• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.91-104
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• 2017

The purposes of this study were to analyze high school students' understanding about the Earth system and systems thinking process, and to develop science writing programs designed to assess students' understanding about themes of Earth Science such as global warming, volcanoes, and desertification. A total of 8 $11^{th}$ grade students from general high schools participated in the writing program and draw the causal maps. The methods of this study are as follows. First, DAET-C was used to investigate the way of students' understanding about the Earth systems. What the students' best understood was the component of the Earth systems followed by the interaction of the Earth systems and the scientific literacy of Earth science. Second, feedback circulations on the causal maps were found in four students in global warming section, one student in volcanic eruption section, and four students in desertification section, which means that systems thinking was not largely employed by the students. Consequently, the student participants understood that the global change was happening in correlation with complex concepts and factors, but they were short of using systems thinking in their science study. Therefore, the result of this study suggests that more studies be conducted to develop systems thinking in Earth Science learning through science writing programs.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.784-797
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• 2011

The purposes of this study are: (1) to develop educational program designed to improve high school students' knowledge integration and their system thinking skills about global warming and (2) to identify the change of students' system thinking level. The developed program was implemented to twenty seven high school students, and six students grouped into three highs and three lows in their performance were selected to analyze their level of system thinking. The word association, casual map and drawing were used to measure and identify any significant change. As a result, the low level system thinking group improved their system thinking skills for global warming and the earth and sub-systems after the intervention. However, participants' misconception remained the same. And the high level systems thinking group showed more organize system thinking skills about a global warming topic. It is suggested that more educational programs be developed on various topics in order for high school students to improve their systems thinking skills as well as knowledge integration of earth systems and earth environment in school curriculum.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.684-696
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• 2004

Using six preservice teachers as subjects, this was purpose to research about concepts in understanding carbon cycle, which of concepts were related to the conception of the system, and finally whether or not the systems thinking was sufficiently around carbon cycle. To achieve this study purpose , an instrument related to carbon cycle was developed and administered to the six teachers. The study found that a total of 42 conceptions within the system were concepts related to carbon cycle. The consisted of 15 conceptions in atmosphere, 11 in atmosphere 9 in hydrosphere, and 7 in lithosphere. In aspect of applying the system thinking, 4 subjects who couldn't compose the feedback loop in their causal map failed to apply this type of thinking. The other two who applied systems thinking had 2 and 1 feedback loop each, in their causal maps. But, one of the feedback loop from the subject who made two was based on unscientific reasoning. As a result, the subjects had lower understanding of concepts related to carbon cycle in lithosphere than in atmosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Futhermore, the subjects' application of the earth systems thinking on carbon was at a low standard.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.275-291
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the level and characteristics of system thinking of middle and high school students on cycle of matter in the Earth system considering the impact of human activities on the cycle. For this purpose, we developed items for assessment and assessment rubric through the analysis of 2015 revised curriculum and applying systems thinking, respectively. Middle and high school students who participated in the Korea Earth Science Olympiad were the subjects of this study. The level of system thinking was determined using the assessment rubric for student responses collected using items for assessment. The characteristics of system thinking were identified using word analysis. Based on these, the improvement of the curriculum considering the impact of human activities was discussed. The results of the study are as follows: first, the system thinking level of most secondary school students was low in identifying or classifying system elements for matter cycle, and high levels, such as system relationship or generalization of patterns, were found to be relatively small. It was found that students had a higher level of system thinking in the carbon cycle than in the water cycle. Second, in terms of the characteristics of system thinking about water cycle, water was recognized as a major system element and mainly related with evaporation between atmosphere and other system elements. Whereas, in the carbon cycle, carbon dioxide was regarded as a major system element, and photosynthesis and respiration were represented in relation with the biosphere. Third, for education considering the impact of human activities on the matter cycle in the Earth system, it is proposed improving the curriculum considering the socio-ecological system by extending the existing earth system.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2008

The purpose of the study is to research students' proficiency with systems-thinking approach concerning water cycles and to acquire data on Earth System-related concepts based on students' feedback. To achieve the purpose of the study, I chose 4 mid-level high school juniors living in Pohang, where the high school equalization policy has not been implemented, and the students answered a questionnaire about water cycles. Then, based on the results, I created a causal map and evaluated it using systems-thinking analysis. The results of the study are as follows: First of all, among the answers of the subjects, there were 21 concepts related to the conception of the earth system : 14 of the conceptions were linked scientifically, and 7 of the conceptions were not linked scientifically. Secondly, results of the causal map of what the subjects described showed that only two students'(A and C) feedback loops were completed, and that student C's feedback loop included unscientific reasoning. In conclusion, this study indicated that the students failed to understand the water cycle with the systems-thinking approach, or alternatively they applied low-level systems-thinking approach and had a lower understanding of it.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.271-288
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• 2014

This study aimed to investigate the perception of earth system thinking of science gifted students in future problem solving (FPS) in relation to climate changes. In order to this study, the research problem associated with climate changes was developed through a literature review. The thirty seven science gifted students participated in lessons. The ideas in problem solving process of science gifted students were analyzed using the semantic network analysis method. The results are as follows. In the problem solving processes, science gifted students are 'changes of the sunlight by water layer', 'changes of the Earth's temperature', 'changes of the air pressure', ' change of the wind and weather' were represented in order. On other hand, regard to earth system thinking for climate changes, while science gifted students were used sub components related to atmospheres frequently, they were used sub components related to biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere a little. But, the analytical results of the structural relationship between the sub components related to earth system, they were recognised that biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere used very important in network structures. In conclusion, science gifted students were understood well that components of the earth system are influencing each other.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.703-718
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• 2014

This study sought to investigate learning progressions for astronomical systems which synthesized the motion and structure of Earth, Earth-Moon system, solar system, and the universe. For this purpose we developed ordered multiple-choice items, applied them to elementary and middle school students, and provided validity evidence based on the consequence of assessment for interpretation of learning progressions. The study was conducted according to construct modeling approach. The results showed that the OMCs were appropriate for investigating learning progressions on astronomical systems, i.e., based on item fit analysis, students' responses to items were consistent with the measurement of Rasch model. Wright map analysis also represented that the assessment items were very effective in examining students' hypothetical pathways of development of understanding astronomical systems. At the lower anchor of the learning progression, while students perceived the change of location and direction of celestial bodies with only two-dimensional earth-based view, they failed to connect the locations of celestial bodies with Earth-Moon system model, and they could recognized simple patterns of planets in the solar system and milky way. At the intermediate levels, students interpreted celestial motion using the model of Earth rotation and revolution, Earth-Moon system, and solar system with space-based view, and they could also relate the elements of astronomical structures with the models. At the upper anchor, students showed the perspective change between space-based view and earth-based view, and applied it to celestial motion of astronomical systems, and they understood the correlation among sub-elements of astronomical systems and applied it to the system model.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.591-608
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze system thinking revealed in science teachers' teaching practices of middle school astronomy classes. Astronomy lessons were video-taped from four eighth grade science teachers. The video recordings were all transcribed and analyzed by employing a framework for systems thinking analysis after modifying an existing frame of hierarchial structure used in relevant previous studies. In addition, four participants were interviewed in order to uncover their orientation toward teaching using video stimulated recall method. Findings are as follows: All participating teachers were not able to employ the four levels of system thinking appropriately and only utilized the low level of systems thinking. They also demonstrated teacher-centered practices for employing system thinking despite their student-centered orientation toward teaching. The main reason for these results may be that teachers focused more on spatial thinking, than on system thinking as well as the lack of teacher's knowledge about the content and formative assessment of non-earth science teachers. Implications on how to effectively employ the system thinking in astronomy class are discussed in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.75-91
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• 2020

The purposes of this study are 1) to develop a pre-education program for teaching the basic concepts of systems thinking and STEAM program based on systems thinking and 2) to investigate the effects of the program on middle school students' systems thinking. The subjects were 4 seventh-graders and 4 ninth-graders in a middle school located in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do. Data related to students' systems thinking was analyzed using the rubrics developed by Hung(2008). The results were reviewed by experts to verify the validity of the rubrics and the reliability of students' system thinking. In addition, the data analyzed with the rubrics, students' awareness of systems thinking, word associations, causal maps and interviews were systematically analyzed to investigate the effects of the program on students' systems thinking. The findings of this study were as follows: First, a pre-education program and teachers' guidebook for teaching and learning the concept of systems thinking and causal maps were developed. The pre-education program consisted of familiar TV entertainment program-Infinite Challenge (Muhandojeon)-with a theme of Global Warming. Second, a STEAM education program based on systems thinking which was composed of 5 steps: Analysis-Design-Build-Assessment-Systems thinking. The major theme of the program was an air extinguisher. The developed STEAM education program had positive effects on improving middle school students' systems thinking abilities such as understanding systems, relations within a system and system generalization. Therefore, it was concluded that the STEAM program could be instrumental for cultivating students' STEAM literacy with improved systems thinking.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.12-30
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze recognition characteristics of science gifted students on the earth system based on their thinking style. The subjects were 24 science gifted students at the Science Institute for Gifted Students of a university located in metropolitan city in Korea. The students' thinking styles were firstly examined on the basis of the Sternberg's theory of mental self-government. And then, the students were divided into two groups: Type I group(legislative, judicial, global, liberal) and Type II group(executive, local, conservative) based on Sternberg's theory. Data was collected from three different type of questionnaires(A, B, C types), interview, word association method, drawing analyses, concept map, hidden dimension inventory, and in-depth interviews. The findings of analysis indicated that their thinking styles were characterized by 'Legislative', 'Executive', 'Anarchic', 'Global', 'External', 'Liberal' styles. Their preference were conducting new projects and using creative problem solving processes. The results of students' recognition characteristics on earth system were as follows: First, though the two groups' quantitative value on 'System Understanding' was very similar, there were considerable distinctions in details. Second, 'Understanding the Relationship in the System' was closely connected to thinking styles. Type I group was more advantageous with multiple, dynamic, and recursive approach. Third, in the relation to 'System Generalization' both of the groups had similar simple interpretational ability of the system, but Type I group was better on generalization when 'hidden dimension inventory' factor was added. On the system prediction factor, however, students' ability was weak regardless of the type. Consequently, more specific development strategies on various objects are needed for the development and application of the system learning program. Furthermore, it is expected that this study could be practically and effectively used on various fields related to system recognition.