areas of "recognition of importance in the unit, distinction between adaptation concepts in the general sense and adaptation concepts in the biological sense, errors in the class," and "recognition of evolutionary education needs in the elementary curriculum." This study is meaningful in that it qualitatively confirms the research on the evolution concept of elementary school teachers, which has been approached quantitatively, and in-depth, confirms how the description, evolution concepts, and evolutionary beliefs affect elementary school teachers' biological adaptation concepts.