• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.153-171
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate characteristics of students' problem solving processes based on their mathematical thinking styles and thus to provide implications for teachers regarding how to employ multiple representations. In order to analyze these characteristics, 202 university freshmen were recruited for a paper-and-pencil survey. The participants were divided into four groups on a mathematical-thinking-style basis. There were two students in each group with a total of eight students being interviewed. Results show that mathematical thinking styles are related to defining a mathematical concept, problem solving in relation to representation, and translating between mathematical representations. These results imply methods of utilizing multiple representations in learning and teaching mathematics by embodying Dienes' perceptual variability principle.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.123-141
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• 2003

This study investigated the understanding level and the using level of mathematical language for middle school students in terms of Freudenthal' language levels. It was proved that the understanding level task developed by current study for geometric concept had reliability and validity, and that there was the hierarchy of levels on which students understanded mathematical language. The level that students used in explaining mathematical concepts was not interrelated to the understanding level, and was different from answering the right answer according to the sorts of tasks. And, the level of mathematical language that was understood easily as students' thought, was the third level of the understanding levels. Mathematics teachers should consider the students' understanding level and using level, and give students the tasks which students could use their mathematical language confidently.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.341-358
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• 2021

Corona, which first broke out in 2020, has caused many changes in many parts of society. Education was not an exception to this change. Teachers had to prepare online classes and students were asked to participate in it without sufficient preparation. Regarding online learning, many studies, in the field of developing teaching module and material or observing the satisfaction of online class, were conducted but there was no study based on how online class is happening in school. Therefore, this study was to investigate the current situation and satisfaction of online class for high school students and explored the relationship between sub-elements of mathematics learning and the level of satisfaction of online learning. As a result, mathematics online class was generally conducted in the form of real-time interactive classes and students felt a little satisfied with it. However, some conflicting opinions were expressed on the continuation of mathematics online learning. In addition, the study found that the higher level of satisfaction students have with online class, the difference appears in the sub-elements of learning mathematics such as values of mathematics, and motivation to learn, willingness to learn mathematics, learning strategies according to the safisfactory level of online class.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1087-1098
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• 2012

This study investigated the types of elementary school students' coping strategies for anomalous situations in science classes. Their epistemological beliefs were then analyzed on the basis of types. To do this, the students (N=75) from 2 elementary schools were asked to respond to an open-ended question about their coping strategies on anomalous situations and some of them underwent in-depth interviews. The analyses of the results indicated five types of coping strategies and were identified as follows: Abandoning, asking a teacher for help, trying the experiment again with same methods, trying the experiments again with different methods, and trying the experiment again after actively analyzing the causes. Among these, the major types were 'trying the experiment again with same methods', 'trying the experiments again with different methods', and 'asking a teacher for help'. The five types were grouped again into four categories such as 'transferring facts', 'constructing facts', 'transferring meanings', and 'constructing meanings' on the basis of the epistemological beliefs toward knowledge and the epistemological beliefs toward relation. The results revealed that 'trying the experiment again after actively analyzing the causes' was only included in 'constructing facts' and the others were included in 'transferring facts'. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.609-620
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• 2011

This study examined how pre-service science teachers, who observed classes for the gifted in science, perceive the gifted in science and the education they are getting, and explored what needs to be improved in the classes for the gifted in science. Based on the results of this study, first, pre-service science teachers were negative about the giftedness of the gifted in science. Second, they recognized that various types of classes were not provided. Especially, while theoretical lectures were mostly offered, they recognized that it had a negative influence in developing the potential giftedness of the gifted in science. Third, they were negative about the absence of programs for improving creativity and thinking skills and teaching materials for the gifted in science; however, they were positive about self-directed learning. Fourth, they had a negative opinion on educational facilities and the number of students in classes. Fifth, they recognized that potential giftedness would be developed the most when the lecturer is a professor majoring in the subject. For improvements in the classes for the gifted in science, they referred to revising the distinction focusing on preceding learning, reinforcing teaching methods to improve creative thinking, constructing creative contents regardless of specific grades and curriculum, securing learning materials for the gifted, and the necessity of lecturers specialized in the education for the gifted. Eventually, pre-service science teachers have negative cognitions for the classes for the gifted in science offered by universities, and it was known that they mentioned the necessity of creative educational courses and professional lecturers, not pre-learning for improvements.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.199-204
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors and reasons for hiring kindergarten teachers and to provide information for successful employment to the college. 12 private kindergarten chiefs over 10 years of experience were conducted in - depth interviews. In-depth interview data were analyzed using open coding analysis. 11 sub - factors of each core concept were derived, and they were nominated as 4 outline (character, sociality, personality & professionalism factors). All of the researchers perceived the sincerity, interpersonal stability, honesty, and ability to perform the curriculum as the most important factors to consider, and the teacher with good personality was perceived as the precondition of successful teacher's job performance. In the college, through the production of portfolios by subject, we raised the necessity of institutionalization of educational volunteer activities such as vacation - based education in addition to on - the - spot education at school and development of liberal arts curriculum to develop capacity for community life. And to develop and operate a field-oriented comparative education program to strengthen the competence of the majors.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.547-573
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• 2021

Capacity is a concept that has been covered in elementary mathematics textbooks but its meaning has not been accurately defined in the textbooks. Two units, liter (L) and milliliter (mL), are introduced as the units of capacity in the textbooks, but they are the units of volume according to the International System of Unit. These stimulated us to analyze what capacity is, and how the capacity is related to the concept of volume. This study scrutinized how the different elementary mathematics textbooks that were developed from the first national curriculum to the most recently revised curriculum introduced the capacity and explained the relationship between capacity and volume. This study also examined the understanding of capacity by elementary school teachers using a questionnaire. The results of this study showed that the concept of capacity has been mostly introduced in the third grade in common but that there were differences among textbooks in terms of how they presented and used the concept of capacity as well as whether they described its definition or relationship with the concept of volume. Regarding the results of teachers' understanding, most teachers could explain the capacity as either "the size of the inner space of the container" or "the amount that can be contained" but some of them provided only superficial or inappropriate feedback for the students with the common misunderstandings of capacity. Based on these results, this paper presents implications for textbook developers and teachers to better address the concept of capacity.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.297-310
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• 2021

This study explores the characteristics of within-school and across-school science teacher professional learning communities (hereafter, PLC) qualitatively. In-depth focus group interviews were conducted with science teachers belonging to seven PLCs within the science core school and three PLCs across schools. Interview questions include identity and motivation, major activities, and outcomes of PLC, as well as shortcomings and support plans for PLC. The results include both within-school and across-school science teacher PLCs formed for professional development related to science teaching and learning. Both science PLCs participated in the study showed the characteristics of a 'practice community' that developed a cooperative relationship through reciprocal participation, focusing on shared issues among members. Regarding issues, within-school PLCs focused on microscopic problems such as curriculum reconstruction of subject-matter, while across-school PLCs focused on macro problems such as teacher professional development. Regarding activities and roles as PLC, within-school and across-school science PLCs shared such features as collaborative professional development, and interpersonal education such as mentoring for novice teachers. In terms of PLC's influence and outcomes, science teacher PLCs has a positive effect not only on the teachers themselves, but also on the students and the teacher culture in the school. In addition, science teacher PLCs need improvement of the physical conditions for community operation, and software support such as protocol provision for PLC operation and joint research or re-education with universities. In particular, joint research between universities and science teacher PLCs shows the future orientation of the PLC as an 'inquiry community'. Based on the results, the necessity of active support for science PLC, the necessity of developing a cooperative system between science teacher PLC and universities, and ways to spread the PLC of science core schools to that of general schools were proposed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.343-354
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• 2018

In this study, the first experience of the whole research process of a novice scientist (student A) who participated in the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) was analyzed. The data were collected through observation, interviews, and document analysis with the cultural historical activity theory being used as a theoretical lens. At the beginning of novice's research, the mentor guided him in setting a research goal and provided mediating artifacts. Student A formed a research team based on the vertical relationship without a shared mental model. Two major contradictions occurred and they were the sources of changes of student A's activity system. The first contradiction was between the mentor's educational philosophy and the mentee's educational needs, which was resolved in a way that student A asked and used the mentor's network to obtain his needs about task-specific details. The second contradiction arose because the team members wanted horizontal relationship while student A wanted to stick to the vertical relationship. After student A accepted the opinions of the team members, they cooperatively changed the division of labor in the activity system. Student A decided to become a scientist and not a physics teacher, even if his major is physics education after finishing his URP research process. His URP experience also created and expanded his network in the academic field, and his negative attitude toward collaboration changed positively. Through the analysis of the structure and changes in the activity system of URP research, implications for instructional method and support system of the apprenticeship can be obtained.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.21 no.1 s.29
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• pp.107-124
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• 2007

This study, at this point where a national attention is being focused on the special education for brilliant children after the enactment of the law regarding the promotion of the special education for brilliant children and the establishments of various policies on the education of excellence, investigated and analyzed the perceptions of students who are participating in the program for elementary school brilliant children on mathematics. First, the understanding of the area of the definition of brilliant students by the teachers with the institutions for the special education for brilliant children that use the program for elementary school brilliant children on mathematics should be increased. Second, the professionality of the teachers should be secured for an efficient operation of the program for elementary school brilliant children on mathematics. Third, the students who participated in the special education lot brilliant children tended to be self-initiative in participating in the program but the self-initiative aspect was insufficient in the lessons. Fourth, the students who are participating in the special education for brilliant children have positive opinions on the contents and methods of the lessons. Fifth, as for the materials for brilliant children's learning supplied to the program for elementary school brilliant children on mathematics, the brilliant students perceive them as the teaching materials for brilliant children. In this thesis, the program for special education for brilliant children was assessed and analyzed through the questionnaires to the teachers and students participating in the program. More abundant brilliant children programs should be developed so that the programs suitable the brilliant students can be provided to the students and the studies to improve the programs with regards to the effectiveness etc should be continually done from now on.