• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.451-464
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• 2010

This study examined the perception of teachers and students on the practice of elementary science class. For this study, an examination tool was made by extracting characteristics of good science class through precedent study investigation and revising it in a questionnaire form of a Likert scale, and conducted to 194 elementary teachers and 320 elementary students. As a result of the study, teachers generally perceived science class positively and teachers with career more than 6 years thought it more positively than them with career less than 5 years. Consequently students have a substantially positive perception level about the practice of the elementary science class, and students of 3th and 4th grade perceived science class positively than 5th and 6th grade in all domains. Finally when analyzing perception difference between teachers and students about the practice of the elementary science class, it appeared that students perceived science class more positively than teachers in most questions.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.98-110
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to identify pre-service elementary school teachers' difficulties and needs in the science class utilizing smart technologies. The participants were nine pre-service elementary teachers who had practical training at an elementary school and took classes related to technology, pedagogy, and science knowledge. The data was collected through semi-constructed and in-depth interviews. The documents such as participants' guidance plans, daily records produced in teaching practice was collected and analyzed. The results of the research are as follow: Pre-service teachers have usually used the technology as a secondary transfer media to convey the knowledge. We found that the pre-service elementary teachers had 15 difficulties in the science class utilizing smart technologies. In addition, they needed a class to focus more on teaching them by integrating technology knowledge, pedagogy knowledge, and science knowledge, and by sharing a real case of science class utilizing smart technologies.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.54-68
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate how elementary teachers perceive and practice using Visual Thinking (VT) in science classes. For this, we collected 161 VT teaching materials for science that uploaded on the elementary teacher's online communities, and analyzed the characteristics. Also we interviewed four elementary teachers who have used VT in science class. The results are as follows. First, VT teaching materials shared in teacher's online communities were most often used to review the science concepts that students learned. Most of the materials required 'remember' among the Cognitive Process, and most of them provided layouts for VT activities. Second, the participants were using VT materials to review the science concepts they learned, so that students remember them. Third, the participants were satisfied because of the beliefs of effects as follows: facilitating learning and reviewing what students had learned; increasing students' positive reactions and confidence; learning through the interation among learners; the formation of habits thinking visually; indirect experiences of science class; possibility of class corresponding to learner characteristics. Fourth, the participants had difficulties in preparing for the VT science class, such as the burden of making VT materials, the long preparation time, concerns over overlapping contents, consideration of learners' VT skills, and the themselves' drawing ability. Furthermore, they also had difficulties in proceeding for the class, like different preference among learners about Visualization and loss of objectives in science class using VT. Fifth, the participants needed support as follows: platform to share students' VT results; VT case books and teachers' guidebooks; physical environment.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.338-352
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• 2020

This study analyzed and compared the characteristics in plan and practice of elementary school teachers' science-gifted classes and invention-gifted classes based on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). To do this, we selected eight elementary school teachers with experience in conducting elementary science-gifted classes and/or invention-gifted classes were selected at the gifted education institutes in Seoul and conducted individual in-depth interviews. The analysis of the results reveal that the teachers tended to organize the science-gifted classes with a focus on the exploration of causes and application activities for scientific phenomena, but tended to organize the invention-gifted classes with a focus on producing creative output based on methodology. They were all emphasizing the enhancement of creativity in planning and practicing both science-gifted classes and invention-gifted classes. However, there were also some differences in the elements of creativity required by each class. They tended to select subjects for science-gifted classes based on regular science curriculum, while selecting subjects for invention-gifted classes focused on creative design rather than considering the practical art curriculum related to invention-gifted education. They tended to pursue and practice STEAM education in both science-gifted classes and invention-gifted classes. In a way that conforms to these class goals and points, they were using experiments and practices, providing feedback to students, and conducting evaluations. However, some shortcomings were also revealed in the processes. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.133-144
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of Teacher Participation-oriented Education Program (TPEP) for Elementary School Teachers to Improve Class Expertise in Science Classes with a focus on visual attention. The participants were two elementary school teachers in Seoul and taught science subjects. The lesson topic applied to this study were 'Structure and Function of Our Body' in the second semester of fifth grade and 'Volcano and Earthquake' in the second semester of fourth grade. The mobile eye tracker SMI's ETG 2w, which is a binocular tracking system was used in this study. In this study, the actual practice time, participant's visual attention, visual intake time average, and visual intake time average were analyzed by class phase. The results of the study are as follows. First, as a result of analyzing the actual class execution time, the actual class execution time was almost in line with the lesson plan after the TPEP application. Second, visual attention in the areas related to teaching and learning activities was high after applying TPEP. Factors affecting the progress of the class and cognitive burdens were identified quantitatively and objectively through visual attention. Third, as a result of analyzing the visual intake time average of participants, there was a statistically significant difference in all classes. Fourth, as a result of analyzing the visual intake time average of participants, the results were statistically significant in the introduction(video), activity 1, activity 2, and activity 3 stages in the lecture type class. The Teacher Participation-oriented Education Program (TPEP) for Elementary School Teachers to Improve Class Expertise in Science Classes can extend elementary science class expertise such as self-class analysis, eye tracking, linguistic, gesture, and class design beyond traditional class analysis and consulting.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of good science teachings regarded by preservice elementary school teachers. It also aimed to suggest a direction of peer teaching practice to help preservice teachers' professional development. Adjacency pairs were adopted to analyze the characteristics of good science teachings. The results showed that pre-service elementary teachers were accustomed to adjacency pairs. Almost of their discourse were organized by adjacency pairs. 'Question-Answer' and 'Request-Accept' were mainly used in science classes by pre-service elementary teachers. Based on the findings, the study suggested science teacher educators to provide chances to analyze exemplary science teachers' science class or chances to analyze their science teachings in terms of competence of science classroom discourse.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of science-play activity that isn't easily completed in a course of study, put in practice an development activity class on the scientific inquiry skills and the scientific attitude of elementary school students. For this purpose, the general activity was applied for the comparative group (40 students), the science-play activity was applied for the experimental group (34 students); they are composed of 5th and 6th graders elementary school students of 74, a class of an hour during a week. The results were analyzed by means of comparing between groups as well as within groups. The results of this research is as follows: Firstly, the science-play activity as an development activity was effective in the improvement of the scientific attitudes of elementary school students. Secondly, the science-play activity as an development activity was effective in the improvement of the scientific inquiry skills of elementary school students.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.113-126
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• 2013

In this study, the researcher aimed to increase productive reflection of pre-service elementary teachers through reflective journal writing and discussion after science peer teaching practice. 'Productive reflection' involves consideration and analysis of interrelationships among aspects of teaching including learners and learning, subject matter knowledge, assessment, and instruction. During 8 week efforts, productive reflection has increased gradually in both individual journal and class discussion. However half of individual journals didn't show productive reflection even in the final stage. This implicated that development of reflective thinking is an achievable but progressive change. By describing the progress in discussion and participants' responses on journal writing and discussion activity, this study shed light on practical ways of enhancing reflective teacher education.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.378-388
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• 2010

This study aimed at categorizing preservice teachers' reflections and understanding their characteristics in reflective journal writing after microteaching. Thirty-two preservice elementary teachers joined in this study. As results, three patterns were categorized: Reflection with practice, Reflection to be practice, Reflection with suspension of judgment. 'Reflection with practice' changed the topology of science class in active. 'Reflection to be practice' had clear focus in reflection and suggested orientations to succeed in the next teaching. 'Reflection with suspension of judgment' made something fall into abeyance, because it couldn't provide an orientation for teaching. After discussing these results, implications toward preservice teacher education were explored.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.96-108
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate how prospective elementary school teachers perceived teacher's inquiryoriented teaching practice, with an emphasis on students' scientific explanations based on scientific evidence. For this study, 94 prospective elementary school teachers were participated. 14 among 94 participants had chances to intensively experience this particular teaching methods for 15 weeks. All of the 94 participants observed the intended science teaching practice for 4th graders in two different elementary schools, which utilized the science talks emphasizing students' scientific explanation activity. For quantitative data analysis, they were asked to provide their reaction to the science teaching methods after their classroom observation. For qualitative data analysis, 5 among the participants, who had relatively long term experience with this teaching practice, were chosen to interview in order to understand their individual reasons of the ways they perceived about the inquiry-oriented teaching methods boosting students' scientific explanation. The results show that the prospective elementary teachers generally thought the emphasis of students' scientific explanation based on scientific evidence could enhance young elementary students' science content understanding, stimulate their curiosity/interests, and further develop their ability to engage actively in scientific discussions. However, some prospective teachers tended to think that the science teaching. methods would not be effective in terms of managing science classes, though. This study concludes that the prospective teachers tended to hold an endemic dilemma. On the one hand, they had their clear preference to the inquiry-oriented teaching practice as the most ideal teaching methods. On the other hand, they also had their persistent hesitance in using these methods due to their fear that elementary students might not adequately grasp the important science content when engaged in scientific discourse through an inquiry-oriented class.