• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.81-105
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of creativity in mathematics of preservice elementary school teachers. Creativity in Mathematics is one of the most important components in mathematics teaching and learning, which has been emphasized in the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and the 2009 Revised Mathematics Curriculum. For this study, the researcher analyzed reports of creativity in mathematics in mathematics lessons from the perspectives of 55 preservice elementary school teachers. The preservice teachers observed 55 mathematics lessons focusing on creativity in mathematics during their two-week-student-teaching period. The results showed the followings. First, the preservice teachers had a narrow perceptions on creativity in mathematics. Second, observational experiences of mathematics lessons led the preservice teachers to reconsideration of creativity in mathematics. Third, the preservice teachers provided a various strategies to enhance students' creativity in mathematics. The researcher suggested the followings. First, definitions and practices of creativity in mathematics should be included in the teacher education programs. Second, mathematics textbooks should include creativity in mathematics in a sophisticated manner. Third, creativity-rich materials should be developed and distributed to teachers. Finally, well-designed teacher training programs should be necessary.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2009

This research is to provide a useful reference for the future revision of textbook by comparative analysis with the textbook in the 4th grade of elementary school in Japan. The results from this research is same as follows: First, Korean curriculum is emphasizing the reasonable problem-solving ability developed on the base of the mathematical knowledge and skill. Meantime, Japanese puts much value on the is focusing on discretion and the capability in life so that they emphasize each person's learning and raising the power of self-learning and thinking. The ratio on mathematics in both company are high, but Japanese ensures much more hours than Korean. Second, the chapter of Korean textbook is composed of 8 units and the title of the chapter is shown as key word, then the next objects are describes as 'Shall we do$\sim$' type. Hence, the chapter composition of Japanese textbook is different among the chapter and the title of the chapter is described as 'Let's do$\sim$'. Moreover, Korean textbook is arranged focusing on present study, however Japanese is composed with each independent segments in the present study subject to the study contents. Third, Japanese makes students understand the decimal as the extension of the decimal system with measuring unit($\ell$, km, kg) then, learn the operation by algorithm. In Korea, students learn fraction earlier than decimal, but, in Japan students learn decimal earlier than fraction. For the diagram, in Korea, making angle with vertex and side comes after the concept of angle, vertex and side is explained. Hence, in Japan, they show side and vertex to present angle.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.253-266
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• 2017

The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceptions of Elementary school teachers on mathematics instruction. To do this, 7 test items were developed to obtain data on teacher's perception of mathematics instruction and 73 teachers who take mathematical lesson analysis lectures were selected and conducted a survey. Since the data obtained are all qualitative data, they were analyzed through coding and similar responses were grouped into the same category. As a result of the survey, several facts were found as follow; First, When teachers thought about 'mathematics', the first words that come to mind were 'calculation', 'difficult', and 'logic'. It is necessary for the teacher to have positive thoughts on mathematics and mathematics learning, and this needs to be stressed enough in teacher education and teacher retraining. Second, the reason why mathematics is an important subject is 'because it is related to the real life', followed by 'because it gives rise to logical thinking ability' and 'because it gives rise to mathematical thinking ability'. These ideas are related to the cultivating mind value and the practical value of mathematics. In order for students to understand the various values of mathematics, teachers must understand the various values of mathematics. Third, the responses for reasons why elementary school students hate mathematics and are hard are because teachers demand 'thinking', 'because they repeat simple calculations', 'children hate complicated things', 'bother', 'Because mathematics itself is difficult', 'the level of curriculum and textbooks is high', and 'the amount of time and activity is too much'. These problems are likely to be improved by the implementation of revised 2015 national curriculum that emphasize core competence and process-based evaluation including mathematical processes. Fourth, the most common reason for failing elementary school mathematics instruction was 'because the process was difficult' and 'because of the results-based evaluation'. In addition, 'Results-oriented evaluation,' 'iterative calculation,' 'infused education,' 'failure to consider the level difference,' 'lack of conceptual and principle-centered education' were mentioned as a failure factor. Most of these factors can be changed by improving and changing teachers' teaching practice. Fifth, the responses for what does a desirable mathematics instruction look like are 'classroom related to real life', 'easy and fun mathematics lessons', 'class emphasizing understanding of principle', etc. Therefore, it is necessary to deeply deal with the related contents in the training courses for the improvement of the teachers' teaching practice, and it is necessary to support not only the one-time training but also the continuous professional development of teachers.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.105-128
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• 2013

One of the biggest changes in 2007 Curriculum Revision is introduction of letter, equation, direct proportion and inverse proportion in fifth and sixth grade of mathematics. The purpose of this study is to provide some implications about teaching-learning method for introduction of letters, teaching and learning activities of equation between the 6th Curriculum and 2007 Curriculum Revision. The below conclusions were drawn from findings obtained in this study. First, the letter and expression were learned in fifth and sixth grade until 6th Curriculum and were learned in seventh grade in middle school of 7th Curriculum. But letter, equation are introduced in 2007 Curriculum Revision again. The overall contents of letter and expression were learned on the 'Relationship' domain in the 6th Curriculum, it were learned on the 'Letter and expression' domain in the 7th Curriculum and is learned on the 'Regularity and problem-solving' domain in the 2007 Curriculum Revision. Second, teaching method of these contents was to promise some definitions at first and then to solve exercises in the 6th Curriculum. But leaning was forced to improve student's problem-solving in the 7th Curriculum. To reduce student's pressure offers at a minimum mathematics terms and to provide problem situations to students who contact daily, it is emphasized on learner's communication in the 2007 Curriculum Revision. We want to be easily connected elementary mathematics and higher mathematics through this study about letter, equation. We recognized how we teach the letter and expression to reduce misconceptions and draw a transition from arithmetic thinking to algebraic thinking and want to be continue of another studies.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2013

In this paper, firstly, 'value', 'vertices', 'height' are discussed, which are used in the multiple contexts. Then 'sketch', 'mental math', 'zero point oneth place/zero point zero oneth place/zero point zereo zero oneth place', 'number of place', 'natural number part/decimal part' are discussed, which are not used consistently. Finally, middle school mathematics terms 'distance', 'number line', 'the value of the expression' are discussed which are used in elementary school mathematics textbooks/workbooks. From these discussions, the following four suggestions are proposed as conclusions. First, as a mathematical term 'value' and 'distance' should be emphasized. As 'distance' is a middle school term, there is a need to consider the 'height' as 'the length of the line segment' instead of 'distance'. Second, 'number of place' which can be replaced with other suitable term, 'the value of the expression' including 'value of $20{\times}4$', 'natural number part/decimal part', 'vertex of pyramid/vertex of cone', 'mental math' should not be used. Third, there is a need to consider the use of 'mixed decimal' and 'proper decimal'. In addition, there is a need to expand the use of 'sketch'. Fourth, there is a need to consider the confirmation of 'number line' as an elementary school mathematics term. In addition, there is a need to consider to specify that 'decimal first place', 'decimal second place', 'decimal third place' can be used equivalently with 'zero point oneth place', 'zero point zero oneth place', 'zero point zereo zero oneth place' respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.341-351
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of pre-service teachers of elementary school who take courses in 'Science and Textbook Research' on science teaching efficacy and science knowledge after experimental treatment. For this purpose, this study was aimed at intensive course four classes (118 students) enrolled in the 'Science and Textbook Research' course and experimented from the beginning of September to the end of November. The experiment was about teaching textbooks and teaching methods for one semester, and the pre- service teachers of elementary school made the demonstration of science cooperation classes by group. The results and analysis of the study were analyzed by the corresponding sample test in before and after the group test. The conclusion of the study is as follows. First, after taking this class the pre - service teachers of elementary school were effective in science teaching efficacy. Second, after taking this course, pre-service teachers of elementary school were effective in acquiring science knowledge. Third, it was seemed to positive effect on Perception of pre-service teachers of elementary school in Demonstration classes. Pre-service teachers of elementary school have created science course plan by analyzing the tasks according to the principles of instructional design, and they found that they had the right mind and confidence in the lesson.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.453-475
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• 2007

School algebra starts with introducing algebraic expressions which have been one of the cognitive obstacles to the students in the transfer from arithmetic to algebra. In the recent studies on the teaching school algebra, algebraic thinking is getting much more attention together with algebraic expressions. In this paper, we examined the processes of the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and ways for teaching early algebra through algebraic thinking factors. Issues about algebraic thinking have continued since 1980's. But the theoretic foundations for algebraic thinking have not been founded in the previous studies. In this paper, we analyzed the algebraic thinking in school algebra from historico-genetic, epistemological, and symbolic-linguistic points of view, and identified algebraic thinking factors, i.e. the principle of permanence of formal laws, the concept of variable, quantitative reasoning, algebraic interpretation - constructing algebraic expressions, trans formational reasoning - changing algebraic expressions, operational senses - operating algebraic expressions, substitution, etc. We also identified these algebraic thinking factors through analyzing mathematics textbooks of elementary and middle school, and showed the middle school students' low achievement relating to these factors through the algebraic thinking ability test. Based upon these analyses, we argued that the readiness for algebra learning should be made through the processes including algebraic thinking factors in the elementary school and that the transfer from arithmetic to algebra should be accomplished naturally through the pre-algebra course. And we searched for alternative ways to improve algebra curriculums, emphasizing algebraic thinking factors. In summary, we identified the problems of school algebra relating to the transfer from arithmetic to algebra with the problem of teaching algebraic thinking and analyzed the algebraic thinking factors of school algebra, and searched for alternative ways for improving the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and the teaching of early algebra.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.140-154
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• 2010

The core of subject matter education is determined by the choice of subject matter taught to students and by the organization of content according to educational objectives. The purpose of this research is to suggest ways to improve the present content of science education so as to prepare students and schools for a radically different future. We deduced the main issues the solution of which could lead to significant improvements in the contents of science education by analyzing previous studies and investigating the changes in content that were effected during curriculum revisions in the past. The main issues thus revealed through this study are as follows: the essence of the contents of subject matters in science education, the social and cultural background of change in the science curriculum, the rational steps on the way to choosing contents as part of the science curriculum, the processes of choosing the main contents of each subject, the international comparative study of contents, the updating of contents for the benefit of future society, and the reorganization of subject contents. In order to find a concrete improvement on the issues deduced, we organized an expert group. Then, we proceeded to collect and analyze the experts' opinions. A survey was administered to 19 science education experts working with universities and colleges of education. We examined their degree of agreement on the issues and problems, and on the steps that may be taken to us the improvements on these issues. we suggested that: collecting opinion and reaching an agreement on the essence of the contents of the subject matters in science education, the necessity to choose core contents within the scientific domain, developing a structure map in order to integrate and connect various subject domains, presenting explicitly the objective of inquiry by grades, moving toward integrating science contents, diversifying the construction of science textbooks.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.60-79
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a program for the history of science and technology in order for the technical high school students to understand the nature of science (NOS). The program was composed of the six topics based on the textbooks such as convergence science and physics I, and was taught to 290 10th graders at a technical high school located in the metropolitan area. The questionnaire about NOS was asked the students before and after the instruction, so as to investigate the effect of the program on improving their understandings of NOS. The analysis followed t-test and ANOVA using SPSS 23.0 for Windows program. The questionnaire based on the conceptual framework of the four themes of the NOS (Lee, 2014). The research findings were as follows. First, the program was effective in improving their understanding of NOS since the t-test result was significant statistically for the overall domains of NOS (p<.01). Second, there was no significant gender differences in the understanding of NOS among technical high school students (p<.05), neither did their majors (p<.05). Third, all domains in NOS were statistically correlated (p<.01), and in a particular, each domain was consistently correlated with the aspect of the nature of the interactions among science, technology, and society. Hence, the further studies should be conducted to examine how the history of science and technology effects the understanding of the NOS and how the domains in NOS affected each other.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.157-170
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• 2017

Mathematics was the main domain of PISA 2012, and both paper-based and computer-based assessment of mathematics (CBAM) were conducted. PISA 2012 was the first large-scale computer-based mathematics assessment in Korea, and it is meaningful in that it evaluated students' mathematical literacy in problem situations using dynamic geometry, graph, and spreadsheet. Although Korea ranked third in CBAM, the use of ICT in mathematics lessons appeared to be low. On the other hand, this study focused on Singapore, which ranked first in CBAM. The Singapore Ministry of Education developed online programs such as AlgeTools and AlgeDisc, and implemented the programs in classes by specifying them in mathematics curriculum and textbooks. Thus, this study investigated influential factors on computer-based assessment of mathematics by comparing the results of Korea and Singapore, and aimed to provide meaningful evidence on the direction of Korea's ICT-based mathematics education. The results showed that ICT use at home for school related tasks, attitudes towards computers as a tool for school learning, and openness and perseverance of problem solving were positively associated with computer-based mathematics performance, whereas the use of ICT in mathematics class by teacher demonstration was negatively related. Efforts are needed to improve computer use and enhance teaching techniques related to ICT use in Korean math classes. Future research is recommended to examine how effectively teachers use ICT in mathematics class in Singapore.