• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.259-267
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• 2005

This study was to investigate the elementary students' preconception on the brightness of electric bulb and degree of consistency on their preconceptions. Participants were 160 students of fifth graders in Seoul area. They had already teamed about the brightness of series circuit and parallel circuit of batteries. After they solved six problems in the same context, we provided them a pair of circuit which was an anomalous situation. And then they conducted CCLT (Cognitive Conflict Level Test). Elementary school students showed various preconceptions when they explained the light of bulb of two Simple electric Circuits. Many Students Consistently Showed the Scientific misconceptions like 'the light of bulb of two simple electric circuits was that the more batteries and the fewer bulbs were brighter.' The level of consistency that students presented scientific misconceptions was grouped all of four, such as 'high, middle, low, and nothing.' Therefore the higher scientific achievement they have, the higher consistency they have. As the students had high consistency level, they revealed high cognitive conflict level significantly. This high consistency will help them to change their preconception on the brightness of electric bulb and their cognitive conflict.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to analyze the controversial points in the concepts of materials in the science textbook of middle school and to provide alternatives of teaching method. For this study, units in connected textbooks were analyzed and the teaching method using ball-and-stick models was developed. The subjects were 130 second graders from a middle school in Seoul, Korea. It aimed to compare the effectiveness of using ball-and-stick models for lesson with the one of traditional lessons, in learning concepts concerning materials by cognitive levels and to investigate the difference of scientific concept formation about concepts concerning materials by their cognitive levels between experimental group and control group by using concept formation questionnaires. Before the instructions, a short-version GALT was administered. After instructions, the posttest of concepts and attitude test connected with science subject were administered, and 10 months later, the posttest of concepts was administered to analyze the long-term memory effects. According to the results, the experimental group using the ball-and-stick models had significantly higher scores at conceptual understanding and long-term memory effects than the control group and improved the attitude relevant to science subject, and also had affirmative effects in attitude for science and science work. When analyzing the results according to the cognitive level, the long-term memory effects was high in the concrete operational stage students. From the results of this study, middle school students that are more concrete operational stage and transitional stage than formal operational stage elevates interesting in studying by using ball-and-stick models and making material form concretely. It would be effective in helping the students develope the correct concepts by connecting real world as materials and the particle world as atom.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 1998

This study investigated the effects of grouping (group composition) in cooperative learning strategy upon students' achievement, the attitude toward science instruction, the perception of learning environment, and the self-esteem. Three different groups were used in this study. For the two treatment groups with cooperative learning strategies, High-Medium-Low ability grouping (HML) and High-Low I Medium-Medium ability grouping (HL/MM) were used. For the control group, traditional instruction was used. Before the instructions, the short-version Group Assessment of Logical Thinking, the test of attitudes toward science instruction, the perception questionnaire of learning environment, and the questionnaire of self-esteem were administered, and their scores were used as covariates. Mid-term examination score was used as a blocking variable. After the instructions, a researcher-made achievement test consisting of three subtests (knowledge, understanding, and application), the test of attitude toward science instruction, the perception questionnaire of learning environment, and the questionnaire of self-esteem were administered. The ANCOVA results revealed that there were significant interactions between the instruction and the level of prior achievement although there were no significant differences in all subtest scores of the achievement test. The high-level students in the HL/MM cooperative group performed better than those in the control group and the HML cooperative group. The low-level students in the HL/MM cooperative group also performed better in the subtest of knowledge than those in the other groups. However, the medium-level students in the HML cooperative group scored better than those in the control group and the HL/MM cooperative group. Significant main effect was also found in the perception of learning environment but not in the attitude toward science instruction and self-esteem. The cooperative groups, regardless of grouping, exhibited more positive perception than the control group.