• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.731-745
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• 2017

This study is a part of our research project that considers 'Science as Wisdom (SaW)' as a new approach to science education. We presented a review of previous studies on wisdom from relevant areas as philosophy, psychology and education, and drew a few educational meanings. We also conducted a survey of science teachers' perception of wisdom to obtain implications for a follow-up study. The survey was conducted on pre-service science teachers, in-service science teachers, and teachers of other subjects. The results of this study are as follows: First, all three groups of participants perceive 'practical' domain of wisdom as most important while 'interpersonal' domain was perceived as least important. Second, all three groups of participants perceive that 'to catch what the most important problem is,' is the most important among 20 elements of wisdom. Third, when participants were asked about the 'wise people around them', the interpersonal domain followed as the second most frequent response after the 'practical' domain, which was in contrast to our first finding above. Fourth, about 80% of all participants answered that wisdom can be cultivated through school education. Finally, answers to the question asking the scientific concepts related to wisdom were categorized into four types as follows: (1) the wisdom required to understand and apply scientific knowledge, (2) the wisdom included in the meaning of scientific knowledge, (3) the wisdom needed to discover scientific knowledge, (4) the wisdom that can be developed through scientific activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.211-225
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze pre-service teachers' eye-movement in science textbooks in the learning process, whether they perceived "arrow" presented in textbooks, and changes in eye-movement by arrows. For the study, an eye-tracker, a eye-movement tracking device, was used, and 10 pre-service teachers attending a teacher training college were selected and conducted. The science textbook unit used in the research was the "Weather and Our Life" unit, one of the areas of earth science. As a result of the study, first, it was investigated that pre-service teachers devote more time to texts rather than illustrations in the learning process of science textbooks. Second, it was analyzed that pre-service teachers did not pay attention to the "arrow" presented in science textbooks. Third, it was confirmed that in order for "affordance of the eye-movement by arrow" to occur, sufficient concentration on "arrow" should be made. These findings suggest the importance of the learner's visual attention to learning elements in science textbooks such as "arrow". In addition, it suggests the importance of developing a textbook editing design that can induce visual attention to learning elements in textbooks through eye-movement research data for effective learning.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.70-83
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• 2007

Reflection in teacher education is one reform effort that has taken hold in many teacher preparation programs. However, how to define it and how to foster it in a teacher's education are problematic issues. In this study, on the basis of literature review, science teachers' reflective thinking is defined as a process of thinking that deliberates on alternatives to solve conflict between one's previous knowledge/belief/practice and internal/external factors in science teaching context. Based on this definition, three types of science teachers' reflective thinking (i.e. technical reflection, professional reflection and critical reflection) were proposed. In addition, a framework of classifying the reflective thinking's types was also developed. To investigate science teachers' reflective thinking, two pre-service science teachers who majored in physics education participated in this study. The participants presented the monthly report on reflective practice, pre/post questionnaire, and education practicum journals. Individual interviews with them were conducted before and after their teaching activities. From the analysis of the data, it was possible to categorize the reflective thinking of the participants into three types. The major type of their reflective thinking was the technical reflection. However, it was difficult to find examples of the critical reflection.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-45
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• 2012

Educational communities around the world have concentrated on integrative efforts among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEM) subjects. Korea has focused on integrative education among STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) school subjects to raise talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. The purpose of this study was to analyze secondary school science, technology, and mathematics teacher's perceptions and needs toward integrated education and integrative STEM education. A total of 251 secondary school teachers from all areas of the country who have taught science, mathematics, and technology were surveyed by using a self-reported instrument. The findings were as follows: First, teachers have used little integrated education in their classes due to insufficient time in the actual preparation of the integrated education and the lack of expertise, teaching experience, and teaching-learning materials for the integrated education, while they have positive thoughts about the need of integrated education. Second, they presented several needs to facilitate the integrated education: development of a variety of integrated programs, school administrative and financial support, and in-service teachers' training. Third, overall perception toward integrated STEM education was not sufficient, but most teachers perceived the need toward integrated STEM education due to students' development in their creativity, thinking skills, and adaptability. Fourth, they perceived that it was imperative to develop the various integrated STEM education programs, distribute the materials, and help STEM teachers' understanding toward integrated STEM education. Fifth, they perceived that the most relevant method to integrate STEM subjects was the problem solving approach. In addition, they appreciate that the integrated STEM education is highly efficient in not only developing integrated problem solving skills and STEM related literacy, but also in positively impacting the rise of talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. In order to increase the awareness of STEM-related secondary school teachers and vitalize the integrated STEM education, it is necessary to develop and spread a variety of programs, effective teaching and learning materials, and teachers' training programs.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.718-736
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• 2014

This study was intended to determine PCK of the middle school science teachers on Mendelian genetics and factors influenced to form their PCKs. Two science teachers with biology major with a teaching experience over 5 years were chosen as the subject. Data were collected by class observation, semi-structured interview, teacher questionnaire survey, Content Representation and Pedagogical and Professional-experience Repertoire. The collected data were analyzed based on Magnusson's PCK for science teaching consisting of five components: (a) the orientation toward teaching science, (b) the knowledge of science curriculum, (c) the knowledge of students' understanding, (d) the knowledge of assessment, and (e) the knowledge and belief in the instructional strategies to teach science. Teachers could have the orientation toward teaching science served as an assisting role to support students' abilities. Both subject teachers seemed to focus on giving lectures. Their efforts to improve students' exploration methods and abilities were not expressed enough in their real classes and they found that students struggled to understand Mendelian genetics. Therefore, they should have explained them in an easier way and worked harder to make their students understood accurately and applied basic and advanced concepts of Mendelian genetics. They found students' preconception and misconception regarding Mendelian genetics and wished to enhance their learning effects by various teaching strategies such as correcting misconception, adding the history of science and simply assessing students' affirmative domains. It was also found that factors influenced to form PCK regarding Mendelian genetics by both teachers were as follows: teacher's personality and endeavor, textbooks and guidance books, schools and their circumstances, teaching experience, experience as a learner, interaction with their colleagues, and university curriculum. Both teachers said that it was important for teachers to make every efforts to give better classes.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2006

This study examined how pre-service elementary teachers' perceptions regarding the learning environment (learning focus/ability-meritocracy/cooperative climate) and achievement goals (mastery/performance-approach/performance-avoidance) in science education courses jointly contributed to their science teaching efficacy beliefs (personal science teaching efficacy belief/science teaching outcome expectancy). A path analysis supported a causal model in which the perception of the learning focus influenced the mastery goal, which in turn influenced the personal science teaching efficacy belief and science teaching outcome expectancy. The perception of learning focus also had a direct effect on science teaching outcome expectancy. The perception of ability-meritocracy influenced personal science teaching efficacy belief via the performance-approach (positively) or, conversely, the performance-avoidance goal (negatively). No link .was deduced from the perception of cooperative climate. The educational implications of these findings were also discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.377-388
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• 1993

This research was developed to investigate the apprehension of the ideal image of science teacher and the view of science teaching profession. The samples were drawn from middle/high schools students, university students of colleges of education, science teachers of secondary schools. principals of middle schools and masters of high schools, and professors majoring in science and/or science education. Data were collected through the use of questionaires. The samples responded differently to the Questions depending on their personal needs and professional viewpoints. Very few of the students wanted to be a science teacher in the future. Even the many numbers of college students gave up becoming a science teacher. Furthermore greater portion of science teachers were not satisfied with their profession as science teaching. More findings are described in the paper.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1002-1016
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate beginner and experienced Korean science teachers' perceptions about the science teacher preparation courses from which they graduated, and to compare them. The study was conducted as a qualitative study using in-depth interviews. For the study, interview questions were developed by the authors based on the questionnaire of 'The IMPPACT project' that was being conducted in America. The interview tool includes questions about their experience of science subject matter content knowledge, science pedagogical content knowledge, and general pedagogical content knowledge in their preparation courses. For the interview, seven beginning science teachers, less than five years of teaching experience, and five experienced science teachers, more than five years of teaching experience, were sampled from secondary schools in Korea. The research results are as follows: First, most of the beginner and experienced science teachers perceived that the teaching methods in the classes of science subject matter were not good model for teaching science in their secondary school, because they were not diverse enough and entailed mostly knowledge transfer just through lecture without teacher-student interaction. Second, most of the beginner science teachers perceived that they were affected positively by the teaching strategies and evaluation methods in the classes for science pedagogical subject matter and they could apply those strategies and methods in their current science teaching. Lastly, most of the beginner and experienced science teachers perceived that general pedagogical subject matter is important and prerequisite for science teaching in their schools, but the courses that they experienced at their university were not appropriate for their current teaching.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.885-893
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• 2015

In this study, we compared the use of information and communications technology (ICT) by middle school teachers in Korea and other countries utilizing the teacher survey data of the IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2013. The ICILS target population consisted of all students in the eighth grade. We compared Korea with Australia, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Poland, which are nations showing the highest achievements in computer and information literacy. We selected nine questions from the teacher questionnaire and divided them into the categories of computer use, use of ICT for teaching and learning, and the ICT support environment in school. In comparison to their counterparts in other countries, Korean middle school science teachers used computers frequently and also had high ICT self-efficacy. They were confident in their ability to use computers for general tasks, but not in their ability to use computers for teaching and learning. The Korean teachers also had a high percentage of utilization of presentation and graphics software. Also, the proportion of activities concerning the information provided and teacher-led tasks was high, but the proportion of activities for student collaboration or peer interaction was low. In Korea, middle school science teachers had more negative than positive views of using ICT in teaching and learning. The teachers thought that computer-related resource support and digital learning materials were insufficient and that the computer model was outdated in schools. Therefore, we propose to build an ICT infrastructure and to develop and disseminate ICT teaching and learning methods for student activities.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.311-324
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• 2021

In this study, we analyzed the process of pre-service science teachers' designing and implementation of lessons in teaching practice from the perspective of CHAT. Five pre-service teachers attending the Department of Chemistry Education at the College of Education in Seoul participated in this study. We observed their teaching practice, collected documentary data, and conducted in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method based on grounded theory. The analyses of the results reveal that, due to the lack of authority to make decisions for lesson design, pre-service teachers faced difficulties and had direct conflict with teachers. In addition, it was difficult for them to obtain sufficient contextual information for lesson design even through subject orientation and classroom observation, which made it difficult for them to design lessons. When consecutive lessons were taken by several pre-service teachers, there were many problems such as poor continuity of lessons. Given limited authority to assess students, they conducted additional assessments. They showed a lack of professionalism when conducting assessments. The cause of this could be found in the curriculum of the College of Education. Some ways to provide better teaching practice based on the results are discussed.