• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.429-436
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• 2020

In this study, we examined students' science academic achievement through an analysis of the national assessment of educational achievement(NAEA) from 2015 to 2018 when the 2009 revised curriculum was applied. This study analyzed achievement average scores by gender and region and also analyzed the trend of the rate of achievement level in order to understand the characteristics of students' academic achievement. In addition, we analyzed the characteristics of the affective aspect using a survey of students' attitudes (confidence, interest, value, and willingness to learn) toward science. The main findings are as follows; First, the average science score shows a tendency to decrease year by year at the middle school level. Second, when analyzed by achievement level, the decline in the advanced group was large, and the rate of the below basic group increased. Third, comparisons of the average achievement scores by gender, female students' scores were generally high and the difference in achievement scores between male and female students tended to increase. Fourth, a characteristic gap was found between regional scales that increased in the advanced group. The results of a questionnaire on students' attitudes show that the four constructs of the students' attitudes had a significant correlation with the average achievement scores. In addition, the mean and positive response rates on the confidence, interest, and value of science in the above proficiency group increased but decreased in the below basic group. These results can be used as basic data for revising the curriculum, improving teaching and learning, and establishing educational policies.

• School Mathematics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.697-716
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• 2011

It is known that Korean students performs very well in mathematics but show poor attitude toward mathematics. However, attitude itself is an important goal of education and it also promotes students learning. Therefore, it is important and urgent for us to find a way to improve students' attitude toward mathematics. In this article, we tried to examine characteristics of Korean students' attitude toward mathematics and identify student and school level factors affecting it. For this purpose, we analysed National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) data in 2007 when NAEA was conducted especially focused on mathematics. Main findings of this research are as follows. First, we found that attitude toward mathematics got lower as students advanced to higher grades. And among 3 sub-domains of attitude toward mathematics, interest and self-confidence were lower than perception of value of mathematics. Secondly, attitude toward mathematics was mainly affected by student background variables such as gender, achievement, participation in private tutoring, father's education level. And while school factors contributed relatively little to students' attitude toward mathematics, teacher's perception on value of school education was positively related with students' attitude in high schools and emphasis on assessment was negatively related with students' attitude in elementary schools.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.138-146
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• 2013

This study examined the characteristics of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) in Science according to gender. It investigated gender achievement differences in the science section of the 2010 NAEA, the ratio of gender difference in achievement, the ratio of correct answers within each content domain and behavioral domain, and the items which showed high differences between males and females. The results indicate first, that, for 9th graders, females outperformed males in academic achievement in science. Second, with respect to the ratio of correct answers, males outperformed females in the advanced and below basic level groups, but females outperformed males in intermediate level groups. Third, females outperformed males in knowledge and inquiry in the behavior domains, and in chemistry and biology in the content domains. Fourth, an analysis of the items showing the largest gender gap indicated that males outperformed females in interpreting data, while females outperformed males in the items concerned with daily life and items related to the memorization of rules. This research on gender differences in science will allow teachers to complement the weaknesses of students when they study science, and support improved instructional methods in science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.121-130
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• 2015

Identifying students' achievement level and reflecting it on educational policy making or instructional improvement by analyzing the results of nationwide standardized assessment is an integral part of accountability in education. On the basis of this premise, we analyzed the characteristics of National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) items for middle school science subject conducted from 2010 to 2013 by using the option response rate distribution curve, the fittest graph estimated from the response rate of correct/incorrect options by achievement score. Furthermore, we classified the type of option response rate curve in terms of correct and incorrect options. Results of the analysis of option response curve showed that five types of correct option response curve (S-shaped, J-shaped, straight-shaped, F-shaped, and step-shaped) and 4 types of incorrect option response curve (down-slope, flat, mound, and up-slope) were identified. The most common type of items was the combination of S-shaped correct option response curve and down-slope incorrect option response curve, which are considered as appropriate items to discriminate the students according to achievement level. Moreover, correct option response was found to be correlated with incorrect option response. Based on the results, we also discussed some implications on teaching-learning method and classroom assessment in science education.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.136-149
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• 2022

Chemistry focuses on explaining macroscopic phenomena at the microscopic level with particles, such as atoms or molecules. Explanation using particles are bound to be considered as abstract by students, because it was dealing with invisible objects. For that reason, the science national curriculum presented to middle school students the explanation of the units related to the composition of matter. Therefore, understanding about the composition of matter in middle school students becomes an important basis for learning of chemistry, and it is necessary to investigate their understanding about composition of matter. In this study, students' understanding about 'composition of matter' region, which is first presented to middle school students, was confirmed at an overall level. In this line, this study analyzed the results of the items in the composition of matter region, and analyzed items were used in the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) from 2015 to 2019. We analyzed the 9 items presented in the NAEA according to the response rate of options and response rate distribution curve, and explained the characteristics of understanding derived by each achievement level were examined. According to the analyzed results by dividing the conceptions about elements, atoms, and ions, students above the proficient achievement-level had scientific conceptions overall, but students below the basic achievement-level had inconsistent or naive conceptions. Based on the results for each item, this study discussed some implications to be considered or to be improved on teaching-learning for 'composition of matter'.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.493-508
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• 2022

Chemistry is the subject which includes properties, change, and composition of matter. Chemistry has the system which explains observable properties and change with microscopic level, it explains them using scientific theory and laws. In the national-level curriculum, the properties and changes of matter are continuously dealt with from elementary school to high school, and the curriculum are organized so that students could strengthen their understanding about matter. In other words, understanding of the properties and changes of matter is the base to explain everyday life with the view of chemistry, and these two are classified as domains of chemistry in the 2015 revised science curriculum. In this study, we confirmed students' understanding about properties of matter and change of matter, through the analysis about results of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA). For that purpose, this study analyzed the 12 items about properties of matter, and 19 items about change of matter, which were used in the NAEA from 2015 to 2019. According to the results of classifying and analyzing questions according to the core concept, the understanding about the two domains significantly changed between the proficient achievement-level students and basic achievement-level students. Depending on the achievement-level, there was a difference in explaining the phenomenon by using the perspective of particles, and by associating scientific concepts and models, or there was a difference in understanding the inquiry related to these two domains. Based on this analysis, this study discussed some implications to be improved on teaching-learning for 'properties of matter', and 'change of matter'.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.13-29
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• 2012

This study is the analytic research of items having gender gap in 6th grade students in 'National Assessment of Educational Achievement(NAEA)'. For this problem solving, the following was investigated. First, items having gender gap were selected in NAEA for the past eight years. Then, the mathematical factors that cause gender gap were analyzed. Second, to do this the field test was developed using item concept map. Finally, after the analysis of field test result the reason of gender gap was deduced. Through this study the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning method in elementary school is expected.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.303-312
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• 2014

In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of science academic achievement by multiple culture and North Korean migrant students types, percentage of correct answer and discrimination per items per groups, and contents domains using quantitative and qualitative method in the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA). As a results of analysis, the degree of science academic achievement of the students from multiple culture and North Korean is much lower than that of the general students. Also, the science academic achievement of the students from multiple culture and North Korean migrant is different from the general students. Especially, science academic achievement of the immigrated students and the North Korean migrant students was lowest. The analysis of items that the difference of the percentage of correct answer was large showed that the students from multiple culture and North Korean migrant were equally weak to it in all contents domains, but that the students from international marriage family born in country were weak in some areas. Therefore, the appropriate the teaching and learning method and the educational support is needed considering the group situation, so the educational implications are discussed.

• School Mathematics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.301-312
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• 2004

The aim of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) is to produce specific and reliable resources required for the diagnosis and quality control of teaching and learning by measuring the level of students achievement based on the national curriculum. In 2002, we introduced ‘modified Angoff Method’ to obtain more systematic and rational results about the achievement levels. The result indicated the differences of achievement level according to the differences of sexes. Female students achieved higher scores than male students in Grade 6. Male students achieved higher scores than female students in Grade 9 and 10. Furthermore it disclosed a problematic phenomenon that students in small towns and rural areas showed significantly lower scores in all six sub-areas of Mathematics compared with students in metropolitan and cities. The results from the NAEA listed above could be used as the authentic data for improving national curriculum and teaching and learning methods, the establishment of educational policies, and many other areas.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.473-483
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of students' academic achievement of middle school science curriculum achievement standards in the 2009 revised national curriculum and to generate implications for curriculum improvement. Based on the results of the 2015-2018 National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA), we analyzed middle school students' mastery of 84 curriculum achievement standards. In the analysis, we used representative item information by achievement level and correct answer rate and checked the validity of the determination of mastery. According to the results of the analysis, 15 of the 84 achievement standards could not determine the degree of achievement. In science, many achievement standards could be mastered only by above-average group students. By achievement level, there were six achievement standards that advanced achievement-level students did not achieve, 38 achievement standards judged to represent mastery by advanced achievement-level students, 23 achievement standards judged to represent mastery by proficient achievement-level students, and two achievement standards judged to represent mastery by basic achievement-level students. By content area, the number of achievement standards corresponding to advanced and proficient levels was similar in the areas of motion and energy and earth and space domains. In the material and life domains, there were more achievement standards corresponding to advanced levels. Accordingly, it is necessary to reinforce customized teaching and learning activities in relation to achievement standards that were under-achieved.