• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.855-874
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• 2012

This research aimed to obtain basic data for elementary school students to form proper concepts by comparing the science gifted students and the ordinary students of elementary school with regard to the groundwater concept, formation process, existence forms, and movement. The research subjects were 65 fifth and sixth graders of the elementary school students and the spatial ability test was conducted on the subjects, and 4 science gifted students and 8 ordinary students chosen from the subjects were analyzed using half-structured interview data and ground water drawing drawn by the students. The conclusion derived in accordance with the research purpose is summarized as follows. It was found that there were no great differences in the answers to the question asking what groundwater is between the science gifted elementary school students with high spatial ability and the ordinary elementary school students with moderate spatial ability. The ordinary students with low spatial ability tended to regard groundwater as the concept of water and sewage. In the concept of the formation process of groundwater, the science gifted elementary school students with high spatial ability explained it by citing diverse surface water such as rainfall, river water, lake, and waterfall, and the ordinary elementary school students with moderate spatial ability all mentioned only rainfall and river water and could not explain diverse spatial factors. The ordinary elementary school students with low spatial ability mentioned rainfall and river water and perceived that groundwater was formed artificially. In the concept regarding the existence form of groundwater, the ordinary elementary school students with low spatial ability could not think of space perception that small pore space exists in earth or soil in the ground. The science gifted elementary school students with high spatial ability knew that groundwater exists in pore space with regarding groundwater movement, the ordinary elementary school students with low spatial ability thought that there was no groundwater movement and that it could be moved only by artificial facilities. There were differences in the perception of pore space and in the perception of existence and non-existence of groundwater movement accordingly, but for most of the elementary school students, the concept of groundwater was formed differently from the scientific concept. It is considered that most of the elementary school students formed erroneous concept about groundwater and could not connect ground water under the surface of the earth with the substances forming its surroundings with regard to the concept of groundwater.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.277-291
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• 2009

This study is intended to develop plant inquiry instruction using Rapid-cycling Brassica rapa (RcBr) whose life cycle is relatively short, and to apply it to the elementary science instruction of the 4th grader and examine their plant concept, science inquiry skills and science-related attitudes. The materials were consisted of laboratory manuals for the students as well as teachers' guide. By observing the life cycle of RcBr, students can experience the conceptual learning of the plant's life cycle. In addition, this study investigated the cause of change in science inquiry skills and science-related attitudes by interviewing 12 students. It has shown that plant inquiry instruction using RcBr has meaningful effects on students' understanding of the plant concept, improving students' science inquiry skills, and changing students' science-related attitudes. Students who showed improvement in science inquiry skills were able to answer questions regarding science knowledge correctly. And students whose science related attitudes were improved had a positive attitude on cultivating RcBr. Students told that RcBr was an interesting and good material to inquire plant. Because of its small size and its relatively short life cycle of RcBR, it should be a desirable plant material for the inquiry instruction which can give rise to useful and meaningful results for the elementary school students.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1027-1038
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• 2012

We investigated the effect of Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) on elementary students' concept formation and their retention. Also we explored the interaction effect of those with scientific attitudes. We developed mirrors/lenses lessons incorporating SWH. An experimental group of fifth grade students (n=25) had been instructed with SWH lessons for six periods while a control group (n=25) taught according to the normal science lessons based on the Korean national curriculum using teacher's guides published by the Ministry of Education. Results of pre- and post-test of understanding the concept of mirrors and lenses showed a positive impact of SWH on both male and female students. However, the retention effect after post-test revealed that SWH only had an effect on female students' scientific attitudes. SWH, therefore, could be an effective teaching approach especially on concept formation, retention effects by fostering female students' scientific attitudes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.197-203
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• 2012

The main purpose of this research is to search the effect of different types of advance organizers in elementary science classes, to the students in acquiring scientific concepts and its retentions. In order to proceed with the research, We have chosen 93 students of three different classes of fifth graders, studying in M elementary school in U metropolitan city. We have randomly chosen two classes as an experimental group and one class as a comparative group. In the first experimental group (Group1), advance organizer was put in a form of a sentence., and the second experimental group (Group2), advance organizer was put in a form of a picture. For the comparative group, We have not put any advance organizer, and the method of class was proceeded as it was before. The result of this research are as follows. Firstly, the result of 'One-way analysis of variance' on scientific concept grade, right after the experiment on three groups, has shown a meaningful difference that, the shape of advance organizer does affect the acquisition of elementary school students' scientific concept. Secondly, even though Group1, who was given with a sentence as an advance organizer, got higher scientific concept scores after the experiment than that of comparative group, However, there was not a meaningful difference between Group1 and comparative group. Thirdly, Group2, who was given with a picture as an advance organizer, has shown a meaningful difference from comparative group. Judging from the facts above, utilizing an advance organizer of a picture in elementary science class, will be very affective on students' acquiring scientific concept.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.480-497
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• 2021

This study intends to explore the content and organization characteristics of elementary school science textbooks in the astronomical domain from the perspective of understanding the astronomical spatial concept. This study analyzed the relevant unit of the achievement criteria in the 2015 revised science curriculum for the 'space' domain in elementary school science textbooks in comparison with that in secondary school textbooks according to the spatial concept analysis criteria by texts, illustrations, and inquiry activities. As a result, elementary school science textbooks were found to be organized around phenomena rather than concepts, targeting observable celestial bodies linked to real life in order to optimize the amount of learning content. However, the learning contents of astronomical observation related to observation and phenomena-centered real life should stimulate the curiosity and imagination of elementary school students and encourage their intellectual participation. Students need to be supported for understanding of the spatial concept to find an answer to the question of 'why'. The content organization for core concepts should be organized around the transferable spatial concept rather than simply focusing on presenting results by accurately describing the phenomena observed by students through scientific practice in order for students to answer various questions that arise in the course of scientific practice.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.267-281
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of breeding experiences of companion animals on elementary school students' interest in science, science curiosity, and science self-concept in relation to companion animals that are rapidly increasing in modern society. To achieve the purpose of this study, level of four hundred and seventy-four 6th grade at elementary school students' interest in science, science curiosity, and science self-concept according to breeding experiences of companion animals were compared and analyzed through ANOVA and independent sample t-test. As a result of the analysis, students who have experience in raising companion animals have higher interest in science, science curiosity, and science self-concept than students who have no experience in raising companion animals. It is believed that students participate in breeding activities of companion animals with interest and curiosity, and that self-concept has increased due to the process of acquiring knowledge necessary to raise companion animals and successful breeding experiences. The results of this study are meaningful in that they discussed the implications of breeding experiences of companion animals for science education, using companion animals that have not been studied much in the field of science education so far.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.228-237
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• 2004

The purposes of this study are how to consider the concept of magnetization by fifth elementary school students and how to change conceptions of students after the experiment with developed experiment sets. Personal interviews to the students were used for this study. to probe the conceptions of them, it allowed them to make gestures and to draw pictures through interview. From the analyses of the interview data, following results were found. Students have mostly understood the concept of magnetization, but have not remembered the term itself. And, the students believe that iron is magnetized only if iron was directly contacted a magnet. After the experiment, the students understand that iron could be also magnetized without direct contact to a magnet. And also, they could explain magnetization of iron powder around a magnet by applying the concept of magnetization. This new experiment is a good tool to understand concepts of magnetism.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.226-234
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the application of storytelling on pre-service teachers of elementary school who take courses in 'earth's strata and rock' on science teaching concept and science teaching efficacy. The experiment was aimed at one class (32 students) enrolled in the 'earth's strata and rock' course at intensive course through 15 weeks from March to June. The experiment was taking lectures of "earth's strata and rock" for one semester, and the pre-service teachers of elementary school finished class demonstration with storytelling technique by group. The results and analysis of the study were analyzed by the corresponding sample test in before and after the group test. The conclusion of the study is as follows. First, the application of storytelling method on pre-service teachers of elementary school was effective in science concept. teaching efficacy. Second, the application of storytelling method on pre-service teachers of elementary school was effective in science teaching efficacy. Third, the application of storytelling method on pre-service teachers of elementary school responded positively.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2004

In this study, we investigated the effects of using concept mapping as an instructional tool on 4th graders' achievement, science learning motivation, and attitude toward science classes. Two classes (38 students) from an elementary school were respectively assigned to a control group and a treatment group. Students were taught about "expansion of matter by heat" and "heat transfer". These topics were chosen because they require students to understand more concepts as well as relationships among them. A science learning motivation test and an attitude toward science classes test were administered as pretests. A researcher-made achievement test, the science learning motivation test, and the attitude toward science classes test were administered as posttests. The results indicated that using concept mapping in 4th-grade science classes was not significantly effective in improving students' achievement though a statistically significant positive effect was found in the subcategory of knowledge. No statistically significant effect of using concept mapping was found in the scores of the science learning motivation test and the attitude toward science classes test. Educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.595-603
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• 2003

The study investigated the effect of a social constructivist model on changes of concept on 103 4th graders in three elementary schools. In particular, it analyzed whether the application of a concept circle map developed student understanding of the concept. After a one month study period, the 103 students took a pencil and paper test on changes of concepts learned. The results indicated that the social constructivist model positively influenced student concept development. In conclusion, a concept circle map used on a social constructivist model may be employed as a tool for diagnostic or formative evaluation.