• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.19 no.2 s.30
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• pp.122-132
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• 2006

This research compared the mechanism of the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere with retaining warmth in the actual greenhouse, analyzed the styles of explaining the greenhouse effect in current textbooks, and investigated teachers' and students' degrees of understanding the effect. The mechanisms of the actual greenhouse and the greenhouse effect are not the same. Nevertheless, in all the current textbooks, the radiation phenomenon by the atmosphere is described as the 'greenhouse effect'. Using the words of the 'greenhouse effect' to refer to the effect of air being kept warm by the heat absorbing gases, causes confusion of concepts. To make learners understand the greenhouse effect exactly, concrete principles such as radiating electromagnetic phenomenon should be explained. However, teachers and current textbooks explained the radiating electromagnetic phenomenon as actual greenhouse. Therefore, it is difficult for learners to understand the greenhouse effect, scientifically. Because of this, learners maybe confused about greenhouse effect concepts.