• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.698-709
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• 2005

When modeling students' conceptual understanding, there are several different frameworks, among which are the alternative conception framework and the mental model framework, which converge to suggest a form of knowledge representation. However, little research has explained how they are different from each other and from memory. The purpose of this study was to develop a new mental model theory that integrates the different terminologies and their background theories, which refer to students' ideas not only in science education, but also in other research areas. For this purpose, at first, we compared different terminologies including alternative conception, p-prim, and mental models, and the underlying theories used for representing students' ideas in learning science. Through such comparison, we tried to find the relationship among them. We reviewed related literature and synthesized the results from both cognitive science (related research areas) and science education approaches, especially, Vosniadou's mental model theory. Based on reviewing previous studies, we have developed a preliminary mental model theory 'an integrated theoretical structure of mental models'. We applied the new mental model theory to interpret data on students' ideas about circular motion from our previous research. We expect our new mental model theory will help us understand how students form their own ideas in science from an integrated perspective.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.68-79
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• 2008

This study investigated undergraduate students' perceptions and mental models of the environment. A total of 192 students were sampled from a university of Gyoungbuk area. The environmental task was administrated to students drew a picture of an environment and explained their drawing. The results are as follows: First, a majority of undergraduate students perceived an environment from a comfortable environment. Second, five mental models emerged from a content analysis of students' responses about environmental drawing. Third, the dominant model was mental model 4, the environment as a place where animals, plants, and humans live. This means that the majority of students perceived a 'relation' rather than 'objects' views of the environment. Therefore, undergraduate students' conceptualizations about environment depends on a view or mental models of the environment which places humans in a sustaining relationship with the environment and its natural resources. The implications of these findings for environmental education are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.352-362
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• 2008

This study explored pre-service teachers' mental models about eclipse phenomena to investigate their understandings on the earth science concept needed f3r an integrated approach. We conducted in-depth interviews with two different contexts on 30 secondary and 36 primary pre-service teachers participants, and analyzed phenomenological primitives (p-prims) and facets of causal explanations about eclipses. Based on this study, we identified four different levels of mental models about eclipses. Four mental models were categorized as (1) Screening model, (2) Orbital plane model, (3) Hybrid model, and (4) Shadow cast model. Screening model is a flawed mental model, orbital plane model is an incomplete correct mental model, and shadow cast model is a scientifically correct mental model. Hybrid model, composite of two or more mental models, use multiple mental models simultaneously. Orbital plane model was the most widespread mental model in secondary pre-service teachers group, whereas screening model was used frequently in primary group. It was found that the level of mental model could be determined by the level of facet and p-prims. We confirmed context sensitivity of the mental models and perceived the necessity of integrated approaches to promote progression of mental models. Implications of our findings for enhancing pre-service science teachers' topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) associated with eclipse phenomena are also discussed here.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2007

This research focused on eliciting and analyzing mental models of mobile device purchasing consumers who are distinguished by their familiarity with information technology. Mental model elicitation processes proceeded by critical decision method. And Pathfinder algorithm and Social Network Analysis were used to analyze the mental models. The results show that IT-familiar consumers have mental models of which elements are more organized and distinctive while IT-unfamiliar consumers have vague and socially affected mental models.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.131-148
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• 2012

This study examines the scientific concept development of young children in terms of the day-night cycle. The subjects consisted of 180 three-, four-, and five-year-old children from two kindergartens and one children's center located in Seoul and Jeju. Individual interviews were conducted to collect verbal and pictorial responses on the day-night cycle. The scientific concepts on the day-night cycle are classified five stages including : no recognition, egocentric concept, initial mental models, synthetic mental models, and scientific mental models. Using two-way ANOVA, scores for the types of concept on the day-night cycles were then analyzed according to both the ages and genders of the children. The results reveal the existence of significant differences in terms of the types of concept of young children according to age. Most three-year-olds children had no recognition. Most three, four, and five-year-old children revealed egocentric concepts. Four-year-old children revealed that were in the initial stages of experiencing the mental models and synthetic mental models of the day-night cycle. Five-year-old children revealed that they were in the early stages of experiencing the initial, synthetic, scientific mental models of the day-night cycle. The results suggest appropriate ways of science education for young children based on the development of scientific concepts of the day-night cycle.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.311-328
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• 2005

This study was to understand the components that influence preservice elementary teachers' mental models about 'astronomical phenomena' such as the Seasons of the year, and the Lunar Phases of the month. We selected university of education students among whom 23 were in the second you. The data collected from the paper-pencil test and individual interview with students. The results of this study show that the students had apparent synthetic Mental models, and that the distance theory, and occultation theory had most important effects on their Mental Models. It can be said that preservice elementary teachers' initial mental models of the' astronomical phenomenon' have their origin in their belief sets (specific theory) related to 'astronomical phenomenon', on the basis of which they can interpret their observations and cultural information with the constraints of a naive framework of physics. The structures and possible sources of their mental models for overcoming these synthetic mental models were also discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.893-910
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to identify changes in mental models of students in the elementary school about causes of seasonal changes. During a total of eight sessions, eight sixth graders were asked to describe the causes of seasonal changes through pictures, writing and thinking aloud by using microgenetic research methods, and the changes in mental models were examined. When the research was conducted, linguistic and behavioral factors and contents of interviews of participants were recorded on video. Moreover, a variety of materials such as field observation chart were written by a researcher and mental models records were written by a student. The protocol was written by integration of collected results, and it was repeated to read and was inductively categorized. The results of this study were as follows: First, participants' mental models about causes of seasonal changes were changed in various paths within and across sessions. Participants' mental models that had been more changed in various ways were closer to the scientific model. In addition, like rotation and revolution, students who correctly established the preconceptions related to seasonal changes formed the mental models consistent with scientific concept based on new information. On the other hand, students who did not correctly establish the preconceptions did not deviate from non-scientific mental models. Second, prior knowledge, experience and information which participants held in advance, accuracy of prior knowledge, resolution of inconsistency between new knowledge and existing mental models, activation of mental models through operation of models and drawing an picture affected the changes of mental models. Teachers should provide to learners with sufficient experience which can be configured to various mental models in order to form the scientific concepts. And they need to let learners feel the doubt and resolve it through presentation of new teaching material which is inconsistent with the existing mental models.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.547-551
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• 2010

In mobile browser two mental models coexist; one for mobile users and the other for PC users. In this research shows that users apply these two mental models simultaneously while they use mobile browsers. However cases where these two mental models conflict with each other, rapid deterioration of usability of the UX based on the mobile user's mental model was evident. Also usability of mobile user interfaces for use cases like "View Mode" or "Copy and Send Mode" were also poor, and the research shows that these "Modes" could be substituted by gesture interaction with which users were already familiar.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.68-87
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to understand the components that influence the mental models of preservice elementary teachers on the astronomical phenomena of seasons of the year and lunar phases of the month. For this, participants were selected from a university of education. Data was collected from a paper-pencil test and individual interviews with the participants. The results of this study showed that the preservice teachers had apparent synthetic mental models, and that the 'Distance Theory' and 'Occlusion Theory' had the greatest effect on their mental models. Furthermore, it was found that preservice elementary teachers' initial mental models of 'astronomical phenomenon' had their origin in personal belief sets (specific theory) related to 'astronomical phenomenon'. It was on these belief sets that they interpreted their observations and cultural information with the constraints of a naive framework of physics. The structures and possible sources for overcoming these synthetic mental models were also discussed in this paper. Lastly, implications for preservice elementary teacher education were presented.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.645-654
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' mental models and alternative conceptions about the Earth's interior. A total of 126 10th grade students participated in this study. They were requested to draw Earth's interior tasks and were interviewed about their mental models. A coding frame was designed to classify the students' drawings and interview responses, and then a four step cognitive model was established based on the frame of coding. In addition, the relationship of mental models was compared in terms of students' gender, and the type of alternative conceptions was analysed. The research results showed a variety of alternative conceptions on the interior of the Earth. The classified mental models showed naive mental model (11%), unstable mental model (81%), conceptual model (8%), while 69% of all sampled students accounted for the static process. The gender difference in the cognitive model showed no statistical significance.