• The Mathematical Education
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.247-270
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• 2013

The purpose of this research was to analyze the convergent approaches for creativity in elementary mathematics textbooks in Korean and the united States. Convergent approaches have emphasized since NCTM(2000) consistently includes 'connections' as an important factor in mathematics curriculum and KOFAC(Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science & Creativity) initiated the STEAM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in mathematics and science education. For this research, two elementary mathematics textbooks were analyzed focused on their contexts and contents: Korean National Elementary Mathematics Textbooks and Navigations in Numbers, Data, and Space. In both textbooks, it was not easy to find so called the convergent approach in a real sense, but they use some contexts for connections between mathematical concepts and real world phenomena. For the enhancement of convergent approaches in mathematics education, we need to have a broader sense in the convergent approaches and develop various meaningful materials.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.525-542
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze the internal and external frameworks of elementary science textbooks, which first appeared as the authorization system of elementary science textbooks changed from the national government system. In order to confirm the purpose of the authorization system to support the development of diverse and creative textbooks, this study compared 7 authorized textbooks with the national textbook developed as the 'Use of Magnets' unit of the 2015 revised science curriculum. In this study, the textbook's framework was largely divided into an external framework and an internal framework for the 'Use of Magnets' unit of elementary science textbooks, and quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted in parallel according to each subcategory. According to the research results, in the external framework of textbook units, all textbooks had the same structure: unit introduction, scientific inquiry, creative convergence, unit arrangement, and scientific reading materials. The framework in the 'Use of Magnets' unit of the 7 types of authorized textbooks was found to have some differences according to the textbook development team's interpretation of the curriculum achievement standards and many commonalities that maintained the framework in the national textbooks. In addition, the characteristics of each textbook were clearly revealed in some areas not specified in curriculum such as unit introduction activities and science reading materials, a meaningful change was also found in that the level of inquiry activity was classified and operated in response to the uniform inquiry activity operation of the existing government textbooks.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2012

The Purpose of this study was to analyze STS contents in elementary school science textbooks according to 6th, 7th and revision 2007 national curriculum. The contents of STS were analyzed by the STS elements of Yager and the STS topics of Piel's standard. Major findings from the analyses are as follows: (1) The STS contents in the science textbooks of the 6th curriculum took up 13.7% and increased to 18.3% in the 7th and 19.0% in the revision 2007, which showed that the textbooks followed the goal of the national curriculum faithfully. (2) Based on the STS elements by Yager's standard, most of STS content is focused on 'Application of science', 'Social problems and issues' and 'Local and community relevance'. (3) Based on the STS topics by Piel's standard, most of STS contents are focused on 'Effect of technological development' and 'Society of science'. These results indicate that recent STS education trends are reflected on the 6th, 7th and revision 2007 textbooks well. However, it is suggested that some improvement is needed, such as diversification of topic.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.509-524
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• 2007

The purpose of the study is to compare elementary school science textbooks ($3^{rd}$ grade) in Korea and the U.S., centering on the ways to present scientific concepts and inquiry process in the units of 'matter.' The analysis is focused on: a) general structure of the units; b) how to present scientific concepts in terms of its connections and complexity; c) how to present inquiry process in terms of its types and skills. The findings of the study are as follows. First, the contents of 'matter' units are scientific discipline-based in both countries. The general structure of the units in Korean textbooks is unrestricted compared to those in the U.S. Second, the connections among the concepts are poor and the level of complexity is low in Korean textbooks, which are contrary to those in the U.S. textbooks. Third, it is a common feature that the inquiry process is based on learners' everyday experiences with simple experiments in two countries' textbooks. However, the inquiry process in the U.S. textbooks is provided with detailed instructions while the process in Korea is presented with diverse activities without formal guidelines. Based on the results, the study suggests three recommendations to improve Korean textbooks: a) science contents should be linked to other disciplines in order to promote practical applications; b) scientific concepts are required to be tightly connected and provided with in-depth explanations; c) inquiry process is needed to be presented with specific guidance to facilitate scientific thinking.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.247-256
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• 1993

The purpose of this study is to analyze the contents and problems on astronomical areas in the elementary science textbooks. The results of analysis are as follows; 1. In objective analysis of the elementary science textbooks, completeness of unit was shown 50% in chapters, 67% in sections. and 100% in periods. 2. In inquiry activities, the total number of inquiry tasks are 108, among them observation has much more percentage(30%) than any other task. 3. The total inquiry index of the science textbooks are found about 73.4, this index is higher than 35-50 of NSTA. 4. The openness scale of the science textbooks is found to be scale 2 for all sections.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.22-35
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• 2013

In this study, we analyzed the problems of grade 3~4 science textbooks developed for the 2007 revised national curriculum raised by elementary school teachers. 53 elementary school teachers were selected and asked to complete the open questionnaire to find out the problems they experienced or perceived when they taught the corresponding unit of the science textbooks. The responses were coded and categorized through researchers' cross analysis. The result revealed various problems in using the science textbooks in real classroom context. The problems were divided into three dimensions as inquiry activity aspect, science knowledge aspect, and science learning assessment aspect. Each dimension consisted of several categories. We explained the frequency and representative examples of the problems in each category. These can provide some guidelines and implications for new science textbook developers and science education policy makers.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.244-256
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• 2006

Elementary teachers should lower their levels of expectation and indeed perspectives to those of elementary students. Even in relation to basic symbols, such as an arrow, can be read differently by teachers or students. Semiotics deals with the creation of meaning in rotation to symbols and signs. This study introduces semiotic analysis to the study of science textbooks. Elementary science textbooks contain a great many inscriptions, such as photographs and cartoons, even more than texts, such as words and sentences. Inscriptions employ various social conventions such as arrows, auxiliary lines, etc. Some conventional signs, however, hold different or indeed multiple meanings than the textbook author intended the sign to have. The arrows used in science textbook, mainly in the inscriptions, were analyzed and classified according to their intended meaning. The results indicated that teachers should use such arrows more carefully in lessons with elementary students.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 1996

We examined the science education system in North Korea from the elementary to the high schools. We also analyzed the physics textbooks used in North Korea and compared the results with the textbooks used in South Korea. We compared the goal and system of physics education, and the content, order of study, and volume of the textbooks. Physics education starts at the 4th year at the elementary school, and is taught through the whole school years in North Korea. The science process skills are regarded to be important and figures, tables, problem sets, experiments, and sample solutions are exclusively used in the textbooks. Electomagnetism occupies the largest portion in physics textbooks, but subjects related to the application of physics are more stressed. There are a few subjects which are included in the North Korean textbooks but not in the South Korean textbooks. We have compiled about 60 North Korean physics words which are different from the South Korean words used in the textbooks. Overall, there will be not much difficulty in integrating the physics education system and physics textbooks after the two Koreas are unified.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.795-805
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated elementary students' perceptions of digital science textbooks after they used the digital science textbooks based on 2009 national science curriculum. For this study, 103 $3^{rd}$ and $4^{th}$ grade students were participated. They responded to the survey items about use comfortableness and satisfaction of the digital textbook. Descriptive survey and interviews were administered to understand their perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of the digital science textbooks. The analyses of the data show that students' perceptions of the digital science textbooks were positive in general and their satisfaction appeared to be quite high. They perceived the most advantage as having chances to use multimedia like video clips, pictures, and sound. They also mentioned other advantages like viewer functions such as highlights and notes, learning support functions such as supplementary materials and videos for science experiments, and smart pad functions to operate with hands. On the other hand, they pointed out disadvantages that there were many errors and lags in operation. We also discussed the educational implications about improving digital science textbook for effective science learning.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.770-782
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• 2022

This study analyzes the depictions of scientists and teachers' thoughts on the 2015 revised elementary school science authorized 3rd-4th grade textbooks from the perspective of gender equality, and suggest improvements for the 2015 elementary school science authorized 5th-6th grade textbooks as well as a 2022 revised elementary school science curriculum. The data consist of representations of scientists found in seven elementary science textbooks provided to 3rd- and 4th-grade students in 2022 as well as in-depth interviews conducted with three elementary school teachers and responses from 32 teachers in Gyeonggi-do. Of the 23 scientists depicted in the textbooks, three (13.0%) are female and 10 (43.5%) worked in the inquiry domain, which was the largest group. When the teachers were asked about their perceptions of the gender ratio of scientists in the textbooks, their answers revealed that they had lower perceptions of female scientists compared to male scientists; moreover, they had no or very little teaching experience concerning female scientists. Furthermore, the teachers' thoughts on improving the gender ratio of scientists depicted in the textbooks differed considerably by the teachers' gender. Based on these findings, it was concluded that during the process of producing textbooks, writers and members of society need to agree on the gender ratio of scientists to be represented, and a social consensus is needed to identify and introduce the achievements of previously unknown female scientists towards gender equality.