• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.791-797
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the influences of Integrated Science and Science Inquiry Experiment developed under 2015 Revised National Science Curriculum on students' interest in science, scientific attitude, views on STS, and the nature of science (NOS). 223 tenth graders in Seoul metropolitan area participated in this study. We conducted the survey prior to and after the Integrated Science and Science Inquiry Experiment course using same instruments and compared the results of the pre-test and post-test. The analyses of the results reveal that there were significant improvements in the scores of the pre- and post-test on the interest in science and scientific attitude. In the case of views on STS, there were significant improvements in items related to science research ethics, however there were no significant differences in the remaining items. Also, there were no significant differences in the scores of the pre- and post-test on views on NOS. On the bases of the results, we discuss educational implications and suggest further studies.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.204-216
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• 1999

A value can be placed on the integrated science curriculum in terms of producing an insight into solving the routine problem. From such a point of view, the comprehensive concepts which explain the extensive natural phenomena were defined as the integrated themes in this study, and the contents of the integrated science curriculum were developed, as the understanding of the contents focused on the integrated theme enables us to be productive and have an insight. Through analyzing teaching materials, programs and curriculums in relation to the integrated science, five concepts of system, interaction, harmony and balance, structure and function, and circulation were established as the integrated themes, and the nature of each integrated theme was examined. Next, in accordance with the integrated theme, the content of the integrated science curriculum,which are deeper in aspect of the integration level than that of the current science of middle school, were developed. The content of the integrated science curriculum which was proposed in this study is of great significance. in that they provide new perspectives related to our current science curriculum.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.494-504
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• 2003

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the appropriateness of the inquiry processes described in Science VII's written based on the 7th National Science Curriculum. It was found that the basic processes were well reflected on the textbooks analyzed for the research. However, only a few integrated processes and the inquiry activities could be seen on the same textbooks. Furthermore, a larger majority of the inquiry processes and activities were not agreed with what the tasks and titles say. Especially, the none of as many as 71 experiments were not coincided with their titles' intentions. Also suggested in the paper were the implications of the results for the science education in the Korean middle schools.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to diagnose the operation status of high school integrated science newly introduced in the 2015 revised national curriculum and first applied in 2018, to examine teachers' perception on the new educational policy, and then based on this, extract implications for settling down the policy. A survey was administered to science teachers who participated in the in-service teacher training on integrated science, and the responses of 384 high school science teachers were analyzed. According to the results of the survey, integrated science was allotted six units to each school, and two or more teachers divided achievement standards and were responsible for them in many cases. Science teachers pointed to the increase of student-oriented activities as the biggest change due to the application of integrated science and also showed a positive attitude towards increasing the proportion of performance-based assessment, diversifying evaluation methods, increasing teacher consultations, and enhancing the holistic understanding of natural phenomenon, etc. In particular, teachers with 15 years or more of teaching experience were significantly positive about the increase of student-oriented activities, diverse assessment methods, and opportunities of teacher consultations. For teachers with a sub-major in science, teaching about non-majored contents was the most difficult and it was also difficult to determine the appropriate level of contents to teach. Teachers who majored common science, however, rarely complained about teaching non-majored content. In the case of two teachers in charge of integrated science, there was a statistically significant demand for subject matter knowledge as training content, and for mixed education incorporating theory and practice and customized training as a training method. In the case of one teacher responsible for the subject, there was a relatively lower demand. From these results, some implications for the successful implementation of integrated science were discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.651-658
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze the invention-related content of foreign science curricula and investigate the perception of science educators about the degree of relevance between science curriculum and invention. For the analysis of foreign science curricula, we investigated the programs of 10 nations, including the US, Canada, UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, France, Finland and China. To analyze the relevance between Korean science curriculum and invention, we examined common topics such as science, integrated science, and science inquiry experiment, and investigated that the elements related to invention education were included in each 'achievement standard' and 'teaching and evaluation methods'. Science educators including science teachers were asked to evaluate the degree of relevance of invention education. The results were as follows. First, science curricula in many countries contained invention-related content. Second, science educators recognized that invention education was related to science curriculum, but the systematic connection was insufficient. Third, because it is mainly limited to the results of designing and device design, they recognized that the relevance of invention education, which focuses on various processes such as problem design, inventive techniques and intellectual property, was not revealed. Therefore, it is necessary to be process-oriented when developing invention education teaching-learning methods and related materials in science education for the future.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.783-790
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• 2016

The 'Integrated Inquiry' unit is a new addition in the 5th~6th grade science textbooks, and was developed for the 2009 revised national curriculum. The unit deals with six integrated inquiry process skills: problem cognition, formulating hypotheses, controlling variables, transforming and interpreting data, drawing results, and generalization. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions and the teaching practices of elementary school teachers on this unit in their school curriculum and where improvements can be made. Data was collected from questionnaires filled out by 92 elementary school teachers. The results are as follows: First, teachers do have a positive perception on the importance of teaching integrated process skills. Second, with that being true, this unit ended up receiving both positive and negative reviews by teachers. This research found that there were good and bad responses on the educational aspects of this unit in three particular areas: dealing with the development of integrated inquiry process skills, facilitating science learning in other units, and implementing open inquiry. Third, teachers have difficulties particularly in problem cognition, formulating hypotheses, controlling variables, transforming and interpreting data, generalization, and drawing results. There is a lack of student understanding as well as a lack of professionalism for teachers on this unit, and many issues related to the composition of the textbook. This study may have important implications for making improvements in this unit and teaching integrated process skills.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.253-269
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• 2020

The study developed and analyzed programs that incorporate observable worldviews-based science education and education for sustainable development(ESD) in science classes to emphasize integration with the background of the times and achieve effective goals of science education aimed at cultivating scientific literacy. As a result of applying the program to actual high school students, students were able to see the transition to the worldviews of ecology in the process of considering various values and making decisions by identifying their own values. Students' worldviews were found to be at odds during the process of identifying their worldviews and approaching values in various aspects of the class due to the conflicting values of each curriculum and teacher worldviews. In the area of individual values, the worldviews should be applied in science education and understanding of the worldviews of teachers and curriculum contents is also required. Through this study, we hope that access to the area of individual values represented by the worldview in science education will help students change fundamental.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.63-78
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• 2014

Integrative STEM education is an engineering design-based learning approach that purposefully integrates the content and process of STEM disciplines and can extend its concept to integration with other school subjects. This study was part of fundamental research to develop an integrative STEM education program based on the science inquiry process. The specific objectives of this study were to review relevant literature related to STEM education, analyze the key elements and value of STEM education, develop an integrative STEM education model based on the science inquiry process, and suggest an exemplary program. This study conducted a systematic literature review to confirm key elements for integrative STEM education and finally constructed the integrative STEM education model through analyzing key inquiry processes extracted from prior studies. This model turned out to be valid because the average CVR value obtained from expert group was 0.78. The integrative STEM education model based on the science inquiry process consisted of two perspectives of the content and inquiry process. The content can contain science, technology, engineering, and liberal arts/artistic topics that students can learn in a real world context/problem. Also, the inquiry process is a problem-solving process that contains design and construction and is based on the science inquiry. It could integrate the technological/engineering problem solving process and/or mathematical problem solving process. Students can improve their interest in STEM subjects by analyzing real world problems, designing possible solutions, and implementing the best design as well as acquire knowledge, inquiry methods, and skills systematically. In addition, the developed programs could be utilized in schools to enhance students' understanding of STEM disciplines and interest in mathematics and science. The programs could be used as a basis for fostering convergence literacy and cultivating integrated and design-based problem-solving ability.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.417-428
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• 2022

This study analyzed the frequency and level of scientific practices presented in secondary science textbooks. A total of 1,378 student activities presented in 14 middle school science textbooks and 5 high school integrated science textbooks were analyzed, using the definition and level of scientific practice suggested in the NGSS. Findings show that most student activities focus on three practices. Compared to the textbooks for the previous science curriculum, the practice of 'obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information' was more emphasized, reflecting societal changes due to ICT development. However, the practice of 'asking a question', which can be an important element of student-led science learning, was still rarely found in textbooks, and 'developing and using models', 'using math and computational thinking' and 'arguing based on evidence' were not addressed much. The practices were mostly elementary school level except for the practice of 'constructing explanations'. Such repeated exposures to a few and low level of practices mean that many future citizens would be led to a naïve understanding of science. The findings imply that it is necessary to emphasize various practices tailored to the level of students. In the upcoming revision of the science curriculum, it is necessary to provide the definition of practices that are not currently specified and the expected level of each practice so that the curriculum can provide sufficient guidance for textbook writing. These efforts should be supported by benchmarking of overseas science curriculum and research that explore students' ability and teachers' understanding of scientific practices.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.916-929
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate issues in science curriculum reform studies. For the study the papers in ERIC data base were selected on the key words, 'science education', 'curriculum' and 'reform'. The number of papers are the most on the late 90s which has been increasing since the late 70s. During the last decade the 132 papers were identified on 30 May 2003 and the 18 journals which have more than two articles in each journal have 66% of the total papers. The identified reform issues were 'reform themes', 'program introduction', 'critics and vision of reform'. Reform themes are 'teachers', 'scientific literacy', 'integration and teaching', 'reform processes'. The contents on 'teachers' are related to almost teachers' knowledges and beliefs on the reform, those on 'scientific literacy' are related to the loose definitions of scientific literacy, those on 'integration and teaching' are related to difficulties in teaching with integration, those on 'reform processes' are related to power problems between persons or groups who participated in reform processes, and those on 'critics and visions' are related to the embodiment of science education standards and the problems on the nature of science. This study remarks that these issues should be considered sincerely for the reform of science curriculum in the future.