• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.249-262
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• 2010

Large Midwest university faculty members proposed the Science and Technology Enhancement Program Project (STEP) to improve students' learning in the secondary mathematics classroom using modules of inquiry-based teaching. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the STEP Project on students' attitude toward mathematics. Hierarchical linear models (HLM) were used to evaluate the impact of the STEP Project. The sample group for the study was 130 ninth grade students enrolled in Integrated Algebra I in a large urban school district. The school was one of eight secondary schools that participated in the STEP Project. The classes in the treatment group were three of five classes ordered in terms of the highest, middle, and lowest mean GPA. The control group consisted of two other middle GPA classes. The classes had an average of 25 students. Teachers who previously had been involved in the STEP Project taught all treatment and control classes. The inquiry-based teaching activities provided by the project were confined to the treatment classes. The survey measuring students' attitudes toward mathematics were obtained for both groups of students. The inquiry-based teaching affected students' attitudes toward mathematics (p < 0.07, ES = 3.07). Especially, students who had preexisting low attitudes toward mathematics were significantly affected by treatment (p < 0.02, ES = 0.02), while the treatment positively affected African American students overall at p < 0.08 (ES = 0.58).

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.227-238
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the perception of elementary school students on inquiry activities and collaborative problem-solving ability in data-based scientific inquiry. For this purpose, 20 data-based scientific inquiry classes were conducted in 26 elementary school students in Gyeongnam City. After selecting the inquiry problem, students conducted an inquiry process to collect data using digital inquiry instruments. The following results were obtained through questionnaires and interviews after the classes: First, students perceived the step on 'inquiry design and execution' as the most useful in the data-based scientific inquiry. Second, students perceived that their scientific ability and cooperation improved through data-based scientific inquiry, with the selection of inquiry problems being the most difficult. Third, students perceived positively the improvement of cooperative problem-solving ability. From the above results, it was found that data-based scientific inquiry is necessary to improve the elementary school students' scientific inquiry ability and cooperative problem-solving ability. Based on this research, we hope that the development and research of various inquiry activities will provide opportunities for inquiry that can cultivate various abilities needed for students living in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.88-96
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Jigsaw small inquiry method on science academic achievement and scientific attitudes. For this study, two classes of six graders were divided into a research group and a comparative group. The classes were pre-tested in order to ensure the same standard. The research group had the science class with Jigsaw small inquiry method, and the comparative group had the class with a teacher centered lectures for 12 classes for 12 weeks. The Jigsaw small inquiry method was focused on the introduction stage, the whole group activities, professional group activities, restart the whole group activities, supplementary structured study guide, results announced, and excellent group rewards. To prove the effects of this study, science learning motivation was split up based on the attention power, relation, confidence, and sense of satisfaction. The results of this study are as follows. First, Jigsaw small inquiry method is effective in science academic achievement. Second, Jigsaw small inquiry method is effective in scientific attitudes. Also, Jigsaw small inquiry method was approved by students. Consequently, Jigsaw small inquiry method had the great effects on developing science academic achievement for the elementary science class. That means the science class with Jigsaw small inquiry method has potential to develop science academic achievement and scientific attitudes.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.185-204
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• 2010

Inquiring earth science phenomena is characterized by the followings: a big scale of time and space, inaccessibility, uncontrollability, and complexity. Thus, it is very difficult or, in some cases, impossible to investigate them through the actual manipulation in laboratories. Therefore, it is necessary to provide chance for students to experience scientific inquiry without actual manipulation in earth science classes. This study is to explore the role of reasoning based on a thought experiment as a representative model without actual manipulation, and to investigate features of various inquiry models using reasoning in classes. We can make implications when applying for applying each inquiry model to earth science classes, proposing a reasoning-based inquiry model embedded in earth scientific phenomena.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of elementary school students' knowledge and information processing competence and collaborative problem-solving ability in scientific inquiry class using data measured with digital inquiry tools. To this end, three classes of 5th grade elementary schools in S-city, Gyeongnam were selected as experimental groups and three classes as control groups. The control group conducted traditional lecture-style classes, and the experimental group conducted scientific inquiry classes using scientific data. The following results were obtained through questionnaires after class. First, science inquiry classes using scientific data helped elementary school students improve their knowledge and information processing competence. Second, scientific inquiry classes using scientific data improved elementary school students' cooperative problem-solving ability. From the above results, it was found that scientific inquiry classes using scientific data are needed to improve the knowledge information processing competence and cooperative problem solving ability of elementary school students. Based on this research, it is necessary to study a specific teaching and learning environment that can activate scientific inquiry class using data measured with digital inquiry tools in the future.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.102-111
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• 2010

This study examined the instructional influences of MBL programs on elementary school students' science achievement, scientific inquiry skills, and science learning motivation. The perceptions of students and their teacher toward science classes using MBL programs were also examined. The subject of this study was sixty four 4th grade students from two classes. The experimental group engaged in science classes that applied MBL and the control group engaged in traditional science classes based on the textbook and experiment workbook. As results, there was no significant difference in academic achievement, scientific inquiry skills, however, were significantly higher for the experiment group compared to the control group. There was also significant difference in the relevance and confidence, the sub-categories of science learning motivation. In the analyses of students' perceptions toward science classes using MBL, students showed positive perceptions in aspects of interests of science classes, content comprehension, and convenience of experiments. The teacher also showed positive perceptions using MBL in elementary science classes. Educational implications of appling MBL in elementary science classes were discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.273-290
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• 2017

The purposes of this study are to develop a measuring instrument for perception of science classes based on the view of 'Community of Inquiry in Science Classroom' and to investigate elementary school students' perceptions with the instrument developed in the study. A total of 417 6th grade students participated in this study. As a result, first, we developed two set of questionnaire: (a) the questionnaire for the 'process of inquiry' consisted of six factors: 'problem recognition I: recognition of inconsistency,' 'problem recognition II: interests,' 'problem explanation I: hypothesis generation and examination,' 'problem explanation II: cooperative review,' 'problem solving I: reflection on the change of relationship with objects/conceptions,' and 'problem solving II: reflection on the change of relationship with community/ inquirer,' comprising a total of 42 items; (b) the questionnaire for the 'basis of inquiry' consisted of three factors:'will of conducting inquiry,' 'attitudes of conducting inquiry,' and 'structure of communication,' comprising a total of 17 items. Second, we found that elementary school students had positive recognition generally on their science classes in terms of the 'community of inquiry in science classroom,' but they had relatively negative recognition on the factors of problem recognition based on recognition of inconsistency, problem solving accompanied with reflection on the change of relationship with objects/conceptions, and attitudes of conducting inquiry based on severity and fallibilism, Finally, several suggestions for the science education were given.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.341-358
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop performance assessment materials of scientific inquiry skills on sixty scientific activities in elementary science textbook for fifth and sixth grades. For this study, a total of 500 elementary teachers were sampled and surveys were carried out to examine the status of performance assessment of scientific inquiry skills in school. The classification system of assessment methods by Hart(1994) was also analyzed to create' assessment strategy of scientific inquiry skills' for elementary school students. Based on the quantitative data analysis and literature study, performance assessment materials were developed and applied to science classes for fifth and sixth grades. Teachers and students were interviewed after the classes for asking about merits and improvements and the performance assessment materials were revised. This study can provide elementary school teachers with reliable sources for performance assessment of scientific inquiry skills utilized in their science classes.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.152-161
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to diagnose difficulties and problems that the preservice teachers experience when teaching inquiry-based classes in elementary science and to improve their professionalism through prescriptive instruction consulting utilizing PDRE (preparation, diagnosis, reflective implementation, evaluation) model. The result of this study was as follows. First, preservice teachers considered themselves to be lack of scientific knowledge, but this study confirmed that the application of instruction consulting improved their understandings in scientific concepts and principles and corrected their misconceptions. Second, preservice teachers experienced difficulties in variables that might influence the results of experiments, cautions for the experiments and unexpected results of experiments, and this consulting allowed them to gain instruction ability to cope with such circumstances and solve problems effectively. Third, preservice teachers experienced difficulties in applying instructional model into their classes and preparing lesson plans, but consulting actually made limited but positive changes in their abilities. However, from a longer-term perspective, quantitative increase in their teaching opportunities, the development and distribution of example manuals, and the utilization of various class materials provided by the assistant centers for teaching and learning should be achieved side by side.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.399-419
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to develop performance assessment materials of scientific inquiry skills on 62 scientific activities in elementary science textbook for third and fourth grades. For this study, a total of 318 elementary teachers were sampled and surveys were carried out to examine the status of performance assessment of scientific inquiry skills in school. The classification system of assessment methods by Hart(1994) was also analyzed to create assessment strategy of scientific inquiry skills for elementary school students. Based on the quantitative data analysis, literature study and existing performance assessment materials analysis, performance assessment materials were developed and applied to science classes for third and fourth grades. Teachers and students were interviewed after the classes for asking about merits and improvements and the performance assessment materials were revised.