• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.529-536
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• 2001

The purpose of the research is to investigate the effects of a portfolio system on students' socio-psychological classroom environments in elementary science class. Two schools were selected from a metropolitan area, a city, and one school from a 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 is 399. Portfolio system was administered to experimental group, and conventional teaching to control group for two and half month. WIHIC, an inventory to measure socio-psychological classroom environment, was administered as a pre- and post-test. Experimental group gained statistically higher scores on WIHIC after administering portfolio system. They showed more positive perceptions on sub-areas of WIHIC such as teacher support, task orientation, and equity. There is interaction between region and group: the effects of the portfolio system is highest in rural area, lowest in metropolitan area, and the city in between. Portfolio system have positive effects on students' socio-psychological classroom environments. Enhanced socio-psychological classroom environments is expected to contribute to positive self-concept, higher science achievements, and self-directed learning.