• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.356-370
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• 2008

The study aims to explore sequence of earth science content in elementary school science curriculum in Korea and the U.S.. The analysis is focused on a) general content structure of earth science part; b) concept relationship between grades in the specific field of 'geology'; c) longitudinal connection of concepts and content in 'geology.' The findings are as follows. First, earth science curriculum content in Korea is structured according to sub-scientific disciplines centering on not science concepts but topics or inquiry activities whereas the U.S. curricular content is organized through integrative earth science topics with basic concepts and sub-concepts. Second, it is a common feature that basic concepts are interrelated to sub-concepts in all grades in both countries. However, basic concepts are scattered all over the grades, presented in a linear pattern in Korea while those are provided together in 3rd grade and repeated with extended concepts in a spiral structure in the U.S.. Last, it is not clear how concepts and content are longitudinally connected between grades in Korean curriculum. On the contrary, concepts and content in the U.S. curriculum have a strong longitudinal connection between grades with conceptual hierarchy. Such results indicate that Korean elementary school science curriculum would limit students' comprehensive understanding of science concepts through grades. The study suggests Korean science content should strengthen interrelationship among concepts as well as longitudinal connection between grades, in order to achieve the ultimate goal of science education, 'scientific literacy'.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.237-255
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate elementary school students' understanding the concept and operations of decimal fraction. The survey research was performed for this study. This survey was done by selecting 156 students. Questionnaire were made in five areas with reference to the 2007 revised mathematics curriculum. Five areas were the concept of decimal fraction, the addition, the subtraction, the multiplication and the division of decimal fraction. The results of such analysis are as follow: The analyzed result of understanding about concepts and operation of decimal fraction showed a high rate of correct answer, more than 85%. Students thought that multiplication and division of decimal fraction is more difficult than addition, subtraction, concept of decimal fraction. As the learning about concepts and operation of decimal fraction progress, the learning gap is bigger. Effort to reduce the learning deficits are needed in the lower grades. Mathematics is the study of the hierarchical. Learning deficits in low-level interfere with the learning in next-level. Therefore systematic supplementary guidance for a natural number and decimal fraction in low-level is needed. And understanding concepts and principles of calculations should be taught first.

• School Mathematics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.599-614
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• 2011

According to prior research studies, comparison of two data sets promote informal and formal statistical reasoning, which may mediate descriptive and inferential statistics. However, there has been relatively little attention given to the mediation of both descriptive and inferential statistics. We attempted to identify which statistical concepts or factors students used and how they applied concepts or factors to make decisions when they compared data sets. We also investigated the characteristics and changes of the view of concepts and factors. As a result, we identified that students paid attention to data value, center, spread, and sample, which are important factors of inferential statistics. Students' understanding of each factors were sometimes appropriate for inferential statistics, but sometimes not. From the results, we suggest instructional ideas for a task which can connect descriptive and inferential statistics.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.263-284
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• 2011

We took note of the fact that there were not many studies on improvement of mathematics learning in the field of statistics for the minority students from the families who belonged to the Low-SES. This study was to help them understand the concepts and principles of mathematics, motivate them for mathematics learning, and have them feel familiar with it. The subjects were 12 students from the low-SES families among the sophomores of 00 High School in Gyeonggi-do. Although it could not be achieved effectively in the short-term of learning for the slow learners, their understanding of basic concepts and confidence, interests and concerns in statistical learning were remarkably changed, compared to their work in the beginning period. Our discourse classes using various topics and examples were well perceived by the students whose performance was improved up to the 3rd thinking level of Mooney's framework. Also, a meaningful instructional model for slow learners(IMSL) was found through the discourse.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.351-363
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• 2016

This study examined in depth what teachers experience in a practical problem-based home economics class. This study established the research question, "What do teachers experience in the practical problem-based home economics class?" and selected three teacher participants who had steadily performed a practical problem-based home economics class to directly observe classes and conducted intensive interviews with the class performing teachers. The three research participants performed the practical problem-based class as a method of practicing their educational beliefs and based on a problem consciousness that textbook centered classes focusing on concepts cannot manage. They also tried to make efforts to reconstruct the textbook centered with practical problems to promote the critical thinking abilities of students. In practicing the practical problem-based class, the research participants recognized that it was important to show the present problems in reality to the students, teach broad value concepts, and establish rapport with students. They tried to make class content correspond to class evaluation. They felt awarded in how they influenced the development of students and the perception of home economics subjects in a positive way as well as experienced various actual difficulties in performing the practical problem-based class. The three research participants examined themselves through the agony and reflection of the class, and integrated the class with daily activities by applying problem solving methods of practical problem-based classes to their lives.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2016

Computer Science Unplugged is a collection of free learning activities that teach Computer Science through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons and lots of running around. In spite of the success of unplugged activities, the unplugged resources for experiencing the concepts of data structures is lacked. In this study, we design, implement and survey the 3 hour lessons of the core concepts of graph theory and the shortest path algorithm for the primary students using computer science unplugged activities. Our survey results showed that our lesson plan is adequate for primary school students and will have a positive effects for primary school students.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.209-219
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• 2024

We studied the effects of science high school students on the change of epistemological beliefs in chemistry and the academic achievement of chemistry by completing 'advanced chemistry'. For seven months from July 2023 to January 2024, 80 first-year students at G Science High School in Gyeongnam were surveyed and analyzed for epistemological beliefs about chemistry before and after classes in advanced chemistry. Chemistry academic achievement was classified by 'upper' and 'lower' levels based on the end-of-semester grades of 'advanced chemistry' in the second semester of the first year and analyzed with the SPSS 28 program. After completing advanced chemistry, the epistemological belief in chemistry increased in the proportion of favorable responses. After completing advanced chemistry, the proportion of favorable responses increased in detailed factors such as 'effort', 'math link', 'outcome', 'reality link', and 'concepts', while the 'visualization' factor decreased. Although completing 'advanced chemistry' positively changed students' epistemological beliefs about chemistry, visual expression showed little contribution to understanding chemical concepts. Based on the above results, we will have to focus on the design of instructors' teaching-learning, such as learner-centered inquiry experiments, creative visual expressions, etc., for successful chemistry teaching-learning.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.21-37
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• 2018

The purpose of the study is to visualize the concept of water circulation in elementary school students through science behavioral system. Elementary school students found it difficult to understand concepts related to the water cycle. Most of the elementary school children think it rains because the clouds are heavier. It is most difficult to explain invisible concepts to elementary school children. Also, experiments in current textbooks are likely to disrupt scientific concepts. Accordingly, conventional water cycle, dew, fog, and cloud experiments were integrated into one system. The researchers then developed a device that allowed students to see the water's circulation at a glance. It is intended to enable integrated thinking on evaporation, condensation and precipitation. In addition, a instruction program to guide students using the system has been developed to demonstrate its effectiveness. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the participants were measured on their concepts of evaporation, condensation, and water circulation before and after participation. The findings indicated that the experiment is more effective in changing the concepts of evaporation, condensation, and water circulation than in previous experiments. Also, the optimal conditions for making use of the device were found, and there were no various experimental parameters, such as condensation.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.195-212
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• 2017

Small group learning is an educational approach to allow students to solve the problems and to achieve a common goal. Especially, small group learning in science education is one of the most important educational approaches and effective to ensure understanding of a topic. Small group learning consisting of three students in science education maximize student understanding and learning efficiency. However, It is reported that the effects of small group learning on achievement show different results, corresponding to different grouping methods(homogeneous/heterogeneous). This study investigated the effects of grouping method on difference of ecological niche of photosynthesis concepts. To achieve this, 1107 7th students were composed of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups classified into top, middle, and bottom levels. The photosynthesis units were divided into four categories: the photosynthesizing place, the substances of photosynthesis, required materials for the photosynthesizing, and environmental factors affecting photosynthesis. A questionnaire was composed by selecting concepts having a frequency of 4% or more based on prior studies on the change of the ecological status of photosynthesis. The questionnaire was scored in terms of relativity and understanding on each of the proposed concepts in the four categories. The result of this study is as set forth below. 1) There was an enhancement of learning the concept of science in small group classes consisting of 3 students. 2) To enhance the average upon composing of a group, it is proposed that the group should be formed homogeneously, and to reduce the deviation between the members, it is proposed that the group should be formed heterogeneously. Through this study, it is expected that specific studies verifying the difference or effect on the duplicity of results are conducted based on the composition of groups.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.197-219
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• 2008

Unlike ordinary situations, deifinitions play a very important role in mathematics education in schools. Mathematical concepts have been mainly acquired by given definitions. However, according to didactical intentions, mathematics education in schools has employed mathematical concepts and definitions with less strict forms than those in pure mathematics. This research mainly discusses definitions used in geometry (promising) course in primary schools to cope with possibilities of creating misconception due to this didactical transformation. After analyzing problems with potential misconceptions, a survey was conducted $\underline{with}$ 80 primary school teachers in Jeju to investigate their recognitions in meaning of mathematical concepts in geometry and attitudes toward teaching. Most of the respondents answered they taught their students while they knew well about mathematical definitions in geometry but the respondents sometimes confused mathematical concepts of polygons and circles. Also, they were aware of problems in current mathematics textbooks which have explained figures in small topics (classes). Here, several suggestions are proposed as follows from analyzing teachers' recognitions and researches in mathematical viewpoints of definitions (promising) in geometric figures which have been adopted by current mathematics textbooks in primary schools from the seventh educational curriculum. First, when primary school students in their detailed operational stage studying figures, they tend to experience $\underline{a}$ collision between concept images acquired from activities to find out promising and concept images formed through promising. Therefore, a teaching method is required to lessen possibility of misconceptions. That is, there should be a communication method between defining conceptual definitions and Images. Second, we need to consider how geometric figures and their elements in primary school textbooks are connected with fundamental terminologies laying the foundation for geometrical definitions and more logical approaches should be adopted. Third, the consistency with studying geometric figures should be considered. Fourth, sorting activities about problems in coined words related to figures and way and time of their introductions should be emphasized. In primary schools mathematics curriculum, geometry has played a crucial role in increasing mathematical ways of thoughts. Hence, being introduced by parts from viewpoints of relational understanding should be emphasized more in textbooks and teachers should teach students after restructuring this. Mathematics teachers should help their students not only learn conceptual definitions of geometric figures in their courses well but also advance to rigid mathematical definitions. Therefore, that's why mathematics teachers should know meanings of concepts clearly and accurately.