• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.412-432
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the characteristics and the level of fourth grade elementary students' system thinking when they learn the unit of "Journey of Water" in terms of four key elements of system thinking such as understanding of the structure of a system, non-linearity and cyclic features, inter-relations and feedback between system properties, and temporal and invisible aspects of a system. Data included students' worksheets and their responses to a set of Likert-scaled and written assessment items on water cycle. The results showed that the level of students' system thinking did not have any hierarchy in relation to the key elements of water cycle system. In addition, the aspects of individual student's system thinking on its sub-elements were different from each other. Also, there were core ideas of system thinking which were intensively considered according to a given context to understand a complex systemic subject. When students learn water cycle, understanding of non-linearity and inter-relations were weaker compared with other key elements of system thinking. Therefore, if these two factors are taught in advance, it can promote understanding of whole system of water cycle.

• 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 Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.125-144
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the astronomical thinking level of elementary, middle, and high school students using ordered multiple choice items. For this purpose, we constructed a questionnaire comprising three items about spatial thinking and system thinking. This survey was conducted and applied to 1,066 students in the 5th grade, 8th grade, and 11th grade in 12 schools located in Gangwon Province. The collected student response data were analyzed by applying inferential statistics of classical test theory and Rasch model. The results of the analysis were as follows; First, in the level of spatial thinking, students were able to grasp the spatial location and orientation of the celestial body, but were not able to convert the celestial motion of two-dimensional plane into three-dimensional plane, and it was revealed that there is no statistically significant difference in the spatial thinking of students among grade levels. Second, in the level of system thinking, students were able to identify the components and relationship between components of the celestial motion system, but could not identify the patterns of the system, and it was revealed that there was statistically significant difference among the system thinking of students in different grade levels, unlike in spatial thinking. Third, the astronomical thinking expressed in certain context (content) was very similar regardless of grade level, Through this, we could confirm the context-dependency or content-dependency of the astronomical thinking of students. It is expected that the results of this study can be used as basic data for exploring ways to enhance astronomical thinking level in school science classes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.318-331
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to develop the systems thinking learning program and to confirm the effects of its application in the fourth grades' science class. For it, the test tools were designed to survey divergent thinking and the closed loop based on the casual relation. The systems thinking learning program was developed to make students learn scientific knowledge and systems thinking educational strategies through their regular science class. The two classes of fourth grade were selected and divided into experimental and control groups. After applying pre-test to two groups, the system thinking education program was applied to an experimental group according to the reconstructed lesson plan. Subsequently, post-test was applied to two groups 3 weeks after pre-test. The findings in this study were as follows. In divergent thinking, the systems thinking program was useful to two groups. It could be the repetition effect, but only the experimental group shows a statistically significant change. The effect of the closed loop based on casual relation was deemed statistically significant. It shows these educational strategies were effective in making students understand the systems thinking. Finally, the results of students' interviews shows they were satisfied with this program because they were able to express their thinking with confidence and to find new relations in the change of land. The results suggest that the more research is needed to further develop and improve on students' thinking skills in their regular science classes.

• 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 the Korean earth science society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.86-106
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to develop an astronomy education program reflecting astronomical thinking to be used at science museum and to investigate the effect of the program on the improvement of astronomical thinking ability of high school students. After selecting the components of astronomical thinking through literature studies, we developed an astronomy education program consisting of four stages: demonstration and observation, and question and thinking, support and group discussion, demonstration and assessment. In order to verify the effectiveness of the program, we conducted a covariance analysis on the pre- and post-tests of the experimental group and control group to examine the level of students' thinking before and after using the program in teaching and learning. As a result, it was confirmed that the astronomy education program reflecting astronomical thinking was effective in promoting students' astronomical thinking ability. In particular, this program was effective in enhancing the ability of modeling by reconstructing the observed astronomical phenomenon from the viewpoint of the universe with respect to spatial thinking in the astronomy domain. It was also effective to improve the ability of organizing the system by grasping the relationship between the elements constituting the astronomical system in relation to the system thinking in the astronomy domain. This study is significant in suggesting a specific teaching and learning program to develop students' astronomical thinking.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.179-197
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• 2015

Based on the importance of spatial thinking to understand celestial motion, this study aimed to investigate how spatial thinking was treated in astronomy classes. For this study, we analyzed four elementary teachers' science classes about the unit 'solar systems and stars' in 5th grade in terms of spatial thinking. The results showed that sharing perspectives and orientation explicitly between a teacher and students were important for students to understand celestial motion. Providing the earth-based and the space-based viewpoints simultaneously were helpful for students' understanding of celestial motion. Based on these results, this study suggested that clarifying the viewpoint and orientation, showing the earth-based and the space-based viewpoint simultaneously, and reorganizing the relative units of astronomy based on celestial motion and spatial thinking.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.103-116
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to explore $6^{th}$ graders learning progression for lunar phase change focusing astronomical systems thinking. By analyzing the results of previous studies, we developed the constructed-response items, set up the hypothetical learning progressions, and developed the item analysis framework based on the hypothetical learning progressions. Before and after the instruction on the lunar phase change, we collected test data using the constructed-response items. The results of the assessment were used to validate the hypothetical learning progression. Through this, we were able to explore the learning progression of the earth-moon system in a bottom-up. As a result of the study, elementary students seemed to have difficulty in the transformation between the earth-based perspective and the space-based perspective. In addition, based on the elementary school students' learning progression on lunar phase change, we concluded that the concept of the lunar phase change was a bit difficult for elementary students to learn in elementary science curriculum.