• Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.59-75
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• 2011

This case study examines two drama specialists' perspectives on the purpose of drama education and how their visions and beliefs are reflected in their drama practices during a sixweek kindergarten drama program. Two experienced drama specialists who have worked at public elementary schools located in the Midwestern United States were the main participants of this case study. Using a qualitative case study method, in-depth observations and semistructured interviews were carried out. Findings show that the drama specialists believed the purpose of drama education to be the building of self-confidence, creativity, awareness of the arts and respect for others. Both congruent and inconsistent relations between their beliefs and their teaching practices were observed. Based on these findings, an understanding of how specialists' beliefs and practices contribute to a broader understanding of drama education is further discussed.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.199-211
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• 1999

This study identified and explained the prototypes of belief systems about the kindergarten curriculum with the use of Stephenson's Q-methodology. The sample consisted of 15 preschool teachers and 15 college students majoring in early childhood education. A Q-deck composed of 48 cards was developed by the researchers and sorted by the subjects. The obtained Q-sort scores were analyzed by factor analysis. The findings revealed that the subjects were divided into 3 types: "the practical-disciplinary type" consisting of mostly of teachers, "the theoretical-openness type" consisting mostly of students, and "the compromising type" consisting of some teachers and some students.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2006

An objective of this paper is to discuss the didactical contracts which have been conceptualized by Brousseau. He modelled mathematics instruction as a game. In such game, didactical contracts existed as its own hidden rules which teacher and student should obey Brousseau introduced it to reveal certain hidden rules which regulates mathematics instruction. Those rules are implicit and reciprocal. In particular, it is not revealed until students break. He defined didactical contracts as teacher's behaviour and corresponding students 'behaviour in order to define it operationally. He he did not define it in psychological and epistemological dimension. But it is necessary to discuss teacher's belief system and epistemology, since teacher's behaviour in instruction is affected by them. He also did not discuss fully teacher's breaking of didactical contracts.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.195-213
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• 2015

This study aims to uncover what kinds of difficulties preschool teachers are now confronted with when they begin to implement project based learning with young children, in order to develop contents for teacher education programs. From July 2012 to February, 2013, 9 teachers participated in implementing projects in preschool classrooms. For data generation and interpretation, observations of class projects, tape-recordings of teacher conferences, and interviews with the teachers were made. The findings were as follows: teachers' uncertainty regarding project itself, teachers themselves, child competence, and its sustainableness were the most critical obstacle to hinder the teachers in implementing self directed projects with young children. The results imply that the teachers' belief in child competence in doing projects is of great significance; their view that it is very difficult for them to do projects without viewing young children a co-constructor of knowledge. Therefore, the key element in developing contents for teacher education programs should include a richer understanding of young children' competence.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.45 no.4 s.115
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• pp.381-406
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• 2006

This work aims to investigate mathematics teachers' knowledge and belief on the high school probability and statistics. For this aim, two research questions are estabilished as follows. (1) How is mathematics teachers' knowledge on the main contents of the high school probability and statistics in the 7th mathematics curriculum? (2) What is mathematics teachers' belief on the high school probability and statistics? Survey and interviews were carried out to answer the above research questions. Subjects of the survey were 2 7mathematics teachers who were answered to questionnaire. Among them, 3 volunteers were chosen by provinces for in-depth interview. Research findings in mathematics teacher's knowledge are as follows. Firstly, mathematics teachers do not have much of mathematical knowledge on the newly added and changed contents of the high school probability and statistics in the 7th mathematics curriculum. Secondly, mathematics teachers do not change their teaching-learning method for probability and statistics. Thirdly, many teachers think that the use of technology and reconstruction of the textbooks are required in teaching and learning of the high school probability and statistics. But, they stick on their own way. Research findings in mathematics teachers' belief are as follows. Firstly, many mathematics teachers view the nature of statistics as a branch of the applied mathematics and put the value of high school probability and statistics on the practical usefulness, Secondly, many mathematics teachers think that understanding concepts and improving problem solving ability are the best method of the teaching and learning. Thirdly, many mathematics teachers think that high school probability and statistics textbooks should cause motivations and interests in order not to give up studying probability and statistics. It is expected that the above findings can be used to change teachers' teaching and learning methods and to improve teachers training program.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.374-382
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• 2006

This study investigated the effect of the 'Chemistry in everyday life' course for 234 pre-service elementary teachers on their beliefs regarding science teaching efficacy and the nature of science. This study also examined the effect of this particular course by their field (natural science, humanities & social science, and fine arts). The results show that after the semester the pre-service teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs were enhanced. In particular, their personal science teaching efficacy beliefs were improved across all fields. However, their beliefs regarding the nature of science remained largely unchanged. This study discussed the implications surrounding science courses for pre-service teachers.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.687-697
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the antecedents of teachers' science teaching efficacy in day-care setting. Also, this study aimed to identify relationships between day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy and their perspectives on early childhood science education. The subjects were 176 day-care teachers in rural area of ChoongCheongNam-Do. The survey method was used to collect data from the day-care teacher. The instrument were Rigg & Enochs(1990)'s Science Teaching Efficacy Belief and Kim(l998)'s scales for the Goa1s in Early Childhood Science Education. Main results were as follows: 1. Day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy were significantly related with the personal variables such as teachers' education, in-service science workshops, science book reading, science-related hobby but not with teachers' age, pre-service science credits and total years of teaching experience. 2. Among the environmental variables, science activity areas were significantly associated with day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy. However, location of day-care center, age of children, number of children, teacher-child ratio, facilities for science education and scheduled time for science education did not affect it. 3. Day-care teachers of high content- and process-oriented goals in early childhood science education were highly efficacious teacher, while the teachers of low content- and process-oriented perspectives gained the lowest score. However, the content-oriented teachers and the process-oriented teachers did not differ in terms of day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.555-568
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• 2014

Even though identical science textbooks are used in elementary science classes, differences exist in teachers' teaching practices. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between elementary teachers' beliefs of science learning and their science teaching practices. An Likert-scale survey and interviews were performed on four elementary teachers to obtain information about the beliefs of teachers in science learning. In order to understand their teaching practices and the relationships between teachers' beliefs and their teaching practices, 2 classes per each teacher were recorded and instruction analyses were performed in the aspects of teaching contents, methods, and learning environments. The results showed that teacher A and B, who held traditional beliefs of science learning, taught their classes mainly based on teacher's explanation. While, teacher C and D, who held constructive beliefs of science learning, reorganized the contents of textbooks and applied various teaching methods and strategies in conducting their teaching practices. There were differences in teachers' beliefs of science learning and teaching practices. These differences in beliefs were related with their science teaching practices.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.309-323
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• 2002

This qualitative study investigated preservice teachers' understandings of the ontology and epistemology underlying constructivist notions of learning through four in-depth interviews. Of the sixteen participants in a larger study, five significantly changed ontological and epistemological beliefs and eleven did not. This study focused on these eleven teachers who have hardly changed their philosophical beliefs throughout the teacher education program. Ten teachers who consistently maintained the scientific realist beliefs were presented as a composite case (Young's case). Among the eleven teachers, there was one outlier who had consistently maintained an idealist and relativist epistemological position from the beginning of the study and was subjected to another case analysis (Ben's case). These cases corroborated the assertion that each individual's deeply entrenched ontological and epistemological beliefs are very hard to change. For researchers, this study offers insights into the reasons that preservice teachers give for non-changes in their thinking about learning to teach. The study also examines preservice teachers' perceived constraints in implementing their ideal pedagogies and the influence of the teacher education program on their pedagogical beliefs changes. The benefits and influences of the M.Ed. program's theoretical coursework and the field experiences on these teachers' learning-to-teach experiences are addressed with rich data. The implications for teacher educators as well as for the instructional practices of preservice teacher education programs are discussed. This research emphasize necessity of the field-based teacher education program and the need of empowering experienced school teachers as teacher educators in teacher preparation and professional development.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.71-94
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• 2001

The purposes of this study were to design small group collaborative learning models for developing the creativity and to analyze the effects on applying the models in mathematics teaching and loaming. The meaning of open education in mathematics learning, the relation of creativity and inquiry learning, the relation of small group collaborative learning and creativity, and the relation of assessment and creativity were reviewed. And to investigate the relation small group collaborative learning and creativity, we developed three types of small group collaborative learning model- inquiry model, situation model, tradition model, and then conducted in elementary school and middle school. As a conclusion, this study suggested; (1) Small group collaborative learning can be conducted when the teacher understands the small group collaborative learning practice in the mathematics classroom and have desirable belief about mathematics instruction. (2) Students' mathematical anxiety can be reduced and students' involvement in mathematics learning can be facilitated, when mathematical tasks are provided through inquiry model and situation model. (3) Students' mathematical creativity can be enhanced when the teacher make classroom culture that students' thinking is valued and teacher's authority is reduced. (4) To develop students' mathematical creativity, the interaction between students in small group should be encouraged, and assessment of creativity development should be conduced systematically and continuously.