• Korean Educational Research Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.109-125
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine how group argumentations mediated individual arguments by analyzing physics teachers' group argumentation and individual follow-up written arguments. Five in-service physics teachers participated in this study, two middle school and three high school teachers. The topics of argumentation included physics topics and pedagogy of them. Findings showed that the teachers constructed much more elaborated individual written arguments than group argumentation, which seemed to be resulted from different perceptions of teachers' verbal and written argumentations. Also, in their written arguments the teachers selectively utilized their colleagues' ideas shared during group argumentation. Lastly, teachers' argumentation showed different features between topics of physics and physics pedagogy. These differences were related to their orientations toward argumentation about content knowledge and teaching. These findings shed light on a productive physics teacher professional development in argumentation.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.117-127
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• 2003

This qualitative research investigated how to improve preservice and in-service teacher education programs through in-depth interviews with 10 exemplary science teachers. Data from interviews were used to analyze how the teachers perceived current situations of teacher education and what they suggested as an improvement plan. In terms of preservice teacher education, exemplary teachers argued that teacher education programs should (1) ensure the teacher education program's identity and goals, (2) provide preservice teachers with practical knowledge by translating theory into practice, and (3) secure faculty members who majored in science education. In light of in-service education, the teachers contended that (1) teachers should acknowledge the continuing processes of their own professional development, (2) the content and method of in-service training should incorporate teachers' practical needs in the classroom, and (3) the teaching community should implement a clinical supervision to improve their classroom practices. The central role of teacher (re)education in a successful classroom reform is also discussed.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.387-407
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• 2014

This study investigeted secondary math teachers' difficulties of technology in geometry class with grounded theory by Strauss and Corbin. 178 secondary math teachers attending the professional development program on technology-based geometry teaching at eight locations in January 2014, participated in this study with informed consents. Data was collected with an open-ended questionnaire survey. In line with grounded theory, open, axial and selective coding were applied to data analysis. According to the results of this study, teachers were found to experience resistance in using technology due to new learning and changes, with knowledge and awareness of technology effectively interacting to lessen such resistance. In using technology, teachers were found to go through the 'access-resistance-unaccepted use-acceptance' stages. Teachers having difficulties in using technology included the following four types: 'inaccessible, denial of acceptance, discontinuation of use, and acceptance 'These findings suggest novel perspectives towards teachers having difficulties in using technology, providing implications for teachers' professional development.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.450-458
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• 2012

This study explored ways to implement a competencies-based curriculum in schools by reviewing exemplary cases that have introduced Key Competencies (KCs) in the school science curriculum. Since the OECD redefined key competencies as 'what people should know and do in order to lead a successful life in a well-functioning society', many countries have emphasized the use of a competencies-based curriculum. Foreign and domestic classroom cases, which have used a competencies-based curriculum in science teaching, were collected and analyzed. Through open-ended interviews with teachers and principals, we investigated changes of teachers' professional knowledge and practice that were evident as a result of the implementation of competencies-based curriculum in science class. Foreign science teachers suggested ways to relate competencies-based curriculum and science curriculum including maintaining a balance between competencies-based curriculum and content-based curriculum. They also integrated KCs into all subject-based curriculums, gave priority to KCs over subject matter knowledge, and developed KCs through teaching science contents that students wanted to learn. On the other hand, Korean science teachers suggested reconstructing competencies-based curriculum by extracting common attributes from the existing subject areas. They also made KCs realized through content teaching, and developed various KCs within science contexts. Implications of the competencies-based curriculum for science teaching and learning were discussed at the end.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.146-153
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• 2011

For the purpose of carrying out nutrition counseling effectively and efficiently, this study assessed the nutrition counseling practice, perception and nutrition knowledge of elementary school children in Gyeongbuk province. Survey questionnaires were distributed between November 2009 and December 2009 to 100 nutrition counseling experienced children (participants) and 110 nutrition counseling non-experienced children (non-participants) and were completed with nutrition teachers' assistance. According to the survey results, girls and overweight/obese children showed higher tendency of participation in nutrition counseling (p<0.001). Participants who took nutrition counseling according to their own intentions showed satisfaction after counseling on diverse subjects such as obesity, unbalanced diet, and weight control. Particularly, 'lack of counseling session time', 'unfavorable counseling condition' or 'difficult explanation' caused participants unsatisfaction after counseling. Participants usually perceived the meaning of nutrition counseling more correctly than non-participants and showed positive intentions for taking further counseling in the future(p<0.001). Diet good for weight control, good food to fix unbalanced diet and diet good for growing stature were the top three subjects of nutrition counseling chosen by subjects (p<0.001). Participants also showed higher nutrition knowledge scores than non-participants. Therefore, it is critically important to apply nutrition counseling in the proper environment (counseling room, time, teaching materials, etc) to elementary school students to fix healthy food habits. Therefore, nutrition teachers need to be provide professional nutrition counseling skills and knowledge.

• School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.461-480
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to analyze characteristics of teachers' knowledge about correlation with data presented in $2{\times}2$ tables. In order to achieve the aim, this study conducted didactical analysis about two-way tables through examining previous researches and developed a questionnaire with reference to the results of the analysis. The questionnaire was given to 53 middle and high school teachers and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data obtained from the written responses by the participants. This study also elaborated the framework descriptors for interpreting the teachers' responses in the light of the didactical analysis and the data was elucidated in terms of this framework. The specific features of teachers' knowledge about correlation with data presented in $2{\times}2$ tables were categorized into three types as a result. This study raised several implications for teachers' professional development for effective mathematics instruction about correlation and related concepts dealt with in probability and statistics.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.61-75
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• 2007

This study defined awareness of professionalism and job stress in 353 child-care teachers of children with special needs and analyzed the relative contribution of professional awareness to job stress. Teachers showed high awareness of 'ethics' and 'enthusiasm enhancing professionalism', and this awareness correlated highly with professionalism in the 'specialized knowledge and skills' sub-factors. Teachers showed high levels of stress in the 'general duty' and the 'guidance of children with special needs' categories, and this correlated highly with stress caused by 'child-care center management.' The results of canonical correlation analysis indicated that of professionalism sub-factors only the awareness of 'social services' contributed positively to job stress.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.221-232
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• 2019

Despite the continuing emphasis on the importance of scientific inquiry, research studies have commented that authentic scientific inquiry is not implemented in school science classroom due to a lack of understanding of scientific inquiry by the teacher. The purpose of this study is to investigate understanding of scientific inquiry developed by beginning teachers through open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. They voluntarily set up the goal of inquiry-based classes, planned inquiry-based classes, shared and reflected their teaching experience in professional learning community for more than a year. It appeared that participant teachers understood scientific inquiry as 'what scientists do', 'process how students do science' and 'science teaching methods.' All teacher participants described scientific inquiry as 'what scientists do', and understood 'the process of doing scientific investigation to solve problems related to natural phenomenon' and 'the process of constructing scientific knowledge using scientific practice.' Two participant teachers seemed to understand scientific inquiry as a 'teaching method' based on the understanding of the process how scientists or students do science. Participant teachers had a limited understanding of scientific inquiry that it is the same as laboratory works or hands-on activities prior to engaging the professional learning community, but they developed an understanding of scientific inquiry that there are various ways to conduct scientific inquiry after engaging in professional learning community.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.105-117
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to explore changes in elementary teachers' modeling pPCK (personal PCK) resulting from knowledge exchange within the realms of PCK described in the Refined Consensus Model (hereafter RCM). For this purpose, a professional learning community (hereafter PLC) was established for three elementary school teachers to facilitate knowledge exchange specifically focused on science modeling instructions. The study then analyzed the CoRe (content representations) written by the research participants twice to explore any changes in modeling pPCK (personal PCK). In addition, the discourse shared by the participants in the PLC and the data from the in-depth interviews were also analyzed using grounded theory research methods. The results of the study showed that there was no significant change in knowledge of the science curriculum in elementary teachers' modeling pPCK, but there were changes in orientations toward teaching science, knowledge of students' understanding in science, knowledge of instructional strategies and representations, and knowledge of assessment of science learning. Furthermore, the analysis of PLC discourse and in-depth interviews showed that modeling instructions reflection (ePCK; enacted PCK) and educational research-based modeling cPCK (collective PCK) influenced these changes in teachers' modeling pPCK. Accordingly, this study suggests recommendations for pedagogical approaches aimed at improving teachers' modeling PCK.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.143-154
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• 2017

Science inquiry has long been emphasized in Korean science education. Scientific modeling is one of key practices in science inquiry with a potential to provide students with opportunities to develop their own explanations and knowledge thereafter. The purpose of this study is to investigate teacher's understanding of models in science and science teaching. A professional development program on Models (PDM) was developed and refined through three times of implementation while teachers' conceptions of models and modeling were examined. A total of 29 elementary and secondary teachers participated in this study. A survey based on model use of scientists in the history of science was developed and used to collect data and audio recordings of discussions among teachers and artifacts produced by the teachers during PDM were also collected. Three ways of ontological and two ways of epistemological understanding of models and modeling were found in teachers' ideas. After PDM, a quarter of the teachers changed their ontological understanding whereas very few changed their epistemological understanding. In contrast, more than two thirds of the teachers deepened and extended their ideas about using models and modeling in teaching. There were no clear relationships between teachers' understanding of models and ways and ideas about using models in science teaching. However, teachers' perceptions of school conditions were found to mediate their intention to use models in science teaching. The findings indicate possible approaches to professional development program content design and further research.