• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2002

This study investigates the impact of Calculator-Based Ranger (CBR) activities in the performance of middle school students' graphing abilities of physical phenomena. Two issues about CBR activities on graphing abilities were addressed in this study; (1) the effect of CBR activities on graphing abilities, and (2) the influence of instructional styles on students' graphing abilities. Following the use of CBR activities, students' graphing abilities were significantly more developed in three components-interpreting, modeling, and transforming. Significant differences were found in students' achievement depending on instructional styles related to differentiation, which is closely connected to transforming distance-time graphs to velocity-time graphs. The findings of this study indicate that CBR activities may enhance students in constructing appropriate webs of related concepts and ability to qualitatively interpret graphs. Using collaborative CBR activities to introduce and explore graphing of physical phenomena is, therefore, recommended for inclusion in the secondary mathematics curriculum.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.725-739
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of graphing abilities to logical thinking and science process skills of middle school students. The subjects for this study were selected 481 students from four middle schools for TOGS(the Test of Graphing in Science), GALT(Group Assessment of Logical Thinking) and TIPS II (Test of Integrated Process Skills). This study shows that the correlation coefficient between abilities of students to construct/interpret graphs and the logical thinking was 0.45, and the correlation coefficient between abilities to construct/interpret graphs and science process skills are 0.32. As a result, abilities of students to construct and interpret graphs arc more correlate the logical thinking than science process skills.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.768-778
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• 2002

Science teachers often suppose that students are able to know the symbolical meaning of graphs when they see the graphs. But such a assumption is not based on the firm theories but a mere image. And we need to search them for holding the abilities to construct and to interpret. In addition, unfortunately, many researchers show that they scarcely have the graphing skills. And then, The Test of Graphing in Science(TOGS) was administered to 535 7th to 12th graders, for we search them for holding the graphing abilities to some degree. Though the higher grade, the better score, they lack the first three among 9 objectives of TOGS which are scaling axes, assigning variables to the axes, using a best fit line, plotting points, translating a graph that displays the data, selecting the corresponding value for y(or x), interrelating/extrapolating graphs, describing the relationship between variables, interrelating the results of the two graphs. It was concluded from this that subjects' graph construction is lower than their graph interpretation in graph skills. It suggests that school science have a bias toward graph interpretation. This tendency represents more strikingly in the case of upper students in TOGS than the others'.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.163-184
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to develop the assessment tools using graphing calculators for the assessment of the mathematical process which was emphasized in 2009 reformed mathematics curriculum. In this paper, we presented three sample calculator-based test items for the assessment of students' mathematical process abilities and scoring rubrics for the paper and pencil assessment and assessment based on observation on each item. In order to improve mathematics teachers' understanding of the assessment tools using graphing calculators and to show the procedures of assessment using technological devices, we also drew up assessment guidelines. We hope the results of the study contribute to the promotion of assessment environment encouraging the use of graphing calculators in assessments.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.624-633
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• 2005

Line graphs are frequently used to communicate data and basic concepts in classroom activities, Science teachers often assume that students are able to interpret the symbolic meaning of the graphs, but such an assumption is not based on sufficient evidence, The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of graphing ability to science-process skills and academic achievement of high school students: With regard to science-process skills, graphing ability was found to have a slight correlation with science-process skills (.41). Among the sub-skills of the science-process, graphing ability was seen to have a relatively high correlation with basic science-process skills such as 'measuring', 'inferring', 'predicting', while having relatively low correlation with integrated science-process skills such as 'formulating hypothesis' and 'generalization', With regard to academic achievement, graphing ability appeared to have no correlation with academic achievement (.06). Hence, a correlation between graphing ability and science-process skills was proved. It can also be concluded that improving graphing ability will greatly support students with their science study and, therefore, organized efforts and efficient educational methods should be developed in order to overcome the insufficient graphing ability among high school students.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.490-500
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• 2012

This study was to examine elementary male and female students' spatial abilities, science process skills, and graph construction and interpretation abilities in order to understand the effect that their spatial abilities and science process skills would have on their graph abilities. To conduct this study, total 12 classes of 435 pupils, 6 classes each from grades 5 and 6 in elementary schools were selected for subjects. The number of male student was 207 and that of female one was 228 of them. And previous test papers of spatial abilities, of science process abilities, and of graph abilities were retouched and updated for reuse in new tests. The results of this study are briefed as follows: Firstly, when spatial abilities for male and female group were compared, female group showed a little higher rate of correct answering than male, but not providing statistically significant gap. Secondly, the science process skill tests revealed basic process skills of both groups were more excellent than their integrated process skills, while female group was found to have more correct answers than male, all of which were proving statistical distinction. Thirdly, of graphing skills for two groups, the graph interpretation skills turned out to be better than the graph construction skills, with female group scoring higher than male and with meaningful difference. Fourthly, both between spatial abilities and graph abilities, and between science process skills and graph abilities, static correlations existed with statistical meaning. In other words, those with higher spatial abilities or science process skills were to do better in constructing and interpreting graphs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.180-191
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on STEAM education for intergrated science inquiry ability of high school students. The experimental and control group were 30 students, respectively. The STEAM program developed by a teacher study group was applied to the experimental group students for 6 months. The control group learned traditional methods. The results of this study showed that the intergrated science inquiry ability of experimental group students were increased positively(P<0.05). Also the abilities as hypothesis, defining variables, determining variables, operational definition and data interpretation improved affirmatively(P<0.05) except graphing.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.398-411
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of research project activities using the science writing heuristic on science inquiry abilities and attitudes toward science in high school students. For this purpose, we conducted the research project activities using the science writing heuristic consisting of questioning, experimental design, observation, argument and evidence, reading, and reflection steps for 73 students of the second year of science core course in high school in Jeonnam. In order to analyze the effects of the program, we surveyed the scientific inquiry ability and attitude toward science, investigated the perception of the research project class applying science writing heuristic, and conducted interviews when there was difficulty in interpreting the results. And the results of this study are as follows. First, among the science inquiry abilities, the score of Reasoning, Hypothesis setting, Finding variables, Operational definition, Experimental design, Graphing and data interpretation, Generalization was significantly improved statistically (p<.05), but the score of Expectation was not statistically significant (p>.05). Second, among the attitudes toward science, the score of 'Leisure interest in science', 'Enjoyment of science lessons', 'Career interest in science' was significantly improved statistically (p<.05). And the score of 'Attitude to scientific inquiry' decreased but it's not significant statistically. The high school research project applying science writing heuristic had a positive effect on scientific inquiry ability and scientific attitude but it could be burden to students because it is led by students in a form different from general science class for a long time. And so continuous study on research project that minimize these disadvantages and maximize their merits is needed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 2005

Graphing abilities are critical to understand and convey information in science. And then, to what extent are secondary students in science courses able to understand line graphs? To find clues about the students' interpretation processes of the information in science-related line graphs, this study has the following research question: Is there a difference between the levels of complexity of good and poor readers as they use the thinking aloud method for studying cognitive processes? The present study was designed to provide evidence for the hypothesis that good line graph readers use a specific graph interpretation process when reading and interpreting line graphs. With the aid of the thinking aloud method we gained deeper insight into the interpretation processes of good and poor graph readers while verifying verbal statements with respect to line graphs. The high performing students tend to read much more information and more trend-related information than the low performing students. We support the assumption of differential line graph schema existing in the high performing students in conjunction with general graph schema. Also, high performing students tend to think aloud much more metacognitively than low performing students. High performing students think aloud a larger quantity of information from line graphs than low performing students, and more trend-related sentences than value-related sentences from line graphs. The differences of interpretation processes revealed between good and poor graph readers while reading and interpreting line graphs have implications for instructional practice as well as for test development and validation. Teaching students to read and interpret graphs flexibly and skillfully is a particular challenge to anyone seriously concerned with good education for students who live in an technological society.