• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.231-248
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• 2024

This study developed a chatbot for first-year high school students, employing open-source software and the Korean Sentence-BERT model for AI-powered document classification. The chatbot utilizes the Sentence-BERT model to find the six most similar Q&A pairs to a student's query and presents them in a carousel format. The initial dataset, built from online resources, was refined and expanded based on student feedback and usability throughout over the operational period. By the end of the 2023 academic year, the chatbot integrated a total of 30,819 datasets and recorded 3,457 student interactions. Analysis revealed students' inclination to use the chatbot when prompted by teachers during classes and primarily during self-study sessions after school, with an average of 2.1 to 2.2 inquiries per session, mostly via mobile phones. Text mining identified student input terms encompassing not only science-related queries but also aspects of school life such as assessment scope. Topic modeling using BERTopic, based on Sentence-BERT, categorized 88% of student questions into 35 topics, shedding light on common student interests. A year-end survey confirmed the efficacy of the carousel format and the chatbot's role in addressing curiosities beyond integrated science learning objectives. This study underscores the importance of developing chatbots tailored for student use in public education and highlights their educational potential through long-term usage analysis.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.195-205
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• 2012

This study examines runaway youths at risk in a youths' shelter who are preparing for an independent life and both the facilitating and adverse factors to personal characteristics and independence of runaway youths at risk with the aim to grasp their recognition of independence and level of desire for it and find out necessary factors for a successful independence in multidimensional perspectives including the economic independence, educational independence, psychological independence, and social independence for their sound growth. This will provide the basis for desirable interventions for youths runaway youths at risk to prepare for an independent life. The findings of this study on the factors that affect the preparation for an independent life are as follows: First, as a result of analyzing the effect of micro-systematic factors on the preparation for an independent life, it turned out that problem-solving abilities and self-efficacy had influence on the preparation for a career Second, as a result of analyzing the effect of mesoscopic-systematic variables on the preparation for an independent life, it turned out that the preparation for a career were affected by whether to participate in independence preparation programs and institutional supports, and that career maturity of runaway youths at risk were affected only by the relationship with teachers and participation in independence preparation programs. Third, as a result of analyzing the effect of macro systematic variables on the preparation for an independent life, it turned out that the preparation for a career were affected by participation of the local community and service network, and that participation of the local community was an predictor variable that would affect a career maturity of runaway youths at risk. Fourth, as a result of analyzing ecological systematic variables that might affect the preparation for a career, it turned out that intervening variables and macro systematic variables had the most powerful influence on the preparation for a career among runaway youths at risk. It is necessary, therefore, to provide education programs organized by policies in order to develop problem-solving abilities and vocational capabilities so that runaway youths at risk, and to train and appoint more professional teachers at shelters. Programs for independence preparation need to be developed actively and practically in consideration of the characteristics of shelters, and the network with the local community for support also need to be established in utilization of the human resources and service programs of the community. With the understanding of leaving home of runaway youths at risk as the previous stage of an independence, there should be a housing support for their stable settlement in the perspective of housing welfare until become adults. In addition, there should be education specialized programs for occupation and careers to train runaway youths at risk as professionals including such areas as health, mentality, learning, and voluntary work for their sound growth.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.740-753
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• 2022

This study was conducted to develop and apply an out-of-school STEAM program model based on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) for underprivileged students in the lower grades. To this end, a STEAM program based on SEL was developed, with the following characteristics. First, by integrating traditional STEAM learning elements and SEL elements, a structured program was designed with consistent stages, including mindfulness meditation→present an authentic situation→creative design→emotional experiences→reflection. Second, the program was structured so that elementary school students could develop mathematical thinking and scientific inquiry skills in problem-solving situations in daily life. Third, the detailed themes for each STEAM program involved storytelling-based problem situations, as well as activities centered on play and sympathy to reflect the educational needs of underprivileged students. From these characteristics, a total of five programs were developed and applied to 16 teachers and 354 lower-grade elementary school students in 16 community children centers nationwide. The results were as follows. First, while students' satisfaction with the STEAM program was 4.16, there were no significant differences in STEAM satisfaction according to gender. Second, while all students' interest and self-efficacy, which was one of sub factors of STEAM attitude, were significantly improved, no significant difference was seen in STEAM attitudes according to gender. Third, although students' SEL competencies were not significantly improved, relationship skills, which were among the sub factors of SEL competencies, were significantly improved, and there were no significant differences in SEL competencies according to gender. From these results, a discussion on the effect of the out-of-school STEAM program for underprivileged students and directions for follow-up studies was suggested.