• The Mathematical Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.87-109
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• 2003

This paper aims to review the overall development of constructivist approaches in science education research from two different perspectives, that is a summary of the past development in science education in general and a report of the outline of a recent research project on students' physics misconceptions in particular. In the summary of the past development of constructivist science education the introduction of constructivism as well as its psychological and philosophical backgrounds are briefly reported. Then main findings of the researches of constructivist approach are discussed in terms of the features of students' misconceptions, of the ways of effective conceptual change, of the implications toward school science education, and of the criticisms given to the constructivist approach. In the report of a recent development in addition to its background necessity and implications, the research structure and the format of the data analysis of the study on the map of students' physics misconceptions are presented. It is particularly emphasized that the practical informations and suggestions for actual teaching of school science, such as the database(DB) of students' misconceptions and teaching guides, are of most practical and effective values in order to maximize the advantage of the constructivist approach to science education.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.19-37
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• 2007

In this study of the relative effectiveness of constructivist and non-constructivist approaches to shadow activity for young children, 59 children in two kindergarten classes were assigned to constructivist or non constructivist conditions. Each group participated in 12 units covering shadow search, shadow making, changing shadow size, changing shadow position, and shadow disappearance. Analysis of covariance of differences between the mean scores of the two groups on the posttests of shadow concepts and scientific attitudes revealed that the children in the constructivist group performed better than the children in the non-constructivist group. This confirms the constructivist approach to shadow activities as good science activities for young children by promoting their active experimentation using reasoning about light to foster spatio-causal relations construction.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.13-35
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• 2012

This study investigated the contents and methods of science education classes based on the largely constructivist approach of pre-service early childhood teachers. The subjects of this study consisted of 8 junior students from the Early Childhood department and for reference data, reflective journals, interviews, activity planning sheets, recordings of trial lessons, and lesson analysis were used. The results of this study were as follows. First, changes in key points and contents for children science education were found, and reflective journals, interviews, activity planning sheets, recording of trial lessons, and lesson analysis clearly supported these results. Second, the actual changes in the constructivist approach to children's science education had a great impact upon the individual characters of the pre-service early childhood teachers. However, with the study period being limited to only one semester, it was found that the potential of this study to lead to any practical changes was simlilarly limited.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.340-352
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• 1999

Constructivist theory and teaching science in the social context are a main stream in science education. This study was purposed to introduce the STS in-service program implementing in Chonnam National University. and to analyze the results of the program in terms of changes of teachers' and students' perceptions and attitudes. The major features of the STS in-service program were as follows: teacher-centered. teaching in the social context. emphasis on constructivist approach. development of STS module and implementations. A total of 20 secondary science teachers participated in the in-service program. and filled out two questionnaires. Science Education Reform Inventory and Constructivist Teachings Survey. Three of the 20 teachers were selected to gain information from their implementations of a STS module into their respective classrooms. The students completed two instruments. Constructivist Learning Environment Survey. and Scientific Attitude Survey. The responses from teachers and students are as follows: 1. The participating teachers were very aware of the necessity of reform in science education. and the degree of the perception of the necessity increased after the STS in-service program. 2. The STS program significantly improved constructivist teaching techniques. 3. The perceptions of the students about constructivist learning environments improved significantly after the STS in-service program. 4. Students' scientific attitudes improved significantly through STS approach. The STS in-service program with the above mentioned features was found to be effective in our current school system. and could be implemented successfully if teachers were willing to learn and participate in the reforms of science education.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.521-530
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• 2010

This study aimed to explore how to characterize the earth science inquiry in schools in terms of science teaching interaction and constructivist teaching practice. The constructivist teaching practices were analyzed with Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) in three aspects including (1) student oriented class implementation, (2) subject knowledge and representation, and (3) classroom communication. Fourteen earth science classes were observed and scored with RTOP. The class was evaluated to be transitional stage in terms of constructivist teaching, e.g., moving toward student-centered teaching practice. Especially, Korean teachers tend to lean their classes more on propositional knowledge than procedural knowledge. To interpret science teaching interactions, an earth science teacher with a RTOP top rank was selected. Her class was then videotaped for detailed analysis. I adopted the analytical framework of communicative approaches and discourse patterns among the five aspects of interactions presented by Mortimer and Scott (2003). It was found that this earth science teacher used more authoritative patterns than the dialogic. In addition, she used IRE discourse pattern more frequently. Interestingly, teachers interacted with their students more frequently in the form of repeated (or IRE chain pattern), that is IRFRF (teacher initiation-student response-teacher feedback-student response-teacher feedback) in the context of dialogic communicative approaches, while simple IRE occurred in an authoritative approach. In earth science classrooms, typical interaction may well be constructed in the form of IRFRF chains to allow students free conjectures and abduction.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.632-648
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate a process of change which was made by a science teacher for one-year long in-service education program in terms of constructivist teaching behaviors and beliefs. The in-service program was featured by the use of learning cycle model and Science-Technology-Society approach. One of science teachers, who attended an one-year long in-service program was selected for this study. She developed three teaching materials for the duration. The three teaching materials were analyzed to find components of Science-Technology-Society and the integration of science content and real life context. Also, an interview was performed to assess changes in her perspectives on science, science teaching and science learning through the program. The first material was constructed in the form of learning cycle with little emphasis on STS. The second material was embedded with personal matters such as a refrigerator. The final one was shown to be organized with science content in a personal context and with focus on the role play. The interview also showed that her perspectives on science and science teaching have changed toward the constructivist's during the participation in the in-service program. It is suggested that a long-term in-service program should be developed and implemented so that the science teachers may become constructivist teachers.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 1998

The main purpose of Iowa Chautauqua Program(ICP) and Iowa-Scope, Sequence. and Coordination (Iowa-SS&C) was to educate K-12 science teachers so that they could teach science in a human context using the constructivist strategies. The major task for the participating teachers to perform was to develop modules with the emphasis on STS and constructivist approach. which were supposed to be taught in the respective classrooms. Teachers worked together for two weeks for the development of modules during the summer, and attempted the modules with their students. The participating teachers met regularly during the autumn semester to share and reflect their experiences and obtain additional information on science education reform and its implications. During the winter break. the teachers improved and extended the STS modules. The Iowa Chautauqua Program and Iowa-SS&C had two important implications for Korean science education. First, they made the most of the resources they had in order to provide the practicing teachers with recent research findings on the nature of science. science learning and teaching, that is. the constructivist approach. Second, they emphasized both cooperation of teachers and long-term training to realize the reform in school science education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1157-1168
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• 2012

This study examined the effect of simulated instruction activities based on a constructivist teaching approach on epistemological belief, science teaching efficacy belief, and teaching motivation. The RTOP (Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol) played a role to guide preservice biology teachers to obtain insights on current reformed teaching and to further practice teaching based on constructivism. The results indicated that preservice teachers changed their epistemological beliefs toward more sophisticated views, especially for 'simple knowledge'. They also improved their science teaching efficacy beliefs, both personal science teaching efficacy belief (PSTEB) and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE). In addition, these perservice teachers decreased their scores of extrinsic teaching motivation. The Pearson correlation represented the negative relationship between personal science teaching efficacy belief (PSTEB) and extrinsic teaching motivation. After intervention, the preservice teachers mentioned inquiry, active participation and discussion as ideal science teaching methods and qualifications for science teachers.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.289-299
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• 1997

This study has been undertaken in the light of constructivist view of teacher education. Participant observation, unstructured interview and questionnaire were used to explore the process and the role of practicum in science teacher education. The subjects were 19 student teachers majoring in physics education; 8 had participated at boys junior high school, 11 at senior high school. The student teachers had very critical and negative perception on their school days' science lessons. They had expected to do 'better' in their practicum but there were only 3 to 5 opportunities of teaching under the umbrella of textbook. Explanation in the classroom and solving exercise problem were the main features of student teachers' lessons. Much of the lessons were similar when it is to same topic and the main reference for their lesson preparation was the textbook. The student teachers felt the design of teaching approach as the most difficult thing during their lesson preparation. They realized that teaching is harder than they thought and they should consider students' level and responses. Though they had become to have more positive perception on teaching job through their field experiences, their decision on job preference did not change. More than half did not want to be a teacher. The student teachers recognised the courses related with science education as the most useful to their teaching in practice among the program of college of education which they had taken. The experience of writing one lesson plan or teaching in front of their peers, designing a new demonstration equipment were recognised as valuable and helpful element of the courses. They proposed to reduce the amount of general education courses and to emphasize the courses relevant with science education and practicum. The limited opportunity of teaching in practicum was pointed out as problematic. Though the practicum was recognized as a 'good' experience to student teachers, it was confined by textbook and limited teaching opportunity. In conclusion, the practicum was not organized and implemented as a meaningful experience of science teaching and learning. There should be more structured studies on what kind of perceptions and experiences the student teachers had brought to the science teacher education program, how they interact with the elements of the program and how they affect to their science teaching. The structure and content of practicum also should be studied and developed so as to make practicum as a meaningful experience of science teaching and learning.