• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.538-552
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• 2022

This study attempted to understand the characteristics of pedagogic activities performed by pre-service elementary school teachers. To this end, it applied Algodoo simulations to analyze the actions of students and obtain educational implications for optical learning. The study's participants comprised 79 first-year students enrolled in a teacher training college. Their activities could be classified as representation reproductions, verification experiments, and inquiry experiments. Students who performed representation reproduction exercises replicated renowned and authoritative exemplars, apprehending and demonstrating their principal features through simulations. Students performing verification experiments attempted to validate previously learned optical concepts by reviewing the relevant theoretical contexts. Such students primarily conducted simple experiments. Students accomplishing inquiry experiments used simulations to explore phenomena they did not know. Some of them even investigated optical phenomena beyond the domain of general physics. The above results confirmed that free optical experiments performed using Algodoo can effectively denote starting points for learners to engage in activities at varying levels. Additionally, students require assistance from instructors in addressing queries about the application of the principles and models related to optics. This study suggests ways in which instructors should help students at each level of activity. Additionally, the paper presents examples of varying levels of inquiry-related activities available on Algodoo. It also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of performing inquiry-based activities on Algodoo and suggests ways of enhancing the learning achieved through this platform.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.357-384
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• 2001

In this paper, we described practical teaching-learning plans based on three different theoretical approaches to Integrated Science Education (ISE): a knowledge centered ISE, a social problem centered ISE, and an individual interest centered ISE. We believe that science teachers can understand integrated science education through this paper and they are able to apply simultaneously our integrated science teaching materials to their real instruction in classroom. For this we developed integrated science teaching-learning plans for the topic of energy which has a integrated feature strongly among integrated science subject contents. These modules were based upon the teaching strategies of 'Energy' following each integrated directions organized in the previous paper (Three Strategies for Integrated Science Teaching of "Energy" Applying Knowledge, Social Problem, and Individual Interest Centered Approaches) and we applied instruction models fitting each features of integrated directions to the teaching strategies of 'Energy'. There is a concrete describing on the above three integrated science teaching-learning plans as follows. 1. For the knowledge centered integration, we selected the topic, 'Journey of Energy' and we tried to integrate the knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science applying the instruction model of 'Free Discovery Learning' which is emphasized on concepts and inquiry. 2. For the social problem centered integration, we selected the topic, 'Future of Energy' to resolve the science-related social problems and we applied the instruction model of 'Project Learning' which is emphasized on learner's cognitive process to the topic. 3. For the individual interest centered integration, we selected the topic, 'Transformation of Energy' for the integration of science and individual interest and we applied the instruction model of 'Project Learning' centering learner's interest and concern. Based upon the above direction, we developed the integrated science teaching-learning plans as following steps. First, we organized 'Integrated Teaching-Learning Contents' according to the topics. Second, based upon the above organization, we designed 'Instructional procedures' to integrate within the topics. Third, in accordance with the above 'Instructional Procedures', we created 'Instructional Coaching Plan' that can be applied in the practical world of real classrooms. These plans can be used as models for the further development of integrated science instruction for teacher preparation, textbook development, and classroom learning.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2021

This study aims to investigate teachers' perceptions of the composition of high school science elective courses ahead of the 2022 curriculum revision, and to derive implications for the organization of the 2022 revised science curriculum in preparation for the full implementation of the high school credit system. To this end, a survey was conducted by randomly sampling high schools across the country. A total of 192 science teachers responded to the questionnaire. In addition, 12 high school science teachers were selected as a focus group, and in-depth interviews were conducted to investigate opinions on the restructuring of elective courses in science. Main research results include 129 (67.2%) science teachers in the survey answered that the current 2015 curriculum's science and elective courses system should be maintained. In the next curriculum, when reconstructing science elective subjects, it is necessary to provide an opportunity to experience the entire contents of each science field through Science I·II system as before, and to ensure student choice in preparation for the credit system. In addition, the opinion that general elective subjects should be organized to include all the contents of science I and II subjects was the highest. Through in-depth interviews, science teachers emphasized that the current science I subject system allows access to the content areas of science as much as possible as the number of subjects is small, and that subjects, such as physics, where the hierarchy of concepts is important, should deal with important content within one subject rather than divided by area. On the other hand, in the current I subject system, there is no subject for liberal arts students to choose from, so teachers suggested that science electives should be organized by subdividing each content area. Based on the research results, the necessity of organizing high school science elective courses in consideration of the purpose of the high school credit system, ways to organize science-convergence elective courses as subjects for all students regardless of career aptitude, ways to organize science-career elective courses, and ways to organize science elective courses in connection with the college admission system were proposed.