• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.219-231
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• 2018

This study surveyed the elementary school teachers' use of visual representations and their perceptions of the functions of visual representations in the teaching of electricity unit. A total of 110 elementary teachers who have experiences in teaching electricity unit responded to online survey. The result showed firstly that most of the teachers use visual representations in their teaching and it is mostly limited to those presented in textbooks or images that they can get easily from internet search. Secondly, elementary teachers thought that they have high ability in using visual representations and low ability in understanding students' visual presentation ability. Thirdly, visual representations are more often preferred to be used as teacher-centered ways than student-centered ways for motivating students and conceptual understanding. However, in case of scientific inquiry, both teacher-centered and student-centered ways were equally preferred. Lastly, the teachers' perceptions of the functions of visual representations were categorized into 'teaching-instrumental function', 'learning-instrumental function', 'communicative-instrumental function' and 8 subcategories were found. The most frequent function was the 'information delivery function' in the 'teaching-instrumental function' category. Implications for teacher education and further studies were discussed.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.831-842
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• 2010

In this study, in order to use history of mathematics effectively, we investigate the pre-service teachers' perceptions about utilizing history of mathematics. As a result, we must introduce history of mathematics will be able to apply concretely in class to the pre-service teachers. And We must provide the method which is various will be able to apply history of mathematics in class to the pre-service teachers enough. Also, We must provide the instance which relates in utilizing history of mathematics to pre-service teachers enough.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.23-45
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• 2020

Many researches proposed different models and concepts for the PCK. It is important to understand its composition. Most studies investigated the development of PCK and its influence on students' learning from the teachers' perspectives. We developed an instrument for assessing middle school students' perceptions of mathematics teachers' PCK (SPOMTPCK) to investigate the nature of PCK. Theoretical claims and empirical research in PCK were used to design questions and sub-scales for the SPOMTPCK. The face validity of the instrument was established by the expert mathematics teachers and students. A questionnaire consisting of 38 items on a five-point Likert-type scale was used for data collection from 799 middle school students. The exploratory factor analyses resulted in the development of a three-factor scale of 17 items that was proved valid and reliable, that is, pedagogical representation, understanding students and curriculum, and encouraging students' engagement. The Cronbach α coefficients of the scale was 0.935, and the Cronbach α coefficient of three factors were ranged from 0.721 to 0.912. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the questionnaire has good construct validity and the fit indexes are good. MANOVA analysis of variance revealed that the differences in mathematics teachers' PCK identified by students of different school types and grades were statistically significant. It is a validate measurement to evaluate the perceived mathematics teachers' PCK for middle school students.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.557-566
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to examine the status of the field application of the Science II career electives with the application of the 2015 revised curriculum up to the 3rd year of high school. This study focused on examining high school science teachers' perceptions of the student-participatory class and process-centered assessment in Science II subjects, which are career-intensive high school science electives. A total of 192 science teachers responded to the survey questionnaire, and 12 teachers participated in interviews. In the in-depth interviews conducted to supplement the survey results, questions were asked about changes in the overall class, the status of student-participatory classes, and changes in the assessment of Science II subjects due to the emphasis on process-centered assessment. The main research results included teachers' perceptions of changes in teaching and assessment methods with the application of the revised curriculum, the degree to which the eight skills used in Science II classes develop the key competencies of science, and the teaching and assessment methods commonly used in Science II classes. Science teachers generally agreed with the purpose and necessity of introducing student-participatory classes and process-centered assessment, which are the core purpose of the 2015 revised curriculum. However, they had difficulties in practice due to the excessive content of Science II subjects. Problems were also encountered with securing objectivity and fairness during assessments and the operation of online science classes due to COVID-19.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.30-43
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• 2014

'Basic Inquiry' unit was newly included in the grade 3~4 science textbook developed for 2009 revised national curriculum. The unit deals with six basic inquiry skills such as 'observation', 'measurement', 'classification', 'prediction', 'inference', and 'communication'. This study investigated elementary school teachers' perceptions on the effects of 'Basic Inquiry' unit by questionnaires (N=104 for pre-survey, N=90 for post-survey). The results showed that how the teachers have taught basic inquiry skills before this new textbook and how they perceived the educational effects of the unit after experimental teaching period in three aspects; development of basic inquiry skills, facilitating science learning in other units, and implementation of open inquiry. The reasons of positive perceptions as well as negative perceptions were analyzed and discussed with the suggestions for further study.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.293-304
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• 1999

A Calculator-Based Laboratory (CBL) system was introduced to science teachers and their perceptions to its classroom application was assessed. A CBL survey instrument was responded by 54 middle and high school science teachers who undertook a three-hour workshop of science experiments with CBL system. There were significant differences in teachers perceptions to CBL system among gender, school level, school location, teacher's degree, and years of teaching in terms of learning CBL system, applicability of CBL system for science classrooms, and effects on science achievement. Male teachers showed significantly (p<.05) higher agreement to learning of CBL system and applicability for science classrooms than female teachers. Compared to middle school teachers, high school teachers showed significantly (p<.05) high interests in CBL applicability for science classrooms and perceptions that there will be an increase of science achievement. Teachers with 4-8 years of teaching experience also showed significantly (p<.05) higher interest toward learning CBL system and its applicability. It was concluded that science teachers perceived CBL system as a promising science teaching method in Korean middle and high schools. However, a science teacher inservice training program for CBL system should be developed in consideration of gender, school level, school location, and years of teaching.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.189-202
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• 2016

This study aimed to investigate pre-service science teachers' perceptions of significance and usefulness of evolution and genetics. To this end, 82 pre-service biology teachers and 159 non-biology science teachers answered the items to measure the perceptions of significance and usefulness of evolution and genetics. The validity and reliability were examined using Cronbach alpha, two-dimensional rating scale model Rasch analysis, and factor analysis. The finding illustrated that the test items met the benchmark to be valid and reliable test items. Second, pre-service teachers' perception of significance and usefulness of evolution was independent to that of genetics. The level of pre-service teachers' perception of significance and usefulness of evolution was lower than the level of genetics. Lastly, the levels of pre-service teachers' perceptions of significance and usefulness of evolution and genetics were not significantly different across academic years and majors (biology and non-biology). The findings of this study stressed the importance of teaching significance and usefulness of evolution and genetics in pre-service science teacher education program.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.630-637
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the current situation of implementing cooperative learning (CL) in elementary science classes and teachers' perceptions toward CL in science instructions. Participants were 138 elementary school teachers and 96 of them had experiences of implementing CL in their science classes. We developed a questionnaire on the basis of previous studies. The results indicated that many teachers did not seem to comprehend CL and some of them did not seem to distinguish CL from the traditional small group learning. The teachers who had experiences of implementing CL tended to exhibit positive perceptions toward CL than their counterpart in the effects of CL category whereas they did not show any positive evidence in the processes of CL category. The influences of teaching career and the experience of participating inservice training about CL on teachers' perceptions toward CL were not clear. Educational implications are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.113-123
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• 2005

This study compared student teachers' perceptions about teaching practices and the current state of practice teaching before and after practice teaching. Subjects were 96 students at three-year colleges in Suncheon, Jollanam-do. The survey used a questionnaire, 'kindergarten teachers' recognition of practice teaching and the current state of practice teaching,'(Woo and Choi 2004), revised for this research. Differences were observed in mean scores between before and after practice teaching(t=4.30, p<.001). In sub-areas, significant differences were observed in the role of student teachers, the contents of teaching, support system, evaluation and preliminary guidance(p<.001), but not in the evaluation of practice teaching and student teachers' attitudes(p>.05). This information should be beneficial for teachers' colleges in preparation of practice teaching programs.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.352-360
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the relationships among elementary school teachers' perceptions of constructivist science assessment, views on science teaching and learning, science teaching efficacy belief, and the perceptions of constructivist science learning environment. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to validate the factor structure of the perceptions of constructivist science assessment test. The test consisting of 3 factors with 21 questions in the previous research was reconstructed as one consisting of 2 factors with 22 questions as a result of the factor analysis. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was also conducted to predict the explanatory powers of the variables on perceptions of constructivist science assessment. The results indicated that the perceptions of constructivist science learning environment, views on constructivist science teaching and learning, and personal science teaching efficacy belief were the significant predictors of the perceptions of constructivist science assessment.