• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.247-260
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• 2014

Purpose of this study is to analyze the roles and strategies of imagistic simulation observed in mental simulation about problematic situation of prediction, and thereby identify the process of generating prediction, explanation and sophistication. For this study, a framework for mental simulation process and strategy based on literary research was developed and content was validated from four experts of science education. This study was participated by 10 preliminary elementary school teachers, and a total of 20 cases were gathered for two thought experiment tasks based on the think-aloud method. The results were as follows: First, mental simulation process described based on the seven elements of 'perception,' 'interpretation,' 'statement of initial representation,' 'running imagistic simulation,' 'identifying result of simulation,' 'identifying alignment' and 'restatement structured representation.' The study confirmed that initial representation by interpreting related concepts and running imagistic simulation a number of times to develop explanation and prediction. Second, the study identified the use of strategies to enhance simulation such as 'zoom in,' 'partition,' 'dimensional enhancement,' 'dimensional reduction,' 'remove,' 'replace' and 'extreme case.' Running spatial transformation that uses strategy to enhance simulation contributed to discovering mechanism elements in problematic situations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to analyze the conceptual simulation observed when students are thinking about the causes of the seasonal change, identifying how students come up with the explanation. For this study, a framework for conceptual simulation process and strategy based on literary research was developed and its validity was proved by four experts in the field of science education. The results were as in the following: First, through the process of explaining the causes for seasonal change, students usually base their explanation on perceptual experience learned from model experiments from a science class. Besides, construct of thought experiment using the familiar object or analogize of the familiar perceptual experience. These all contributed to on explanation firmly. Second, errors from mental simulation were found in the statement of initial representation and running imagistic simulation. It happened when statement of initial representation is not in a complete and secure state or when participants think of an inappropriate situation during running imagistic simulation. Third, the study identified that the use of strategies like 'removal' and 'replace' was shown to enhance the effects of conceptual simulation particularly in regard with solar attitude at meridian passage.