• Journal of Science Education
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.458-475
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• 2013

According to instruction of standard-based assessment system, teachers with higher level of competence in student assessment are required. The purpose of this study is to offer the basic data to enhance pre-service physics teachers' competency in student assessment. 17 pre-service physics teachers, who are sophomore in department of physics education, participated in the study for a whole semester. To do this, we gave the assignment of multiple choice question construction in physics conceptest for formative assessment to pre-service teachers and observed review questions constructed by them. We also analyzed multiple choice questions of 17 pre-service teachers. They had 5 classes for the review process of the question and improved their questions through it. 16 of 17 pre-service teachers completed test design. Our results show that pre-service teachers had a little low competence in test design for classroom assessment. In addition to, constructing and revising questions, almost of them didn't have various perspectives and didn't consider to get information about the pre-conceptions of students. These findings indicate that they have difficulties with constructing multiple choice question and more specific plan needs to enhance the overall student-assessment competency levels of pre-service teachers for successful settlement of the standard-based assessment system.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.186-202
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to develop and apply materials to teach about reflection of light by peer instruction. These which consist of both hands-on experiments and ConcepTests based on students' preconceptions found in previous researches are inducing active interaction between peers during instruction. Data from 29 university students were rate of correct answer of pre and post tests, results of conceptests before and after peer discussion, homework for strengthening their conceptual changes, and RTOP result for analysis of learners' perception about this method. Learners' preconceptions on reflection of light and position of image are changed effectively into scientific concepts. And they evaluate this teaching method helps conceptual understanding and interaction of an instructor and learners.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.237-256
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to develop program that take a genuine interest in science and motivate students to keep up their study for science gifted children of start period. In this study, we develop and apply the program about sinking and floating for elementary science gifted students, and analyse degree of conceptual change. Students' prior knowledge is analysed for developing the program, and each step is settled about concept of density and buoyancy. Conceptests are arranged into step by step, and we apply the program to 26 science gifted students of 6th grade elementary school. We compare a percentage of correct answers of pre-test and post-test and evaluate Hake gain for analysis of degree of conceptual change. As a result, science gifted students' concepts are changed effectively into scientific concepts by program based on peer instruction for gifted students of start period. And they evaluate the program is novel and useful, also they can be motivated by the program.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.182-195
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• 2014

Ray drawing in geometrical optics is an effective method for visible imagery of light. In this study, we developed peer instruction materials for in-service teachers' training concepts on the refraction of light including drawing rays. And then we applied these programs to 29 pre-service teachers and 21 in-service primary teachers and evaluated the degree of conceptual change in correct points from the pretest and the post one. As a result of pretesting, in spite of experiences for learning this topic in elementary and secondary education courses, most participants in the study did not well understand the path of refracted light before instructions. However, the result of post testing after the application of peer instruction materials shows that they have practiced ray drawing, which is helping visible imagery. Accordingly, in learning geometrical optics, we suggest that peer instruction with ray drawing activity for teachers' training program would be effective. We also suggest that similar approaches would be applied to other context.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.84-93
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• 2012

We have studied possibilities of Peer Instruction(PI) to train in-service science teachers in elementary and middle schools through both degree of conceptual changes and investigating responses to questionaries. 169 teachers were attended and the subject for training was about light propagation to teach scientific conception about a pin hole camera. 6 conceptests were developed. Degree of conceptual changes was analyzed from results obtained from 24 elementary and 32 middle school teachers among them. On the other hand, answers to questionaries were obtained from 135. Relatively high gain near to about 0.7 in conceptual changes was obtained even though their initial levels were quite low. Interesting point is that elementary teachers have higher initial level and larger gain than middle school teachers. Teachers have very much enjoyed and showed strong support to PI for helping conceptual change, and willing to use PI to their own class. Also they conceived dealing concept in teacher training is very important and evaluated PI very positively for teacher training.