• International Journal of Contents
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.19-23
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• 2008

This paper presents a novel method to construct a personalized e-Learning system based on dynamic estimations of item parameters and learners' abilities, where the learning content objects are of the same intrinsic quality or homogeneously distributed and the estimations are carried out using IRT(Item Response Theory). The system dynamically connects the test and the corresponding learning procedures. Test results are directly applied to estimate examinee's ability and are used to modify the item parameters and the difficulties of learning content objects during the learning procedure is being operated. We define the learning unit 'Node' as an amount of learning objects operated so that new parameters can be re-estimated. There are various content objects in a Node and the parameters estimated at the end of current Node are directly applied to the next Node. We offer the most appropriate learning Node for a person's ability throughout the estimation processes of IRT. As a result, this scheme improves learning efficiency in web-base e-Learning environments offering the most appropriate learning objects and items to the individual students according to their estimated abilities. This scheme can be applied to any e-Learning subject having homogeneous learning objects and unidimensional test items. In order to construct the system, we present an operation scenario using the proposed system architecture with the essential databases and agents.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2011

Objectives：This study examined the prevalence of psychiatric problems in children with scholastic difficulties who had been referred for mental health services from the Office of Education in Ulsan Metropolitan City. Methods：Child psychiatrists evaluated the referred children using the DSM-IV. Evaluation tools included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Korean form of the State-trait anxiety Inventory for children, the ADHD rating. Results：Seventy-six children consisting of 64 boys (84.2%) and 12 girls (15.8%) participated in the study. The average age was 10.3 (SD=0.93) years old. Approximately 74% of the children referred for scholastic difficulties were diagnosed with mental retardation. The Axis I diagnosis among these children were ADHD (86.8%), depression (21.1%), learning disorder (9.2%), communication disorder (4.8%), pervasive developmental disorder (3.6%), internet addiction (1.3%), and mood disorder (1.3%). Their overall measure according to the Child Depression Inventory was 22.7 (SD=16.8), that for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children was 33.3 (SD=7.9)/32.4 (SD=9.5), and that for the ADHD rating scale was 18.9 (SD=10.9). Conclusion：These results suggest that many children with scholastic difficulties have both complex psychiatric and educational problems.

• 대한공업교육학회지
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.89-107
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception of academic difficulties of middle school students and their influences variables in technology subject. The subjects of this study were middle school students in the whole country. A total of 420 students were selected considering the grade and area for the survey. The data were collected by mail and analyzed using SPSS 22.0K. The results of this study were as follows : First, The academic difficulties perceived by middle school students in the technology subject were recognized as normal. Second, Middle school students perceived it as a lack of experience (opportunity) in the technology domain as a cause of academic difficulties. Third, In the learning process, the female students were more difficult to understand the related terms and theories than the male students. In the problem solving activities, the female students were more difficult than the male students in identifying problems, designing solutions, selecting solutions, modeling, testing solutions, and correcting improvements. Fourth, the academic difficulty in learning technology lesson was difficult in terms of terminology, theory, and practice activities in the order of Second, Third, and 1st grade. Fifth, lack of understanding knowledge, confusion of contents knowledge, lack of technical interest, shortage of class hours, lack of understanding of evaluation criteria were all influenced by the difficulty of technical subject learning. Sixth, the academic difficulty influencing the problem solving process was explained by understanding comprehension, content knowledge confusion, technical interest, class time, understanding of evaluation criteria.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.447-458
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to explore high school teacher's and students' perceptions of learning difficulties of the ‘chemical bond' unit of the Chemistry II in the 7th national curriculum. The participants in this study were consisted of a teacher and his students(85) from the Chemistry II classrooms: they all answered to the questionnaire, and then some students and the teacher were interviewed individually. The results showed that there were big differences between the teacher's and his students' perceptions of 1) the most difficult unit for understanding; 2) concepts they learned; and 3) the most difficult concept for understanding in the classroom. Students thought that electro-negativity unit was the most difficult to understand while teacher thought molecular structure unit was the hardest unit to teach. And teacher taught all 32 subjects of chemical bond unit to students, but some students could not remember they learned all of them. Most difficult parts for students to understand were ‘Coulomb force' and ‘dipole moment', while the most difficult part for the teacher to teach was ‘the conceptual difference between atomic bond and intermolecular force'. The reasons caused the students' learning difficulties were analyzed and discussed based on the interview data, and then further study was presented.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to identify the preferences for learning style and the degree of self-directed learning and influencing factors on it among nursing students working on a Bachelor of Science in a nursing program at Suwon. Methods: The study sample included 156 nursing students. A self-report questionnaire was used to assess the data. The data was analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program for descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Most of the students preferred lectures rather than discussion or team projects as a teaching method. Students preferred deliberating, sensing, and the use of visuals for their learning style. In addition, they favored sequential learning over comprehensive learning. Self directed learning had better outcomes in 3rd and 4th year students than 1st or 2nd year students. Additionally, active learners and high achievers who had a good GPA showed higher self directed learning than the others. Conclusion: In order to maximize students' self-directed learning, study guidance will be necessary for freshmen and for some who experience difficulties in studying nursing courses. Nursing faculty members should pay close attention to facilitate student's self directed learning, and encourage more discussions in the classes.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.643-660
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• 2013

The numbers of learning underachievers in college are gradually increasing. As a result, the need for extracurricular programs to increase learning in college is also growing. The purpose of this study was to analyze factors of learning difficulty and develop a model of learning consulting for college underachievers. This study also aimed to evaluate this model's validity. Using both 56 subscription forms of college underachievers and three sets of focus group interviews at B university, we found that students had difficulties in goal and career setting, management of grades and tests, learning methods, time management, failure overcome ability, lack of learning habit sustaining power and learning motivation, and so on. We developed a model of learning consulting for college underachievers based on these factors and applied the model to evaluate it's validity, testing it on 31 underachievers currently enrolled in college, five times every week. Let we say in conclusion that this model of learning consulting had positive effects on changing college underachiever's character, emotion, motivation, and behavior towards learning.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.166-182
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• 2019

This study examined teachers' difficulties that they encountered free semester science assessment and their problem solutions. Fifteen science teachers who had experiences of free semester teaching and assessment were selected by convenience sampling in this study. The participant teachers mentioned difficulties of accurate scoring in student self/peer assessment and suggested solutions of providing studetns with detailed assessment criteria and opportunities to practice assessment. The participant teachers mentioned a lack of objective assessment criteria for affective domain and suggested solutions of providing criteria prior to assessment and developing assessment framework. The participant teachers mentioned a lack of assessment tools and references for perforamnce assesement. The participant teachers mentioned difficulties of a large teacherstudent ratio for providng feedbacks to students and suggested solutions of decreasing teacher-student ratio and teaching load. The participant teachers mentioned difficulties of identifying student characteristics for assessment reporting and suggested solutions of decreaing teacher work load. The participant teachers mentioned a lack of teacher understanding of process based assessment and inactive attitude to performance assessment and suggested solutions of professional learning community and improving teacher perceptions on performance assessment. The participant teachers mentioned difficulties of a large teacher-student ratio and a lack of time for implementing assessment methods that they learned from professional development programs. With both teacher self-efforts and systematic support, these problems would be solved and success of free semester assessment would be achieved.

• Educational Technology International
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.129-159
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in students' awareness of online classes in university education over the three years from 2020 to 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this, various aspects of online classes, including self-directed learning, interaction (between instructors and learners, and among learners), evaluation of the learning process and outcomes, and the learning environment and control of learning, were analyzed for changes from 2020 to 2022. The study included 534 university students enrolled in University A who participated in online classes in both 2020 and 2021. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the awareness of self-directed learning, but significant differences were found in the awareness of interaction, evaluation of the learning process and outcomes, and the challenge related to learning environment and control of learning in online classes, which were higher in 2021 and 2022 than in 2020. Additionally, detailed changes in awareness of online classes showed significant differences in specific aspects of awareness in university online classes. In summary, students' awareness of online classes improved in 2021 and 2022 compared to 2020, as learners adapted to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it was observed that difficulties in the challenge related to learning environment and control of learning were overcome in 2021. Based on these research findings, several implications for improving the design and operating strategies of effective online classes in future university education were proposed.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.133-142
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• 2014

South korea's education system recently expands discretion activity classes for raising self-leading learning ability based on autonomy and creativity, and also recommends students to perform diverse field trips in order to learn the contents which can be obtained only from field learning. However most schools come hard to go on a field trip because they face many difficulties such as lack of time, expense, weather, and safety. In this paper, in order to get over these difficulties we design a teaching model for field based learning activities using a virtual reality tool. And using the developed virtual reality tool, we taught 4th grade students of an elementary school located in Seoul. As a result, most of students were engaged and interested in the class and improved their academic achievement during one semester.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.267-286
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• 2017

This study analyzed the processes of lesson plan, implementation, and reflection by a professional learning community with five teachers who were teaching second grade students in the same elementary school. The results of the study showed that the learning community helped the teachers prepare for a lesson effectively, enhance their teaching practices, and reflect on their teaching methods. However, the teachers had difficulties in re-designing and implementing the collaborative lesson plan in their classrooms and had a tendency to talk about their feelings about lessons rather than meaningful comments for subsequent lessons. The successes and difficulties revealed through this study are expected to provide us with directions of learning communities for improving teachers' professional development.