• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.282-295
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• 1993

This study was accomplished to survey of current situation and management of science education in the special classroom(school) managed by firm. The status of management and the evalution of the scientific inquiry ability were taken on workers attending 17 Special Classes and 9 Special Schools located in Taegu City and Kyungpuk Province. As a responses, most students chose the subject "Science"as an option within their limited 8 units credits. About 88.5% of the students were female. About 78.3% of the classes/schools were conducted in the evening only. About 59.4% of teaching staffs were prevailed with female in these classes, and most of them were young, naive, and unexperienced with their major in chemistry and physics. Insufficient facilities and equipments, crowded classes, understaffed instructors, and inappropriated text materials. etc., were reasons for the students not receiving maximum benefit from these classes and schools. In order to evaluate of scientific inquiry ability, 25 items were constructed and administered to 250 students. The processes of scientific inquiry were classified into 5 categories(category I : establishing a subjects, category II : planning a experiments, category III : conducting a experiments. category IV : interpreting a result of experiments, category V : formulating generalization). As the result obtained from the achivement test analysis, the scores for all the students were significantly low, and the scores for girls were higher than those for boys. The results of test in the selected students showed that inquiry abilities in the category I, II and V were higher than those in category III and IV.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.538-552
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• 2022

This study attempted to understand the characteristics of pedagogic activities performed by pre-service elementary school teachers. To this end, it applied Algodoo simulations to analyze the actions of students and obtain educational implications for optical learning. The study's participants comprised 79 first-year students enrolled in a teacher training college. Their activities could be classified as representation reproductions, verification experiments, and inquiry experiments. Students who performed representation reproduction exercises replicated renowned and authoritative exemplars, apprehending and demonstrating their principal features through simulations. Students performing verification experiments attempted to validate previously learned optical concepts by reviewing the relevant theoretical contexts. Such students primarily conducted simple experiments. Students accomplishing inquiry experiments used simulations to explore phenomena they did not know. Some of them even investigated optical phenomena beyond the domain of general physics. The above results confirmed that free optical experiments performed using Algodoo can effectively denote starting points for learners to engage in activities at varying levels. Additionally, students require assistance from instructors in addressing queries about the application of the principles and models related to optics. This study suggests ways in which instructors should help students at each level of activity. Additionally, the paper presents examples of varying levels of inquiry-related activities available on Algodoo. It also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of performing inquiry-based activities on Algodoo and suggests ways of enhancing the learning achieved through this platform.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.139-152
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to provide some suggestions for future improvement of scientific inquiry activities in Korean elementary science textbook. The modified framework of Lee(2005) and Millar et al.(1998) was used to compare inquiry activities in the Korean and Singaporean science textbooks. The results of this study are as follows: Korean text books have more activities than Singapore's, but both countries have similar time allotment for science classes. In the area of 'inquiry process skill', Singapore is more balanced in 'Basic inquiry process skills' and 'Integrated inquiry process skills' than Korea. Singapore's integrated inquiry rate is also higher than Korea's. Next the results of comparing leaning objectives to scientific inquiry activities shows that Korean text books tend to focus on 'contents objectives', while Singapore's text books focus on balancing 'contents objectives' and 'process objectives'. Korean science textbooks encourage students to communicate the results of experiments but in most case these communication activities are actually not performed. Lastly Korea and Singapore have low degree of openness in inquiry activities. Remarkably 'Suggest questions' are totally conducted by teachers. This study implies that Korean science textbooks should have lower amounts of inquiry activities to accomodate enough time for communication about results. Next we need to make balance not only 'Basic inquiry process skills' and 'Integrated inquiry process skills' but also 'Content objectives' and 'Process objectives'. Lastly we need to make student to be the leader in science classes through encouraging them to plan procedures for experiments and to discover results by themselves.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.109-128
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• 1992

Elementary science textbooks are the major instructional materials which contain sceientific objectives to be acquired by students. The purpose of this study is to analyze the development system, to evaluate the inquiry activity in current elementary science testbooks, and to make suggestions for the improvement of them. The questionnaires were administered to 116 subjects that participated in development of the 5th elementary science textbooks, and 86 of the subjects responded. Based on the data gathered and analyzed in this study, the major findings are as follows. First, regarding the analysis and evaluation of elementary science textbooks. 1. The instructional objectives in elementary science textbooks are analyzed. The proportions of comprehension objectives is 38%, scientific inquiry process objectives 21%, experimental skills objectives 7%, scientific attitudes and interests objectives 4%. 2. The science concepts in elementary science textbooks of the 3rd grade required the preconcrete operational level(82%) and of the 6rd grade required the postconcrete operational level (73%) by J. Piaget 3. The inquiry activities in elementary science textbooks are emphasizing gathering and organizing results and evaluation, and hypothesizing and designing an experiment Inquiry index of the elementary science textbooks is 76. This is significantly higher than 35${\sim}$50 of America and U.K.. 4. The number of questions per class hour is mostly three, and most of them require the students to explain phenomena in nature or in experiment Second, regarding the development system of elementary science textbooks. 1. The budget for and the period of the development of elementary science textbook should be expanded. 2. For the improvement of elementary science textbooks, more abundant resources and time should be used for the basic study and the field trial of textbooks. 3. The elementary science textbook must include the affective objectives as well as the scientific knowledges and scientific inquiry skills. 4. It is not desirable to assign equal number of pages to the content of physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science. 5. Closer cooperation system is needed among the ministry of education, development research center and the field trial schools.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.345-356
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• 2002

This study investigated the trends in the number of applicants and mean score and applicants' responses on the test items of 'science inquiry' of the College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) implemented for 3 years$(1999\;{\sim}2001)$. The results of this study were as follows: The percentage of applicants of science track for 1995 CSAT were 43.13%, but reduced to 29.5% for 2001 CSAT. And unlike other tracks, the percentage of male applicants, ranking above average, of science track was 65.58%, which is about twofold of female applicants(34.42%). The mean score of 'Science inquiry' was 58.6 in 1999, and 69.5 in 2001. And the score of the applicants, ranking above average, of humanity and social science course and science course, were 85.8 and 90.7 respectfully in 2001 CSAT. These high mean scores were caused by the policy of "easy CSAT" so called. Most of test items were developed to have difficulty 60-79% or above 80%. This easy CSAT provoked intense dispute about the discriminating power of CSAT. The mean score of male applicants was higher than that of female. But the difference decreases every year. Applicants were generally very good at solving tests focusing on process skills only but poor at solving tests related to physics or calling for two or more science concepts. Thus special measures to cope with the decrease in applicants, especially female applicants, for science track should be provided. To increase discriminating power of CSAT, it is recommended to develop test items with wider range of difficulty and to reduce test items which are focussing process skills and can be solved without any special science concepts. And special consideration should be given to teaching the content area with poor achievement and high actual difficulty compared to the expected.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.155-167
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• 2020

This study analyzed reference data for the physics section in science guidebooks for the third-sixth grade in elementary schools, according to the 2015 revised curriculum. It analyzed the reference data by categorizing them in terms of subjects, objectives and presentation forms and the visual data used in the reference data by categorizing their types. The findings show that the ratio of the science knowledge type was highest (53.8%) among the subjects of reference data in guidebooks for the science section, followed by the application to real life, and then, supplementary inquiry experiments and activities. The ratios of other types such as advanced science, environment, scientists and science history were, however, less than 1%, so they need to be improved. The ratio of knowledge provision was highest (40.5%) among the objectives of reference data but the ratios of conceptual supplementation and deepening were similar in ratio. Meanwhile, While the expository type (88.4%) accounted for most of the present forms of reference data, and photographs and illustrations (93.6%) also accounted for most of visual data suggested with reference data. Thus more various types of presentation forms and the extension of visual data seemed to be needed. This study is expected to provide some suggestions for the meaningful use of reference data in guidebooks for teachers and for the development of science guidebooks for teachers in elementary schools.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.563-571
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the safety contents presented in high school science textbooks of the 2015 revised national science curriculum. For these, we found safety contents in the inquiries and appendices of 63 science textbooks: integrated science, science inquiry experiment, physics I, II, chemistry I, II, biology I, II, and earth science I, II. We analyzed these safety contents using six safety factors based on the seven standards for safety education. The main results are as follows: First, 81(46.0%) inquiries among 176 curriculum inquiries contain safety contents, and these contents are mainly found in chemistry textbooks, and the least in 'science inquiry experiment' textbooks. Second, safety contents are found the most in 'laboratory safety rule', followed by 'safety symbol' and 'usage of protection equipment'. Third, the safety contents of appendices are mainly in 'laboratory safety rule' and 'accident treatment'. Based on these results of this study, it is concluded that these textbooks have problems; that there is a big difference in describing safety contents in each textbook; that these safety contents are not presented in detail and that the educational effect is reduced. Furthermore, the safety symbol is not standardized. We also discussed ways to improve the safety contents of science textbooks.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.525-542
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze the internal and external frameworks of elementary science textbooks, which first appeared as the authorization system of elementary science textbooks changed from the national government system. In order to confirm the purpose of the authorization system to support the development of diverse and creative textbooks, this study compared 7 authorized textbooks with the national textbook developed as the 'Use of Magnets' unit of the 2015 revised science curriculum. In this study, the textbook's framework was largely divided into an external framework and an internal framework for the 'Use of Magnets' unit of elementary science textbooks, and quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted in parallel according to each subcategory. According to the research results, in the external framework of textbook units, all textbooks had the same structure: unit introduction, scientific inquiry, creative convergence, unit arrangement, and scientific reading materials. The framework in the 'Use of Magnets' unit of the 7 types of authorized textbooks was found to have some differences according to the textbook development team's interpretation of the curriculum achievement standards and many commonalities that maintained the framework in the national textbooks. In addition, the characteristics of each textbook were clearly revealed in some areas not specified in curriculum such as unit introduction activities and science reading materials, a meaningful change was also found in that the level of inquiry activity was classified and operated in response to the uniform inquiry activity operation of the existing government textbooks.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 1988

The educational policy of a nation should be based on the results of nation-wide studies and their analyses. This study is the third one in a series of research on "development of improvement plan and monitoring system for secondary school science", focusing on the three major areas, such as students' achievements, science instruction and conditions for science education in vocational high schools. In general, the results showed that science achievements in vocational high schools were significantly lower than those of general high schools. While the achievement level in physics was lower by one percent, the achievement levels in chemistry and biology were significantly lower by more than 5 percents. In the case of scientific inquiry, the results showed much lower scores compared to those of general high schools. Concerning the inquiry abilities, most of the students did not possess the formal operational thinking skills such as controlling variables and combinatorial thinking. The ability of experimental skills seemed to be closely related to the students' majors. Students in industrial arts schools could measure electric resistance very well, while students in agricultural high school students failed completely. In the area of students' attitude toward science, the greater part of the students had the experiences of using scientific equipments (68.6 %), experimentation (54.3 %), and extracurricular science activities (56.9 %). They also showed positive attitude towards the nature of science (59.8%). The results of the survey on science instruction and school conditions for science education showed the needs for improvement In general, the priority of science education in vocational high schools was very low compared to their major subjects. The teachers as well as students thought science text books nor to be difficult These responses and the low achievement levels seemed to be contradictory to each other. The facilities for science experiments were better equipped and installed to general high schools. However. the lack of budget was a major problem for performing experiments uning the facilities. Therefore. science education in vocational high school have many things to be improved For the improvement of science education in vocational high schools, financial support as well as the intention for the improvement must be the essential factors.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.477-485
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• 2015

In this study, we tried to find the effects of carrying out infographics instruction based on visual thinking with the infographics materials presented in physics textbooks targeting specialized vocational high school students. Thus, 60 students were divided into the experimental group and the control group, the experimental group had 25 classes composed of 'infographics concept formation, infographics understanding activity, and infographics configuration activity', on the other hand, the control group were instructed by lecture-type class. The results of this study are as follows: First, features of the infographics created by the students include changes in types of presentation from 'simple arrangement' to 'simple reconfiguration' and from 'illustration' to 'comparative analysis', which were made by the visual thinking of the students activated in accordance with the increase of their configuration times. Second, instruction by using infographics, visual thinking significantly improved in the level of understanding, visibility, usability, and communicability. Third, after instruction using infographics, the mean score of the experimental group's achievement significantly improved. Fourth, there was a significant improvement in the area of 'normality of scientist, attitude on scientific inquiry, and scientific attitude' in the test of attitudes toward science. From the analysis results, we could conclude that instruction using infographics enhance students' understanding of scientific concepts and communication capability by improving visual thinking abilities, which have a positive impact on academic achievement and attitudes toward science.