• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.360-376
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• 2001

This qualitative research investigated in-service science teachers' perceptions about cooperative learning and their perceived barriers in implementing cooperative learning in their classrooms. The underlying premise for cooperative learning is founded in constructivist epistemology. Cooperative learning (CL) is presented as an alternative frame to the current educational system which emphasizes content memorization and individual student performance through competition. An in-depth interview was conducted with 18 in-service science teachers who enrolled in the first-class teacher certification program during 2001 summer vacation. These secondary school teachers's interview data were analyzed and categorized into three areas: teachers' definition of cooperative learning, issues with implementing cooperative learning in classrooms, and teachers' and students' responses towards cooperative learning. Each of these areas are further subdivided into 10 themes: teachers' perceived meaning of cooperative learning, the importance of talk in learning, when to use cooperative learning, how to end a cooperative class, how to group students for cooperative learning, obstacles to implementing cooperative learning, students' reactions to cooperative learning, teachers' reasons for choosing (not choosing) student-centered approaches to learning/teaching, characteristics of teachers who use cooperative learning methods, and teachers' reasons for resisting cooperative learning. Detailed descriptions of the teachers' responses and discussion on each category are provided. For the development and implementation of CL in more classrooms, there should be changes and supports in the following five areas: (1) teachers have to examine their pedagogical beliefs toward constructivist perspectives, (2) teacher (re)education programs have to provide teachers with cooperative learning opportunities in methods courses, (3) students' understanding of their changed roles (4) supports in light of curriculum materials and instructional resources, (5) supports in terms of facilities and administrators. It's important to remember that cooperative learning is not a panacea for all instructional problems. It's only one way of teaching and learning, useful for specific kinds of teaching goals and especially relevant for classrooms with a wide mix of student academic skills. Suggestions for further research are also provided.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.89-101
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to develop the elementary school science instructional material for nurturing students' creativity and to analyze the effects of this material on the changes of students' creativity. This material was composed of student's worksheet and a teacher's guidebook, in which are relevant to the elements of creativity and creative activities that can be applied to elementary science curriculum of 5th and 6th grades. Student's worksheets include various creative activities: imagination, guided imagery, experimental activity, mind mapping as wrap-up, and 'let's think' as an extended activity, game, puzzle, making a cartoon, to be, role playing, and so on. These materials were applied to 5th grade science class, 156 students. They were divided into two groups: the treatment group to which developed material was applied and the control group which was a traditional lecture-centered class. After this material had been applied for 3 months, students of both groups took a test of creativity. Interviews and observation were also carried out with three level groups (higher, medium and lower level) which were divided within the treatment group based on their creativity score. The results of this study were as follows: The treatment group showed higher score on creativity than that of control group(p<0.01). In the result of interviews and observation, the students of the higher and the medium level accomplished their tasks by themselves better than those on lower level.All of them took an interest in visual activity. In a wrapping-up step, the higher level students made mind map more systematically and the medium students improved as time goes on, but low level students feel constrained. In totally, they used various expression methods and were interested in making drawings and cartoons creatively.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.560-576
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• 2023

The purpose of this investigation is to: (1) to derive an improvement factor for inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning in pre-service teacher training programs, and pre-service teachers practice simulated teaching that reflect the improvement factor, (2) to analyze the difference in science intrinsic motivation according to science self-efficacy and inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning experience. To achieve these goals, we recruited five elementary and secondary teachers as experts to help us develop an improvement factor based on expert interviews. Subsequently, third-year pre-service teachers of a university of education participated in our analysis of differences in science intrinsic motivation, according to their level of science self-efficacy and experience with inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning. Our methodology involved applying the analytic hierarchy process to expert interviews to derive improvement factor for inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning, followed by a two-way ANOVA to identify significant differences in science intrinsic motivation between groups with varying levels of science self-efficacy. We also conducted post-analysis through MANOVA statements. The results of our study indicate that inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning can be improved through activities that foster digital literacy, ecological literacy, democratic citizenship, and scientific inquiry skills. Moreover, small group activities and student-centered teaching-learning approaches were found to be effective in developing core competencies and promoting science achievements. Specifically, pre-service teachers prepared a teaching-learning course plan and inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning in seventh-grade in the Earth and Space subject area. Pre-service teachers' science intrinsic motivation analyze significant differences in all levels of science self-efficacy before and after simulated teaching-learning and significant difference in the interaction effect between simulated teaching-learning and scientific self-efficacy. Particularly, group with low scientific self-efficacy, the difference in science intrinsic motivation according to simulated teaching-learning was most significant. Teachers' scientific self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation are needed to improve science achievement and affective domains of students in class. Therefore, this study contributes to suggest inquiry-based simulated teaching-learning reflecting school practices from the pre-service teacher curriculum.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.225-237
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of elementary pre-service teachers regarding their interest in science. A survey was conducted among 187 elementary pre-service teachers enrolled at Non-Metropolitan Area A University of Education. Data collection was carried out concurrently with three elementary pre-service teachers who agreed to participate in online interviews. The survey responses provided by the elementary pre-service teachers were analyzed using a qualitative text analysis method. Interest in science was observed to decrease during middle school, followed by the upper grades of elementary school and then the lower grades. The reasons for the decline in interest in science were interpreted as stemming from negative experiences with science education within the context of individual circumstances in the school setting. Strategies to address the decline and enhance interest in science were discussed across individual, family, school, teacher, local community, and national levels, considering both short-term and long-term perspectives. These strategies encompassed various inquiry activities and experiences related to the field of science, engagement in science-related activities, student-centered instruction, teacher professional development, support for elementary students and teachers, and policy measures. The multifaceted approach and efforts aimed to open avenues for positive feedback regarding science on an individual level and foster experiences related to science were interpreted as part of an effort to counteract the decline in interest in science. Lastly, given the current situation of declining interest in science and the need to enhance students' interest, it was implicitly and explicitly discussed that pre-service teachers should focus on improving their expertise in curriculum instruction. This research, by exploring the conceptual characteristics of interest in science, perceptions of changes, and educational needs related to interest in science among elementary pre-service teachers, is expected to have academic significance as foundational research data for the current status of declining interest in science.