• Journal of KIISE
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.1124-1132
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• 2015

In order to train a supervised machine learning algorithm, it is necessary to have non-biased labels and a sufficient amount of training data. However, it is difficult to collect the required non-biased labels and a sufficient amount of training data to develop an automatic English Composition scoring system. In addition, an English writing assessment is carried out using a multi-faceted evaluation of the overall level of the answer. Therefore, it is difficult to choose an appropriate machine learning algorithm for such work. In this paper, we show that it is possible to alleviate these problems through ensemble learning. The results of the experiment indicate that the ensemble technique exhibited an overall performance that was better than that of other algorithms.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of proprioceptive-vestibular based sensory integrative intervention on handwriting and fine motor function in elementary school students in grades 1 to 3. Methods : In this study, eight students in an elementary school in Busan were enrolled. The intervention was conducted twice a week from May to October, 2016, and a total of 14 intervention sessions were conducted. In order to evaluate the writing ability and the fine-motor exercise ability before and after the intervention, the fine-motor movement items of the Korean alphabet writing test and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) evaluation were used. Results : There was a statistically significant difference between the total scores of consonant writing and the Korean alphabet writing assessment after the intervention. In BOTMP-Fine motor, the response speed items showed statistically significant difference. Visual-motor control scores increased during intervention, but the statistical significance was not found. Conclusion : Sensory integration interventions might have positive effects on elementary school students' writing skills and fine motor functions.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.699-719
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• 2016

Alternate pictures that are proven to be equivalent are in high demand to assess creative thinking and language skills. This study aimed to investigate the equivalence of three pictures ('Dog owners,' 'Lost Dog,' and 'Overslept') recently developed for use in a creative writing task. Middle school students (N=183) wrote a story in English based on one of the three prompts distributed randomly. Four writing features (fluency, syntactic complexity, lexical diversity, and temporality) were analyzed with Coh-Metrix and MANCOVA. The three prompts were largely equivalent in their capacity to detect differences among writers in all the features of writing. The difficulty levels of the three prompts, however, were not necessarily the same. Two prompts, Dog Owners and Lost Dog, were verified as equivalent prompts, and therefore, they are recommended as alternate forms to assess creative language skills in repeated measurements. The Overslept prompt had greater facility in eliciting diverse words and more temporal connectives in composing stories. The differential difficulty shown among the prompts suggests that the validity of using different picture versions in repeated assessment remains questionable unless those versions undergo equivalence verification.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2024

This study aims to analyze low-performing high school students' difficulties in constructed response (CR) mathematics assessments and explore ways to use writing activities to support student learning. The participants took CR assessments, engaged in guided writing activities across 15 lessons, and provided responses to our interviews. The study identified 20 types of student difficulties, which were sorted into two main categories: "mathematical difficulties" and "CR difficulties." The difficult nature of mathematics as a school subject included a lack of understanding of mathematical concepts, students' difficulty with mathematical symbols and notations, and struggles with word problems. Challenges specific to CR assessments included students' difficulties arising from the testing conditions unlike those of multiple-choice items, and included issues related to constructing appropriate responses and psychological barriers. To address these challenges in CR assessments, the study conducted guided writing activities as an intervention, through which six themes were identified: (1) internalization of mathematical concepts, (2) mathematical thinking through relational understanding, (3) diverse problem-solving methods, (4) use of mathematical symbols, (5) reflective thinking, and (6) strategies to overcome psychological barriers.

• Journal of Korean language education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.63-86
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• 2017

This research aims to evaluate the effects and the shortcomings of strategies for teaching paraphrasing to foreign university students. For this study, the effects of teaching paraphrasing skills on student's academic writing was investigated through the assessment of pre- and post-test writing tasks and through a focus group interview. The teaching of paraphrasing was divided into 3 instructional sessions and the focus group interview was conducted at the end of the last session. After each instructional session three trained assessors evaluated the outcomes of pre and post task writings; the in-depth focus group interviews were conducted on seven of the students in order to define better positive effects as well as shortcomings. By comparing the scores of pre- and post-task assignments it is possible to affirm that there is a meaningful difference for overall scores; moreover, in an analysis conducted on each single sub-element of the paraphrasing skill, it emerged that except for "task completion", all other four elements of "structure", "understanding core content", "change of expression" and "academic expressions" showed a statistically significant improvement in performance. On the other hand, as a result of the focus group interview, it was possible to individuate as main shortcomings insufficient vocabulary knowledge, poor overall comprehension of the reference material, lack of practice and difficulty in connect sentences organically. It is possible to consider these elements as limiting factors in understanding the reference material and making correct citations by the students. Therefore, we suggest as supplementary instructional strategies a deeper attention to the difficulty level of the text, the introduction of devices to understand better the content of the reference material and an integrated practice of the paraphrasing skill.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.16 no.1_spc
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• pp.21-31
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• 2024

This study focused on the development of an AI essay tool for assessing writing-communication competence using ChatGPT. During the development process, the interaction between content expert and technical expert was emphasized to explore the fusion of IT and humanities and social sciences. Through close communication and interaction between the content and technical experts, they incorporated scoring criteria for writing-communication competence and developed an AI essay test tool that provides scores and feedback in the appropriateness of content, effectiveness of organization, and accuracy of grammar. This process revealed how content and technology combine and presented considerations for future fusion researchers, including technical experts in generative AI assessment tools.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.22-33
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• 2014

This paper presents a comparative study on the effectiveness of teaching an engineering course using English with Specific Purpose(ESP). A study was performed using student groups; one class using ESP, and one class conducted in English with an English text. The course conducted using ESP showed the greatest improvement in English writing and conversation, and the students reported a greatly increased confidence in their ability to function professionally using English. A self-assessment of each student was conducted before and after the courses. Prior to the course less than 10% in each group felt that they are able to: a) understand a textbook, b) write an email, c) generate a project report, or d) follow a lecture given in English. The survey at the end of the course showed that the ESP teaching style resulted in significant improvements in students ability and confidence with writing and speaking in English, whereas reading skills were similar for both groups. This is due to the ESP method, in which students are required to give presentations and keep journals in English. After a brief review of the ESP principles and a discussion of how they were implemented, the background data of the participants(students) are described. Finally, the end-of-semester survey highlights the efficacy of the ESP approach.

• Journal of Korean language education
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.85-108
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• 2018

This study pointed out the reality that many novice Korean language teachers who lack rater training are scoring the learners' writing skill. The study performed and analyzed a case where pre-service teachers were educated in order to explore the possibility of promoting rater training in a Korean language teacher training course. The pre-service teachers majoring in Korean language education at the graduate school scored TOPIK compositions and were provided feedback by the FACETS program, which were further discussed at the rater meeting. In three scoring processes, the raters scored with conscious of own rating patterns and showed positive change or over correction due to excessive consciousness. Consequentially, ongoing training can improve rating ability, and considering the fact that professional rater training is hard to progress, the method composed of FACETS analysis and rater training revealed positive effects. On the other hand, the rater training including native Korean and non-native(Chinese) speakers together showed no significant difference by mother tongue but by individual difference. This can be interpreted as a positive implication to the rating reliability of non-native speakers possessing advanced Korean language abilities. However, this must be supplemented through extended research.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.90-103
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• 2021

This study examined the current status of the medical professionalism curriculum in Korea to suggest a plan to move towards the formation of a professional identity. Professionalism education data from 28 Korean medical schools were analyzed, including the number of courses, required or elective status, corresponding credits, major course contents, and teaching and evaluation methods. Considerable variation was found in the number of courses and credits in the professionalism curriculum between medical schools. The course contents were structured to expand learners' experiences, including the essence and knowledge of professionalism, understanding of oneself, social interaction with others, and the role of doctors in society and the healthcare system. The most common teaching methods were lectures and discussions, while reflective writing, coaching, feedback, and role models were used by fewer than 50% of medical schools. Written tests, assignments and reports, discussions, and presentations were frequently used as evaluation methods, but portfolio and self-evaluation rates were relatively low. White coat ceremonies were conducted in 96.2% of medical schools, and 22.2% had no code of conduct. Based on the above results, the author suggests that professional identity formation should be explicitly included in learning outcomes and educational contents, and that professional identity formation courses need to be added to each year of the program. The author also proposes the need to expand teaching methods such as reflective writing, feedback, dilemma discussion, and positive role models, to incorporate various evaluation methods such as portfolios, self-assessment, and moral reasoning, and to strengthen faculty development.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.142-153
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the educational needs of interns and residents in Korean medicine as the first step in developing an education program to improve their research competencies. Methods: A mixed-method design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, was used to investigate the educational needs for research competencies among interns and residents working in Korean medicine hospitals nationwide. Data were collected through online surveys and online focus group discussions (FGDs), and processed using descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis. The study results were derived by integrating survey data and FGD outcomes. Results: In total, 209 interns and residents participated in the survey, and 11 individuals participated in two rounds of FGDs. The majority of participants felt a lack of systematic education in research and academic writing in postgraduate medical education and highlighted the need for nationally accessible education due to significant disparities in the educational environment across hospitals and specialties. The primary barrier to learning research and academic writing identified by learners was the lack of knowledge, leading to time constraints. Improving learners' research competencies, relationship building, autonomy, and motivation through a support system was deemed crucial. The study also identified diverse learner types and preferred educational topics, indicating a demand for learner-centered education and coaching. Conclusion: This study provides foundational data for designing and developing a program on education on research competencies for interns and residents in Korean medicine and suggests the need for initiatives to strengthen these competencies.