• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.238-251
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• 2015

This study, based on literature review and theoretical discussion, reinterprets the learning environment instruments from cultural perspectives and suggests the applicability of learning environment instruments for understanding science classroom cultures. To do this, the existing learning environment instruments are first investigated and compared in terms of their features and utilizations appeared in previous studies. The learning environment instruments are then reinterpreted in the light of culture. Finally, we suggest the possibilities to use the learning environment instruments to understand science classroom cultures. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, the learning environment instruments, by interpreting them culturally, could be interpreted in cultural ways and used as the alternative ways to explore science classroom cultures. Second, the learning environment instruments, such as WIHIC and CLEQ, could be interpreted both along the dimension of phenomena in classrooms and the dimension of students' psychology in order to investigate science classroom cultures. Third, the instrument items could be interpreted culturally in different ways according to the description types of instrument items. Thus, when learning environment instruments are used in culture research, the description types should be sufficiently taken into account. Based on the results of this study, educational implications are discussed in terms of exploring classroom cultures and of culture research.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.331-340
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• 2003

This paper presents a case study of the student's culture as a component of conceptual ecology that affects discussions and discourses in the science classroom. The present study was conducted using a naturalistic approach, mainly through observing a science class of a middle school in Seoul, Korea, and through semistructured interviews. The case showed that the science classroom culture can be identified in four aspects: (1) knowledge; (2) the teacher; (3) classmates; and (4) self. These cultural aspects were strongly related to each other and functioned as constraints in discussions and discourses of the science classroom. For successful discussions and discourses, it is necessary to consider students' cultural aspects: epistemological views on knowledge, the teacher-student and student-student relationships, and the role of self in the discussions and discourses.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.499-508
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• 2015

The purposes of this study are to investigate elementary students' perception of science classroom through an analysis of students' answer to an open-ended question and to suggest a framework for the analysis of science classroom culture, as the first step to develop an analysis tool for qualitative exploration of science classroom culture. We analyzed 571 responses and developed an analysis framework with six categories (i.e. major factors; power structure of a classroom community; focused domains of the science classroom; student concerns; atmosphere of science classroom; participation form). The details of the six categories can be summarized as follows: (1) major factors were revealed to be practical work, fun, teacher, community and others; (2) the power structure of classroom community was in the order of peer students, teacher, and individual student himself/herself; (3) the focused domains of the science classroom perceived by students were more about affective and behavioral domains than cognitive one; (4) major student concerns were teachers' teaching, having practical work, and the understanding of and the sharing of knowledge and opinions (5) science classroom atmosphere was noisy and pranky but fun and interesting; (6) the students participation forms were to be total participation or voluntary participation or cooperative practice. Through this study, not only suggesting the framework, but we could also get implications for the cultural aspects of science classroom based on the results of data analysis in this study.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.597-625
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• 2013

This study explored how teachers and students in different countries discursively interact to build 'Classroom Science Knowledge' (CSK) - the knowledge generated situatedly in the context of the science classroom. Data came from publicly released $8^{th}$ grade science classroom videos of five nations who participated in the Third TIMSS (Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study) video study. A total of ten video-recorded science lessons and their verbatim transcripts were selected and analyzed using a framework developed by the researchers of the study. It was revealed that a range of discourse modes were utilized and these modes were often sequentially connected to build CSK in the science classrooms. Although dominant discourse modes and their sequences varied among different lessons or different countries, the study identified three salient patterns of science classroom discourse: teacher-guided negotiation and the sequences of exploring - building on the shared and retrieving - elaborating. These patterns were found to be different from the discursive features commonly witnessed in the community of professional scientists and interpreted as implying the existence of unique epistemic cultures shared in science classrooms of different countries. Further studies are suggested to reveal detailed characteristics of these epistemic cultures of science classrooms, as well as to confirm whether any cultural traits inherently shape the differences in science classroom discourse among different nations.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.131-142
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• 2015

The purposes of this study are to develop a measuring instrument for the analysis of science classroom culture from the perspective of Community of Practice (CoP) and to confirm its feasibility. We set the structural factors of CoP and developed preliminary questions through literature review. The validity and reliability of the instrument were examined and modified through the pilot survey participated by a total of 219, 4th, 6th, and 8th grade students. The modified instrument consisted of 5 factors of 'responsibility for learning', 'common interest', 'mutual relationships', 'open participation', and 'practice', comprising a total of 27 items. As the main survey, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis of the instrument were carried out with a total 706 students of the 4th and 6th grade. This measuring instrument was validated and used for analyzing the culture of science classroom CoP of elementary school by comparing the data from the main survey in terms of structural factors, grade, gender, and teacher type. The measuring instrument is expected to be used not only for analyzing science classroom culture from the perspective of CoP, but also for offering implications for the desirable science classroom culture.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.269-284
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the epistemic process in elementary science classrooms by analyzing classroom discourse as a epistemic practice. Data came from four elementary teachers in the form of video-recordings. A total of 12 elementary science lessons were examined to reveal the discursive modes and sequences in which the teacher and students participated when they constructed and developed scientific knowledge during the lessons. Three representative discursive patterns were found in the elementary science lessons explored: (i) 'Retrieving-Retrieving-${\cdots}$' by which well-established scientific knowledge was retrieved repeatedly, (ii) 'Exploring-Building on the Shared' which allowed introducing new scientific knowledge based on the scientific phenomena explored by the teacher and students together through practical work, and (iii) 'Retrieving-Elaborating/Reformulating/Narrating' or 'Building on the Shared-Elaborating/Reformulating/Narrating' which expanded and strengthened scientific knowledge already learned. These discursive patterns were suggested as discursive-epistemic mechanisms employed frequently in the epistemic process in elementary science lessons and as a basis for defining epistemic cultures of science classrooms.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 1999

In the age of knowledge and information when every aspect of economy, education and culture in society is changing rapidly, the teacher is not just a provider of knowledge in classroom. Ultra-modern educational tools and materials have come into being with the latest developments in science and technology and we see classroom teaching in general tending towards more 'open' classroom and study. What the students need most for the coming century is the cultivation of higher faculties such as creative thinking, the power to solve problems, and the spirit of inquiry. The present-day teacher is required to make use of various teaching medial in order to provide the students with better educational environment for developing these faculties, not the teaching method of the past with the teacher at the center. One way to enhance classroom environment is in reintroducing the modernized teacher's desk to the center of teaching apparatus. This paper is about the better way of designing the teacher's multimedia desk equipped with a PC that will make it possible for the teacher to utilize the internet-based educational resources.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.303-312
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to analyze classroom norms formed in inquiry activities of elementary science classes and to consider about the actual problems in enacting school science inquiry. Focusing on the inquiry activity cases of two classes, the data were collected through classroom observation, student interview, teacher interview and questionnaires. Firstly, classroom norms were categorized into three categories theoretically: norms for behavior guidance; general academic norms; and scientific inquiry academic norms. The subcategory norms of each category were extracted inductively and the features, the causes of formation, and the influences on inquiry of each norm were also analyzed. Based on the analyses on classroom norms, the researchers identified three actual problems in enacting school science inquiry. First, the collective traits of school science inquiry caused structural problems in science classrooms. Second, teachers used their authorities in different ways according to phases of instructions. Third, the conflict cases were reported between general values for education and specific values for science inquiry. Educational implications are discussed in terms of the practices of school science inquiry and of the understanding classroom phenomena.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2008

This study investigated the relationship between science high school teachers' beliefs of gifted education and classroom practices. The data of this case study were collected from three science teachers who worked in a science high school through qualitative research methods such as interviews and classroom observations. The other various data related to science high school management and the teachers' teaching were collected and analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results of the study are as follows: the teacher of long period in-service experience in science high school had teacher-centered belief, and his classroom practices were matched with his beliefs. The teacher of short period in-service experience in science high school had student-centered belief, and her classroom practices were matched with her beliefs, also. The teacher of medium period in-service experience in science high school had student-centered belief, but her teacher-centered classroom practices were mismatched with her beliefs. From the results, it could conclude that school culture affects on teachers' classroom practices stronger than beliefs. The longer career period of science high school changed easier teachers' beliefs into knowledge education for university entrance examination removed from gifted education. To solve these problems, we suggest the needs of teacher education programs for science high school teachers.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.347-361
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• 2006

This research intends to understand classroom culture of gifted youths in secondary mathematics. For this purpose, we have observed ethnographically the mathematics classes of gifted youths for eight months at two Science Education Centers for Gifted Youths. We have collected qualitative data using the methods, participation observation, interviewing, video taping, recording, collecting assistant materials. And these data were closely connected and analyzed synthetically. From this, we found the followings; First, gifted youths in mathematics evaluate the academic abilities as the best standard for their friendship. Second, the gifted youths in secondary mathematics are under an obsession that they should act like gifted youths. Third, even though they know the merits of class type of inquiry and discussions, they didn't participate actively in those types of class. Forth, main differences of classes between Gifted Education Centers and general middle school come from the difference of class type, the roles of teachers and students.