• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.359-371
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• 2017

This study qualitatively examined the lives of non-tenured, secondary school teachers who are preparing for the teachers' exam. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten teachers and the data were analyzed using the consensual qualitative research method. Most of the participants had chosen a contract-based teaching position, believing that it would meet their financial needs, provide them with the satisfaction of being a teacher and, more importantly, afford practical help with their exam preparation. In practice, however, they suffered from low self-esteem and identity confusion due to discrimination by the school administrators. Ironically, this unfair treatment strengthened the participants' commitment to studying for the exam, in order to acquire a stable and secure position in school. However, they experienced a lot of study-related stress, including a lack of study hours, heavy study load, multiple life roles, physical exhaustion, the difficulties caused by the vague exam guide, and anxiety due to previous failure in the exam. Based on the findings of this study, directions for future research are suggested.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.327-347
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• 2009

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of mathematical communication-centered teaching using peer feedbacks on students' mathematics achievement and mathematical dispositions toward mathematics, and then this study examined the characteristics of feedbacks used by students. To do this study, two sixth grade classes selected from an elementary school in Seoul participated in the current study; one class for a treatment group applying mathematical communication-centered teaching using peer feedback, and the other for a comparison group applying traditional teaching using teacher-centered communication. The results of this study showed the fact that a treatment group of mathematical communication-centered teaching applying peer feedback scored statistically higher than a comparison group applying teacher-centered communication with respect to both students' mathematical achievement and disposition. Especially, this communication-centered teaching program focused on peer feedback was more effective to middle or lower level students than higher level students. In addition, mathematical communication-centered teaching applying peer feedbacks helps students reflect their own thinking process about problem solving, and students experienced the improvement of their confidence about mathematics from opportunities to provide peers with feedbacks. Finally, the present study suggests the important role of communication in mathematics learning, particularly student-to-student feedbacks rather than teacher-to-students feedbacks. That is to say, students need to have many opportunities to represent their own mathematical thinking processes using mathematical language.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.41-68
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the cognition of per-service teachers, who experienced a teacher education process for developing their discursive competency, about relations between class plan and class practice as well as discursive competency required in class process. For this purpose, 15 pre-service teachers participated in the course of mathematics teaching theory for developing discursive competency and their final projects including the process of analysing their own teaching discourse after actually teaching middle or high school students were collected as data and analyzed. Results show that they realized that there were differences between class plan and class practice after having experienced unexpected teaching and learning situations, recognized the importance of discursive competency learned from the course, and reflected on their discursive competency in conjunction with their classes. These results imply that the course contributed to pre-service teachers' cognitions of the existential possibility of discursive competency. which helps to develop a teaching method combining teachers' knowledge and practice, the importance of discursive competency, and the need for developing it. The course also provided practical ideas about a teacher education program to develop prospective teachers' discursive competency

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.195-209
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• 2023

This study examined the effect and structural relationship of math teachers' teaching ability and class activity types on learners' value perception, confidence, and interest of mathematics at the student level and teacher level. To this end, data from 2nd graders of korea middle school in TIMSS 2019 were applied to the multilevel structural equation model. As a result of the analysis, the teaching ability of math teachers had a positive effect on value perception, confidence, and interest of mathematics at the student level and teacher level. Also, math value perception and math confidence had a positive effect on math interest. and it was confirmed that the teaching ability of math teachers indirectly had a positive effect on math interest by mediating math value perception and math confidence. In addition, the math class activity of applying what was learned to problems had a positive effect on math value perception, but it had a negative effect on math interest. and the class activity of the same ability group had a positive effect on math confidence and math interest. This study presents meaningful implications for math classes in the school field through a multilevel analysis of the student level and the teacher level.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2004

This study investigated the effect of cooperative learning on the middle school students’ conceptual change of atmospheric and water cycle and also examined the verbal interaction patterns in a cooperative group. The study also analyzed the relationship between the verbal interaction and students’ conceptual change in the cooperative learning situation. Two classes from a middle school were selected as an experimental group (cooperative learning group, n = 37) and a control group (traditional learning group, n = 37), respectively. The experimental group was taught by STAD cooperative learning model and received collaborative skill training. The results of the study can be summarized as follows: first, there were no significant differences in conceptual change between the two groups. As for the middle-achieving students on the pretest, however, the score of the cooperative learning group was significantly higher than that of the traditional learning group. Secondly, verbal interaction in the cooperative learning situation mainly happened among high- and middle achieving students. In addition, the students who were successful in undergoing conceptual change had more frequent verbal interactions than the students who were not. The study suggests that it is more important to interact between a teacher and students than to interact between the students and students in order to correct students’ misconception.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.937-949
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated how science teachers perceive the changes in school systems, including infrastructure and curriculum, in the context of preparing for future education. And the changes in their perception of the educational environment, the challenges, and changes of science teachers' classroom practices were also explored. In-depth interviews and analysis were conducted with two science teachers in a middle school that is trying to innovative on changes compared with general schools. The results of the study are as follows: First, teachers perceived that their schools had factors that could change the science class in terms of school size and infrastructure, peer teacher culture, and students' abilities. Second, the enthusiasm of teachers who are trying various ways of teaching and the students' ability to adapt in a smart learning environment formed a synergistic circle that lowered entry barriers to trying changes. Third, science classes changed to activity-centered classes, and teachers realized that these changes promoted students' self-directed learning. Fourth, teachers perceived themselves as playing an independent role in curriculum management, and this perception promoted more varied attempts in improving their classes. Through the changes of the learning environment and systems of the school and the formation of a culture that shares their challenges and innovations with the voluntary learning community, teachers constantly try to change their classes and schools. The changes of school need to be understood in the context of the interaction of teachers, students, and infrastructure.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.480-490
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• 2014

This paper summarizes findings from investigations into the development and application of English bible study materials for middle school students in two local churches in Seoul, Korea. Six pre-service Christian English teachers have participated in the development of the materials. After the application of the new materials, the pre-service teachers' and bible study teachers' perception of the new materials have been investigated. To analyze the data, the pre-service teachers and bible study teachers were interviewed. The interview data was recorded, transcribed and analyzed based on content analysis method. The findings indicated that the pre-service teachers' church service learning gave them a sense of satisfaction and it also helped them develop professionalism in teacher education. To both the pre-service teachers and bible study teachers, keeping balance between bible teaching and English teaching was found to be a difficult task. The fact that the themes in the new materials are closely related to the lives of the students has been positively evaluated by the bible study teachers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.134-146
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to examine how elementary pre-service teachers have a perception of 'science'. Especially, this study used photo-narrative method to analysis pre-service teachers' perception of 'science'. Photo-narrative is a way of describing what a study participant wants to say by taking a picture. Participants were 66 elementary pre-service teachers. The results of this study were as follows: First, elementary pre-service teachers used many words such as people, life, everyday as well as scientific terms such as phenomena and principles to explain science. Secondly, the pictures used by elementary pre-service teachers to explain science included household goods, natural phenomena, advanced devices, and living things. Third, elementary pre-service teachers explained science with knowledge of science, knowledge, convenience, and nature of science. As a result of this study, it was found that elementary pre-service teachers recognized that science is closely related to life and that it is necessary for learning. The results of this study can contribute not only to curriculum composition and curriculum content of elementary and middle school science education but also to curriculum development for teacher training.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.437-451
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to analyse beginning science teachers' PCK. For the purpose of this study, two beginning science teachers were chosen in public middle school. Qualitative data were collected through classroom observation recording, semi-structured interviews, and other document data. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method. The results indicated that the two beginning science teachers' PCK had little differences; both have insufficient knowledge of science curriculum and assessment, and their PCK had quite differences in the instructional strategies and the orientations toward teaching science. Though they were aware of students' various levels, their common teaching method focused on delivery of science text knowledge for poor understanding about student. In conclusion, the two beginning teachers' PCK were still similar with preservice teachers. To develop beginning teachers' PCK, it needs to change the paradigm of pre-service teachers education program and to expand in-service teachers training and supporting program.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.625-636
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• 2010

Scientifically gifted students' argumentation characteristics in science instruction using the internet messenger was investigated. Participants in this study were five 9th grader in middle school in Seoul. They attended a program offered by the Science-Gifted Education Center, Seoul National University. Internet messenger (instant messenger) was used for instruction, and data were collected by saved messages. Toulmin's argument model was used as a tool for analyzing students' argumentation, and the argumentation patterns were categorized by sequence of argument operations. The results showed that in case of learner-centered instructions, there were lots of relatively higher-level argumentations appeared. On the contrary, teacher-centered instruction ended up with few or lower-level argumentation. Also there were four types of argumentation patterns emerged throughout the whole instructions. Findings suggest that the development of an instruction models and the selection of an appropriate topic be necessary for promoting the interaction between teacher and students as well as enhancing the students' ability of argument.