• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.686-702
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• 2012

This study investigated the impact of grouping methods on free inquiry implementation through the use of mixed research methods. Some 113 7th graders and 2 science teachers in two middle schools participated in this study. The 113 students who participated in this study were grouped by homogeneity and heterogeneity according to scientific inquiry skills and personality types respectively, and performed free inquiry activities on the same subject for three weeks. Data were collected by means of a test on science inquiry skills and from focus group interviews with 36 students and in-depth interviews with 2 teachers. The quantitative results of this study showed that homogeneous grouping was more effective than heterogeneous grouping in improvement of scientific inquiry skills. Meanwhile, the qualitative results revealed both the students and teachers perceived that it was effective to compose a small group according to their affective quality than their cognitive quality. Particularly, most of the students preferred the method of small group from the personality types. Some students and both teachers proposed that it is necessary to collect enough information on students and to use them in mixture with the method of small group according to the affective quality.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.203-220
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate how 'free inquiry' was implemented in middle school science classrooms. In order to do this, survey and interviews were administered. The subject of survey was 165 science teachers at 58 middle schools and interviewees were 4 teachers and 10 students. As a result, 49.6% of science teachers in school year 2010, and 34.1% in 2011 applied 'free inquiry'. Teachers applied 'free inquiry' during one semester, and they let the students select topic of 'free inquiry'. Teachers grouped students according to students' opinion or their gender and ability, and one group was consisted of 4 students. The effect of applying 'free inquiry' was that students improved the interest on science, science inquiry ability and self directed learning capability. Students were interested in doing 'free inquiry', and they wanted to do it again. Teachers claimed that it took much time and effort to apply 'free inquiry', and students lacked science inquiry skills and interest on science. The teachers who did not apply 'free inquiry' stated reasons such as the shortage of instructional time, and they didn't think that 'free inquiry' should be implemented. For the effective implementation of 'free inquiry', this study suggested that teachers should be recognized the intention of 'free inquiry', teaching-learning materials about 'free inquiry' be developed and provided, and laboratory assistants be employed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.865-874
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore the process of inquiry problem finding in high school students' small group free-inquiry. For this purpose, 91 second grade high school students took part in small group free-inquiry. We conducted interviews with students (48 students in 15 groups) who were relatively successful in the inquiry performed for one semester (about 4 months). Based on the results of the interviews, we analyzed the characteristics of the inquiry problem finding through the steps and strategies in the inquiry problem finding process. The main results are as follows: First, in the inquiry problem finding process, steps such as selecting keyword, presenting an inconvenience, presenting a question, and finding an inquiry problem were found, and in particular, the process of selecting the keyword that correspond to the subject of inquiry, such as the material and situation of inquiry, is very important step in inquiry problem finding. Second, the strategies that students used in the process of finding inquiry problem included searching information, review of prior research, sharing of knowledge and experience, linking and extension of knowledge and experience, environmental awareness, expert consultation, discussion of suitability, elaboration, etc. Third, finding an inquiry problem was relatively easy in the inquiry for finding out problems (i.e. inconvenience) in everyday life and investigating ways to solve them. Fourth, the review of prior researches through the internet was useful in the process of selecting keyword and elaboration. Fifth, the factors that students consider when selecting one of several candidate inquiry problems are feasibility, real-life applicability, and economic condition. Sixth, the current affairs had a positive impact on the inquiry problem finding. Based on the above results, we discussed some ways to increase students' inquiry problem finding ability.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.373-386
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to survey the middle school science gifted students' perception of the open-inquiry activity. To conduct the research we worked with 80 science gifted students, and the questionnaire was about the experience of the open-inquiry activity and the preference of the research methods. And also, we observed 19 gifted students of their open-inquiry activity and interviewed in each step. The answers were compared with the questionnaire survey. As a result, gifted students in this study have average of 3.25 times of open-inquiry experiences, and they prefer the group investigation comparing with the individual project. In the method of selecting the subject, they prefer an autonomous selection rather than passive influence of the instructor. And they seem to give large meaning on the fact that they are operating the open-Inquiry by themselves.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.909-927
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• 2009

Inquiry became an essential methodology in science education. Recently, argumentation becomes more important in inquiry, but inquiry-based teaching in school science would not provide enough opportunities for students to have voluntary and active interactions during inquiry activities. Informal science learning can be an alternative for authentic inquiry. Accordingly, this study aims to find interaction patterns in dialogic inquiry of junior high school students in small groups in the natural history gallery. Inquiry elements and interaction patterns are analyzed with 42 dialogues of 13 small groups. As a result, seven interaction patterns are identified. First, five major interaction patterns were drawn as follows; Sharing questions, asking questions and simple response, asking questions and simple explanation, asking questions-simple explanation-(collecting data)-data based explanation, and asking questions-collecting data-data based explanation. Second, pattern 2, 'asking questions and simple response', is subdivided into three categories; passive and/or evasive response, inaccurate response, and repeated patterns of asking questions-simple response. The results of the study provide different patterns of dialogic interactions in a small group inquiry in informal contexts from formal contexts, and provide foundations to understand middle school students' interactive dialogues of inquiry occurred in the natural history gallery.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.903-927
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• 2012

The study aimed to analyze middle school students construction of physics inquiry problems for open inquiry from the viewpoint of variable isolation and clarification, and investigate students' difficulties during the processes of variable isolation and clarification to get implications for teaching and learning strategies for small group open inquiry activities which have been included in the 2007 national curriculum. The participants were 4 students who had attended an outreach program for the science gifted run by a university institution located in Seoul area. They performed an open inquiry on egg drop for 13 lessons for 30 hours. Level descriptions for variable isolation and clarification have been developed and applied to analyze students' inquiry problems and variables included by the problems. Students iterated inquiry processed 5 times and the inquiry problem showed progress gradually. Dependent variables have been isolated ahead and the levels of variable isolation and clarification showed higher than the independent variables. Many kinds of independent variables isolated extensively and the independent variables and control variables have been mingled. One of the reasons why students had some difficulties in isolation of independent variables could be the absence of theoretical models. The realities of school lab could restrict the variable isolation and clarification as well as topic selections. Some sensory or extensive variables such as broken eggs and drop height seem to be salient to be focused on as core variables. Lack of background knowledges could be one of the reasons for students' difficulties in variable clarification, such as theoretical definitions and operational definitions. As a result of lacking background knowledges, students could not construct theoretical models even though they could isolate and clarify variables as scientific lexical definitions. Some perceptions of inquiry as trial and error or reckless establishment of causal relations between variables could be accounted as one reason.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.201-214
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of model of the experiment in students' open inquiry. The research is a reinterpretation of the data collected from the performance of a three-year research project under the theme of 'school science inquiry' the perspective of model of the experiment. The inquiry activities of a focus group made up of four students have been recorded seven times. The recorded files and transcribed copies were analyzed according to interpretive methods. Students' activities were divided into three modeling of the experiment units, considering the modeling unit that includes the process of starting from the problem until it gets solved. The results of the study include illuminating the dynamic process and characteristics of modeling of the experiment and discussing its educational meaning as a distributed cognitive system at each modeling unit. First, students, instruments, and the primitive form of calculation represented by the interaction between them turned out to be important factors in the distributed cognitive system that constitutes model of the experiment. Second, in the early stages, non-verbal activities were carried out in which students became familiar with instruments, and verbal quantitative signs were created when the activities were sufficiently carried out. The generated quantitative signs became a source of data and confidence that can be referenced in subsequent activities. Third, the specialization of instrumentalization occurred, and factors that were important in inquiry, such as variable control, appeared. The results of the study provide new implications for science education research and education, which have been centered on explanatory models, by unfolding the characteristics of model of the experiment that have not been noticed in science education through students' inquiry.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.305-327
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the tendencies and general distributive features of creativity elements on activities in the Nuri curriculum teachers' guidebooks for the ages of 3-5. This was done by analysis of 1,883 activities related to creativity in the teachers' guidebooks. In order to analyze the data, the frequency and percentage of creativity elements were calculated. The results can be summarized as follows: First, the ratio of activities related to creativity was 95.1% for the age of three, 93.1% for the age of four, and 78.6% for the age of five. Second, the most common creativity element was cognitive element and the next was motivational element, and the least was dispositional element. Third, regarding themes, the frequency of creativity elements was highest in 'tools for living', and lowest in 'countries of the world'. Fourth, the creativity elements were more frequently found in group activities rather than free choice activities. Last, the frequency of creativity elements was highest in nature exploration, and was followed by social relations. The results of this study could be used as basic data for practicing activities related to creativity in the field of early childhood education.