• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.494-503
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• 2011

During the last three decades, earth science has been re-conceptualized as an interdisciplinary discipline entitled Earth System Science (ESS), which is based on knowledge of the physical earth system and human impact on the earth. While there is increasing effort to teach earth as a system in K-12 education, teachers' preparedness of to teach earth system is still in its infancy. This article focuses on reviewing the literature of teachers' knowledge of earth systems and of how teachers' knowledge of subject matter affects their teaching practice and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). First, the study investigated a literature of PCK in general as well as in science teaching. Then this study duscuss what teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK) is and what it means to be in teaching earth system science. Third, a literature of teachers' knowledge of earth system was reviewed. Finally, a number of suggestions and implications are made as to what teacher education program should do to better prepare future teachers to teach earth systems.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.553-568
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• 2022

This study investigated the level of academic passion for elementary school teachers' science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and examined the factors that influence the passion. To this end, 161 elementary school teachers in Seoul were selected, and academic passion tests were then administered to evaluate their academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. Individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with some of the participating teachers. The results revealed that 'importance' and 'harmonious passion' for learning science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were found at a high level. However, 'time/energy investment' and 'obsessive passion' for learning the knowledge were slightly higher or lower than normal. The 'like' for learning science subject matter knowledge was relatively high, but the 'like' for learning science pedagogical knowledge was slightly higher than normal. The differences in academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were greater according to advanced major at undergraduate than teaching career. The teachers evenly selected some factors that influenced their academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. These identified characteristics included 'individual interest', 'high school track', 'experience in advanced major at undergraduate', 'experience in science-related graduate school', 'experience teaching science in elementary school', 'experience teaching science at the gifted education institute', 'experience in charge of science subject teacher', 'experience in science-related teacher training', 'experience in developing science-related teaching and learning materials', 'experience in charge of science or science-gifted related work', and 'experience in a science-related teacher community'. However, a slight difference was noted in the selection ratio depending on advanced major at undergraduate. Based on these results, the practical implications for improving their academic passion for science PCK are suggested.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.690-700
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• 2022

This study aimed to compare academic passion for science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) between pre-service and in-service elementary teachers. In addition, a comparison between passion for science subject matter knowledge and passion for science pedagogical knowledge was made for each group of teachers. Participants comprised 182 students from colleges of education and 161 in-service teachers. We analyzed between- and within-subject comparisons for each component of academic passion for science PCK. The results of this study are as follows: First, between-subject comparison demonstrated that, in academic passion for science subject matter knowledge, in-service teachers had a higher passion for "liking" and "importance" than pre-service teachers, whereas pre-service teachers had a higher passion for "time/energy investment" than in-service teachers. In academic passion for science pedagogical knowledge, pre-service teachers had a higher passion for "time/energy investment" than in-service teachers. Second, the within-subject comparison showed that only "harmonious passion" was higher for science pedagogical knowledge than science subject matter knowledge in pre-service teachers. However, "liking", "importance", "time/energy investment", and "obsessive passion" were higher for science subject matter knowledge than science pedagogical knowledge in in-service teachers. The educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

This study investigated the level of academic passion for pre-service elementary teachers' science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and the factors that influence the passion. To this end, 182 first to fourth grade students in advanced non-science majors who were taking science-related courses in the second semester were selected, and two tests were then administered to evaluate their academic passions for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. Individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with some of the participants. It was found that the factors such as "importance" and "harmonious passion" for learning science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were found at a high level. On the other hand, the factors such as "like" and "investment of time and energy" were slightly higher than normal, and the factor such as "obsessive passion" was slightly lower than normal. The differences in academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge were greater according to the high school track than the grade. The pre-service elementary teachers selected more often the factors such as "individual interests", "high school track", "contents of science-related courses at the university of education", "characteristics of professor in charge of science-related courses at the university of education", and "experience in teaching practicum" as the factors that influenced their academic passion for science subject matter knowledge and science pedagogical knowledge. However, there was a slight difference in the selection ratio depending on the high school track.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.618-632
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• 2008

Despite the rapidly growing body of research on science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), most of the research has mainly focused on the definition of PCK and its components. The main purpose of this research was to explore the operational definition of PCK and to suggest another form by re-conceptualizing PCK, with the newly defined and conceptualized PCK capable of being used as standards and/or criteria in selecting the curricular content of and deciding the subject area of science teacher education. In this research, the science teachers' PCK was defined as the "practical knowledge and skills that are acquired through the curriculum of science education and in the course of teaching experiences, and which are used in their teaching of secondary school science." The science teachers' PCK was further defined as consisting of two integrated and/or combined dimensions: subject matter and pedagogy, each of which comprises several components. In this paper, the PCK is called science education literacy. The paper also presents the ways to apply the operational definition of PCK and re-conceptualized PCK and a few suggestions for the research on science teachers' PCK.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.367-377
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• 2017

The purpose of this research is to investigate characteristics of science content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge shown in the primary school science classes. Through analysis of classroom teaching, explore the features and differences between primary and secondary school science PCK. Using open-ended interviews with the teachers and group discussions on a regular basis to analyze and compare classes of five primary school teachers, the relationship between CK and PCK. Regardless of the school level the teacher's PCK and professionalism is required with varying focus and emphasis. The features of the primary school teacher's PCK are as follows: Firstly, elementary teach secondary teach content, teachers value pedagogical knowledge (PK) content knowledge (CK). The primary school PCK requires more of understanding of students and teaching methods that to subject areas. PCK be without content knowledge, and the teacher's PCK is subject-specific In addition to the characteristics of PCK in the primary school science teaching, ways to set up professional exchange or collaboration between primary and secondary teachers, and to provide supplementary in-service training focused on content knowledge for primary school teachers.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.372-385
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• 2012

For decades, reflection has been recognised as a meaningful tool to bring forth teachers' ownership as well as knowledge and action empowerment in teacher education. Yet there have been few studies on elementary teachers' reflection on their science teaching in Korea. In this study, 71 reflective journals of 24 elementary teachers on their science teaching were analyzed. The characteristics of reflective journals were analyzed in terms of 'productive reflection', a concept suggested by Davis (2006). Unproductive reflection is mainly descriptive without analysis, whereas productive reflection can promote teachers' learning by integrating four aspects of teaching (learner/learning, subject matter knowledge, instruction and assessment). The result showed what elementary teachers consider and emphasize and how they integrate their ideas. Most of reflective journals included aspects of 'instruction', 'learner/learning', and 'subject matter knowledge'. However 'instruction' was emphasized most frequently (69.0%) than 'subject matter knowledge' (33.8%) and 'learner/learning' (26.8%). 'Assessment' was hardly included nor emphasized. More than half of the journals (56.3%) showed no integrations, which were unproductive reflection. A third of the journals (32.4%) integrated only two aspects among four. Average score of integrations was 1.6 on a scale of 4 points. The integrations were not affected by the length of reflective journals and the teaching experience. These findings suggest that productive reflection would not increase naturally with teaching experience and there needs more tactful guidance to develop elementary teachers' productive reflection on their science teaching.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.611-625
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• 2009

The purpose of this research is to investigate the characteristics of beginning science teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK) as revealed in their classroom teaching methods. In this research, we explored six beginning teachers' classroom teaching episodes on the 'work and energy' unit. Using open-ended interviews with the teachers and group discussions taking place on a regular basis to analyze and compare the classes of six beginning teachers, we extracted the features of beginning science teachers' SMK. Using grounded theory methods, the characteristics of beginning science teachers' SMK drawn from this research are: (1) beginning teachers' positivistic epistemology on science, (2) claiming the teacher's authority based on rich subject content knowledge, and (3) beginning teachers' science elitism. These epistemological characteristics are realized such PCK as (1) representational errors caused by the teacher's own science misconception, (2) doing harm to students with too much content knowledge, (3) sporadic content presentation lacking a focus, and (4) surplus class hours with lack of effective science teaching explanations. Suggestions for alternative perspectives on science SMK are presented by experienced teachers. In conclusion, science teachers' SMK is necessary, but not sufficient, for effective teaching. Science teachers' SMK does have an effect on science teaching, mediated by other types of teacher knowledge. The beginning teachers need a systematic support to transform their SMK into a viable PCK.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.641-648
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to analyze pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. For this study, two senior education students were selected. The data of this study were collected through interviews, CoRe questionnaire, and classroom observation recordings during the period of student-teacher practice. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results indicated that the two pre-service science teachers had low level pedagogical content knowledge. Two pre-service science teachers' knowledges of science curriculum were different from each other. Orientations toward teaching science shifted to undesirable direction after the experience of a student-teacher's practice-teaching. Their subject matter knowledges were imperfect. They also had low levels of knowledge of students' understanding.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.297-308
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• 2007

Inspired by the idea that classroom instruction proceeds through knowledge-sharing, this study examined different modes of knowledge-sharing that were realized in discursive practices in Korean secondary science classrooms. Data came from 9 science teachers. An interpretative strategy was employed to analyze the video-recording of the teachers' own science classrooms and transcriptions. The results showed four different modes of knowledge-sharing, including 'retrieving subject matter knowledge', 'reformulating subject matter knowledge', 'expansion and elaboration of understanding', and 'negotiation of meaning'. It was also revealed that there was a tie between an active mode of knowledge-sharing and scaffolding: the former allowed students to take active roles in discourses and the latter was one of the desired patterns of classroom interaction. It was suggested that further studies should be conducted to understand science instruction from more varied perspectives and to examine and utilize the detailed features of desired classroom practices like scaffolding.