• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.206-224
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the elementary pre-service teachers' conceptions on 'the freezing point depression' focusing on the survey from a National University of Education. Eighteen pre-service teachers who had completed high school Chemistry II coursework were selected to participate in the study. Participants answered a four question survey to measure their scientific knowledge and conceptions of this phenomenon. Each answer was qualitatively analyzed to determine whether they have 'scientific conceptions' or 'quasi-scientific conceptions' or 'misconceptions'. The results from the study are as follows: First, it was showed that none of the eighteen participants had 'scientific conceptions', six had 'quasi-scientific conceptions' and eight had 'misconceptions' about the caused effect when $CaCl_2$ is scattered on the ice. Second, it was found that three participants had 'scientific conceptions', eight had 'quasi-scientific conceptions' and two had 'misconceptions' for the second survey question. Third, ten out of eighteen participants demonstrated 'scientific conceptions' about the phenomenon of salt water freezing. Fourth, only three of eighteen participants illustrated appropriate 'scientific conceptions' for the fourth survey question. Fifth, of all participants, none answered more than three questions correctly, and only three participants answered any combination of two questions correctly. Based on the findings of this study, five explanatory models were developed. And the models were proposed for pre-service teachers to enhance their understanding of the freezing point depression phenomenon.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to assess gifted students' conceptions about nature of science (NOS). Scientifically gifted students who are expected to be professionals in the future should possess an adequate understanding of NOS that if firm foundation for scientific career. 47 volunteers from the 8th grade gifted science program in Seoul National University Gifted Education Center participated to answer questions inquiring NOS conceptions. Their answers were analyzed and compared to different groups such as non-gifted students and younger gifted students. As a result, gifted students' understanding of NOS appeared to surpass that of non-gifted students in many aspects and it seemed that gifted students formed their NOS view in early ages. The relative weakness in their NOS conceptions was found in understanding of scientific enterprise. Their strong misunderstanding about obstacles that minority people would face in scientific enterprise was noticed, too. They admitted that there has been discrimination in scientific enterprise, but they wrongly believed that outstanding scientists cannot be affected by it. Further studies will be required to probe more.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.583-595
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to identify whether the elementary school students force conceptions may influence on designing tools experiments. Four questions with multiple choices and reasons for those choices were asked to identify scientific/alternative force conception. Also four tasks for tools experiments matched to each force conceptions were developed into open questions in hypothesizing. controlling variables and methods of experiments. Forty elementary students were selected from 4 classes in sixth grade of a school in Daegu city. The major findings of this study were that the types of force conceptions can be classified into scientific and alternative conceptions. The patterns of designing experiments could be identified with types of hypothesis, controlling variables and methods of experiments in each four tools experiments. But students those who had scientific force conception did not better in hypothesis, methods of controlling variables and results for simple experiment than those who had alternative force conceptions. These results imply that students' force conception did not influence on designing tools experiments. The assumption that scientific conception could improve designing experiments was not guaranteed by this results.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1273-1284
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to analyze the examples represented in school science textbooks by the function types for students' scientific conceptions. According to the framework of analysis, we selected lacking examples in the textbooks, and developed a questionnaire for students. The questionnaire was applied to 157 third grade students to survey their conceptions related to matter states and change of states. The ratio of students' scientific conceptions related to solid the state was high because distinct examples were represented in the textbook. However, the ratios of students' scientific conceptions related to the liquid and gas states were low because there were no distinct examples in the science textbook. Contrast examples and expansive examples of liquid and gas such as fog and steam need to be represented in science textbooks in order to help students construct scientific conceptions of matter states and change of states.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 1998

This research suggests science inquiry play of analogy as a teaming method to help the students in concrete operational stage to develop scientific thinking skills and to understand abstract science conceptions. The research focuses on/considers the characteristics and merits of the science inquiry plays, and the learning method by analogical reasoning. This learning through the science inquiry play of analogy can be considered as a meta-model for scientific thinking skill. The learning has the following processes: 1) Students analogize the abstract science conceptions and facts into play-type activities including the concrete contents such as students themselves, their physical-sensory motions, concrete objects, play methods, and play rules. 2) Students as analogized objects play a role physically and sensuously according to the methods and rules analogized in the play. 3) Students find out the concrete contents included in the science inquiry play of analogy, draw the results, and deduce the new conceptions from the results by reflective thinking and analogical reasoning.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.140-146
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• 2002

We have studied 73 pre-service science teachers' conceptions about the nature of science (NOS) using 120 true-false test items based on AAAS Benchmarks statements. We have found that participants have inadequate understanding of the NOS, especially in understanding of five categories of conceptions; change and continuity in science, bias in scientific investigations, hypothesis in scientific investigations, things common in science, and science ethics. The result also indicates that there is a difference between primary pre-service teachers and secondary pre-service teachers. From the analysis of consistency, we also found that this inadequate understanding comes from confusion rather than misconception. All the results support that there is a need of intense pre-service teacher education concerning thenature of science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.937-954
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• 2008

Although the development of scientific thinking is one of the significant goals in science education in schools, there is a lack of empirical research on how science teachers conceptualize scientific thinking. This study explored how four pre-service secondary-level science teachers conceptualized scientific thinking and elaborated their conceptions through peer discussions. Results involved each pre-service teacher's conceptual spectrum of scientific thinking and showed the process of elaboration in their conceptions about three crucial issues in small-group or larger discussions. Three issues related to scientific thinking included everyday vs. scientific thinking, the relationship between science knowledge and scientific thinking, and the relationship between logical systems and evidence. Implications for pre-service science teacher education were discussed, and further research was suggested based on the results of this study.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.179-189
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• 1997

In this study, a conceptual change model for effective laboratories was developed and its instructional effect on students' achievement, the acquisition of scientific conceptions, and the attitudes toward science was investigated. Considering several conceptual change models in literature and Korean educational situations, the conceptual change model was developed. The model consists of 5 stages; preliminary, prediction, exploration, consolidation and reconstruction, and application. The treatment and control groups (2 classes) were selected from a middle school in Seoul, and taught about the changes of states, density, and dissolution for three weeks. Prior to instruction, the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking and the Learning Approach Questionnaire were administered, and their scores were used as covariate and / or blocking variable. To examine students' alternative conceptions before the instructions, a pre-conceptions test was also administered. After the instructions, students' achievement, the acquisition of scientific conceptions, and the attitudes toward science were measured with a researcher-made achievement test, a post-conceptions test, and the subtests of the Test of Science-Related Attitudes, respectively. The results indicated that the score of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group in the post-conceptions test. The students in the treatment group had also less alternative conceptions than those in the control group. However, there were no significant differences for the achievement and the attitudes toward science. Educational implications are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.231-243
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate misconceptions regarding the structure of flowers and the function of the course based on the 'Flower' section of 5th grade elementary school science courses. It also sought to investigate how misconceptions are changed before and after the application of a Driver learning model, and finally analysing any differences in the correction of misconceptions. A questionnaire was created for 199 5th grade elementary school pupils. The major results before and after using an applied Driver learning mode teaching plan are as follows: In the response for questions, 13.6% and 14.5% of misconceptions were corrected for male and female pupils, respectively. For rural and urban pupils, 14.8% and 11.2% of misconceptions were corrected, respectively. In the comparison of male and female pupils according to the reasons for selection of responses before and after using an applied Driver learning model teaching plan, 27.8% of male and 30.0% of female pupils scientific conceptions showed improvement. For rural and urban schools, 26.6% and 32.2% of scientific conceptions were improved, respectively. Data from this study may help teachers to reconsider their own conceptions regarding the study of the flower as it is presently conducted in elementary school.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.385-398
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• 2014

This study investigated students' alternative conceptions of plate boundaries and their conception revision according to the pattern of students' reasoning. Participants were twenty-two 10th grade high school students. All participants were asked to draw the three types of plate boundaries and to explain their drawings. Nine students participated in the reasoning activity. To this end, a semi-structured interview was conducted during which key questions were asked for the students to individually answer. The key questions used in the reasoning activity were created, by utilizing questions used in the previous studies. The findings revealed that the alternative conceptions of plate boundaries were classified into three levels based on established criteria. Students who attempted a variety of reasoning strategies such as causal reasoning, using an analogy, abductive reasoning, data reconstruction and concept combination, revised their alternative conception to a scientific conception after the reasoning activity. On the other hand, some students could not revise their alternative conceptions because they only conducted an incomplete reasoning strategy. The study also found that they were unable to use other reasoning strategies, either.