• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.890-900
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' awareness on the scientific and/or technological workplaces and relevant professions in terms of accuracy, diversity and complexity. Participants were 185 7th-, 192 9th-, and 198 10th-graders in Seoul, Daegu, and Gwangju. The results revealed that students' ideas about scientific and/or technological workplaces were general in nature and were stereotyped as certain workplaces such as a laboratory, factory and garage. Their ideas did not differ significantly by grade in view of complexity. Many students also answered that the main factors affecting their ideas about scientific and/or technological workplaces were mass media and/or school education. The students' examples of scientific and/or technological professions were stereotyped as some professions, and the number of examples were very small. Students perceive the scientific professions accurately, but they have a vague perception of the technological professions. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.