• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.284-309
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• 2013

This study aims to explore how to characterize high school science inquiry. For this research, data were collected from fifteen science classes (18 hours), through observation and videotaping, interviews with a few students and their teacher, and documents such as lesson plan or activity sheet in 13 Science Core High Schools. All the data were transcribed and analyzed. Analyses of these transcripts were proceeded in three steps: first, classroom cases showing active interactions between teacher-students and among students were selected; second, according to cognitive process of inquiry (Chinn & Malhotra, 2002), each segment was analyzed and interpreted; lastly, distinctive cases were determined to show essential features of school science inquiry. Based on the analyses, we characterize high school science inquiry in terms of features of variables controlling-device improvement, design studies, evidence-explanation transformation, and reasoning to formulate explanations from evidence. Teachers' role and educational support were discussed as well as the practical characters or features of school science inquiry.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.151-162
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• 2008

This study quantitatively investigated the actual situations and perceptions of gifted students and their teachers during small group inquiry activities in Korea. Some 1,670 gifted math students and 1,732 gifted science students as well as 614 of their teachers were selected through random sampling to participate in this study. Data were collected by means of a survey developed by the researchers of this study, based on reviews of literature related to inquiry and small group cooperative learning. The results were as follows: (1) In Korean gifted education, small group inquiry activities were frequently used as teaching and learning strategies, and both the students and teachers perceived its effects to be very positive in terms of cognition and affection. (2) Gifted education teachers emphasized the development of students' procedural inquiry skills as well as logical thinking skills, whereas they were indifferent to the essential elements of small group cooperative learning and therefore the lessons did not surpass the level of traditional group activities. (3) The fact that the actual small group inquiry activities did not reflect the characteristics of well-organized small group activities is due to a lack of knowledge on the teacher's part as to effective teaching strategies concerning cooperative learning. This study implies that gifted education teachers require the opportunity to reflect on and develop their knowledge and understanding of small group inquiry activities through professionally developed programs in order to maximize the effectiveness of small group inquiry activities in gifted education.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of constructivist instruction on science inquiry skills and science-related attitudes, and to investigate the students' responses to the lesson using constructivist instruction. In this study, 108 students of sixth graders from four classes were intentionally selected from two elementary schools located in Gyungsan city, Kyungsangbukdo. Two classes of 54 students were used by the constructivist teaching program and the other two classes were handled by the traditional teaching program. Two teachers who have twenty years' careers guided the program prepared by researcher to the students and this examination was conducted for 8 weeks (total 20 class hours). In pretest and posttest, both groups were tested in the science inquiry skills and science-related attitudes. An interview and questionnaire for the students analyzed the responses about the constructivist instruction. The major results of this study are as follows: First, in science inquiry skills test, there was no statistical significance between the score of the experimental group and that of the comparative group(p>.05). The ability of formulating problem in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the comparative group at 0.05 level. In pretest and posttest, the experimental group was statistically significant on classifying, formulating problem, interpreting data, while the comparative group was not significant on those. Second, we can find that the experimental group has more positive effect on forming the desirable science-related attitudes than the comparative group(p<.05). Especially, experimental group is significantly higher the attitudes about the science curriculum than the comparative group at 0.05 level Third, constructivist instruction has more affirmative tendency of the students' learning activity. Constructivist instruction generated much interest and curiosity about science for the students, and this method prompted students' expression and discussion.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.234-241
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• 2002

The purpose of the study is to investigate the applicability of portfolio assessment to ordinary elementary science classes, and the effects of a portrolio assessment on students' science achievement, inquiry ability, and science attiudes. Two schools were sampled from a metropolitan area, a city, and three schools from rural area in central Korea. Two fifth-grade classes were sampled from each school selected, and one class is assigned to experimental group and the other to control group, respectively. The total number of participants of the study are 475. Portfolio assessmest was administered to experimental group, and conventional teaching to control group for two and half month. Science achievement test, science inquiry ability test, and science attitudes test were administered as a pre- and post-test. Portfolio asseddment seems to be applecable to ordinary elementary science classroom. Statistically meaningful difference was not found in students' science achievemant by group, region, and sex. Students' inquiry ability and science attitudes showed statistically meaningful difference by region rather than group. Experimental group showed more positive scores on some sub-domains of science attitudes, such as perception on science education, and science career, interests in science activity, and criticism. In conclusion, portfolio assessment can be applicable to ordinary dldmentary science classrooms. The effects of portfolio assessment are at least the same as the traditional teaching on student science achievement, inquiry ability, and science attitudes.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.167-182
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• 2020

The active participation and active interaction of learners in small group science inquiry activities are the main factors that determine the effectiveness of science learning. Roles can be assigned to members of a small group to facilitate interaction between members within the small group. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of role assignment on the types and patterns of verbal interactions in middle school students' small group science inquiry activities. For this, 172 students from middle schools located in metropolitan cities were surveyed. We analyzed 18 small groups with assigned roles and 15 small groups without assigned roles. The change in verbal interaction type in small group science inquiry activity according to role assignment was largely divided into alienation and participation. In the case of small groups with assigned roles, the participation type occupied a higher proportion than the alienation type. The change in verbal interaction patterns did not show much significant differences when the role was assigned in terms of cognitive and affective. Based on this, further research is needed on how role assignment affects verbal interactions depending on the type of scientific inquiry and the stage of inquiry. In addition, further research on the composition of small groups and role assignment is required.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.239-252
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• 2022

This study aims to develop performance criteria based on characteristics observed in science inquiry tasks for elementary school students. First, the performance characteristics by observing 70 fifth-grade elementary school students' science inquiry activity report are listed. Second, the checklist-type scoring criteria in connection with the theoretical framework of scientific inquiry process and relevant competencies are developed. Third, with the developed scoring criteria, 11 raters participate in scoring 350 students' reports. The main findings are as follow: first, the scoring data are well-fitted for the many-faceted Rasch model, and 22 scoring criteria are reasonably-well differentiated for various levels of proficiency. Second, at low performance level, observable characteristics are to answer questions explicitly required by the task or to observe objects or phenomena using pre-learned scientific concepts, while at high performance level, to explore additional data other than given data or to reflect on one's experimental process. Based on the results, the usefulness of analyzing students' performance characteristics for developing the scoring criteria, and further research directions are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.181-193
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• 2016

We examined the inquiry activities in the material domain of the elementary science textbooks and experimental workbooks based on 2009 revised curriculum. The analysis framework was SEP (Science and Engineering Practices) - 'Asking questions and defining problems', 'developing and using models', 'planning and carrying out investigations', 'analyzing and interpreting data', 'using mathematics and computational thinking', 'constructing explanations and designing solutions', 'engaging in argument from evidence', and 'obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information'. Sub-SEP of each grade band were also used. The results showed that the $3^{rd}{\sim}5^{th}$ grade science textbooks and workbooks mainly emphasized 'make observations and/or measurements', 'represent data in tables and/or various graphical displays', or 'use evidence to construct or support an explanation or design a solution to a problem' among around 40 sub-SEP. In the case of the inquiry activities for $6^{th}$ grade, majority of sub-SEP included were also only 'collect data to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions or test design solutions', 'analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for phenomena' or 'construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources'. The type of 'asking questions and defining problems', 'using mathematics and computational thinking' or 'obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information' were little found out of 8 SEP. Educational implications were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.325-343
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• 2021

This study aims to develop two science education programs using Angbuilgu and ancient astronomical data, are Korean astronomical heritage, and explore its educational possibility through the pilot application. Considering the TSK compositional characteristics of Angbuilgu and ancient astronomical data, linkage with science curriculum, and linkage with NOS, Angbuilgu was developed as a hands-on activity for elementary school students and ancient astronomical data as a science inquiry activity for middle and high school students. The educational availability of the developed program was confirmed by pilot application to elementary and high school groups. Through the Angbuilgu activity, the students refined their conceptual knowledge by correcting misconceptions about the solar motion by season and then confirmed the possibility of connection with the concept of the celestial coordinate system. Students recognized the scientific value of Angbuilgu and understood the nature of interactions STS. In the ancient astronomical data activity, students experienced inductive and deductive inquiry methods and utilized various information and strategies. Through the activities, students improved their scientific understanding and attitude towards TSK.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.591-605
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between lunar and earth rotation, by quantitatively describing the rotation of lunar configuration which is observed during the lunar diurnal motion. Our research suggests that observation of the lunar diurnal motion could be used as a study topic in the earth science courses. The rotation of the lunar configuration is an apparent phenomenon that can be seen when an observer. standing on the ground. looks at the moon as if the lunar dark configuration rotates on the basis of horizontal line. In spite its competence as a study topic because it is observable by naked eyes, there are only few major textbooks that introduce this phenomenon with regard to the earth rotation. Therefore, this study induced the mathematical principle of the lunar rotation in detail and proposed that this could be developed as a scientific inquiry through practical observation. In addition, an analytical proof and qualitative method of explanation of the lunar reverse rotation were also presented.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.82-94
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• 2012

In this study, epistemological views of middle school students on scientific inquiry were investigated. The Views of Scientific Inquiry Questionnaire was administered to 141 9th graders. The questionnaire consists of five open-ended items concerning the contexts of scientific investigation, the methods of scientific investigation, the interpretation of data, and the data and evidence. Analyses of the results indicated that their epistemological understanding of scientific inquiry were not adequate on the whole. Although the students suggested a variety of factors influencing scientists' decisions on the questions and the methods of investigation, many of the factors were minor. Only a few students specifically described the activities of scientists and the constituents of "scientific" activity, and students did not demonstrate adequate understanding of experimentation in science and multiple scientific methods. Moreover, the percentage of students who possessed the informed view that data can be variously interpreted was found to be low. The students also did not understand the distinctions between data and evidence. Educational implications are discussed.