• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2001

Interaction through communication plays critical role in the mathematics learning in the sociocultural perspectives. The communication make the students construct shared knowledge, and also plays a role of mediation in making meaning. So, we have to consider sociocultural eprspectives in design of the mathematics leaning using computer. While Computer Assisted Instruction was the one-directional teaching program which proceed from computer to students, mathematics leaning using computer in the sociocultural perspectives have to consider two-directional instruction that proceed from computer to students as well as from students to computer. This interactional activity is the critical thing in the mathematics learning using computer.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2000

The purpose of this paper was to introduce sociocultural theory which is a different epistemological perspective from constructivism and to understand the sociocultural theory in a systemic way by providing four specific criteria for a sociocultural theory from the analysis of Vygotsky's ideas. The four criteria are the followings: first, the origin of learning is not at the individual level, but at the social. Second, Learning takes place in a sociocultural framework through ZPD and there exists the stage of pseudo concept before it gets to a true concept. Third, a clear focus on action, especially mediated action, and the concept of psychological tools should be discussed in the boundary of a sociocultural theory. Fourth, actors in a learning process are not an individual child alone. In consequence, the role of adults, particularly teachers, are significant in a child's learning, and this fact provides a great potential for the active role of teachers in the students' learning of mathematics from the sociocultural perspective.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.187-202
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• 2018

This study posits that a more equitable science education is possible through analyzing the sociocultural mechanisms that operate in the participation and marginalization in science learning process, and therefore aims to review research trends in this area of science education. To do so, the study analyzed 85 articles that adopted a sociocultural approach to science learning identity in major international journals. The review was organized into 1) overall trends such as the number of articles by year, country, learner's sociocultural background, research context and research methods, and 2) a more in-depth analysis of the main research problems and conceptual frameworks along with concrete research examples. The study found that the current research works in this area have contributed to broadening the idea of legitimate learners in science education by considering learners' various sociocultural identities as the positive resource for learning based on the premise that science learning occurs as identity formation through participating communities of practice, and critiquing the culture or discourses that oppress such identity formation. The studies in this area also brought up the equity issue in science education in ways which embrace various learners that had been marginalized in the traditional science class and facilitate their agency. Based on these findings, the study made a case for analyzing various sociocultural mechanisms relating to the participation and marginalization in science learning to realize 'science education for all Koreans' and proposed future research direction.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.217-230
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• 2014

This study explores the features of sociocultural context of experiment classes taught by a science subject teacher. Two experiment classes on electric circuit for fifth graders were observed and video recorded. The data was also collected through student interviews and teacher interviews. Using the cultural historical activity theory, we extracted the six sociocultural factors and analyzed their interactions. This study could identify that four features of the sociocultural context of the cases. First, the rules of science classes were not decided by the teacher, but formed and modified through the negotiation between the teacher and students or between the students. Second, elementary students played a game, i.e. 'Countdown game', during their electricity experiments, which had both positive and negative influences on science learning. Third, the science teacher feels a limit on life guidance because of the position as a subject teacher in an elementary school. Lastly, although the science teacher had enough time to prepare science classes, there was no guarantee of the improvement of teaching quality. Based on the results of this study, educational implications are discussed in terms of teaching science experiments and of the science subject teacher system.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.71-87
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• 2005

The role of interaction in second language (L2) classrooms has been examined from different angles, ranging from early studies of foreigner talk to the studies of the teacher- and task-based talk. However, most of the research on L2 classroom interaction has been based on a traditional psycholinguistic view of language and learning, failing to reconceptualize a broad and holistic understanding of L2 learning. Currently, many researchers have attempted to explore and describe classroom interaction in L2 classrooms from a sociocultural perspective. The purpose of this paper is to discuss Vygotsky's theoretical framework in terms of L2 classroom interaction and research from a sociocultural perspective, by describing three key concepts (zone of proximal development, private speech, and activity theory) in Vygotsky's theoretical framework and relating them to L2 classroom interaction. The results demonstrated the importance of social interaction for second language acquisition with the review of the related research study. It was also suggested that the dynamic and interactive processes of second language learning in the classroom should be valued by L2 researchers as well as L2 teachers. Finally, implications for the concepts for L2 classroom research and pedagogy are presented in the conclusion.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine (1) if sociocultural factors that are known to influence gender gap in mathematics achievement are gender equitable for Singaporean eighth grade students, (2) if there is a higher level of gender equitability in students' attitudes towards mathematics and (3) how sociocultural factors influence mathematics achievement for Singaporean eighth grade students. This study is based on 5,923 Singaporean eighth grade students who participated in TIMSS 2011 assessment. The study found that there were no statistically significant gender differences in 'parental involvement in education' and 'teacher efficacy.' There were no statistically significant gender differences in students' attitudes of 'like learning mathematics,' and 'value learning mathematics'. A significant gender difference was identified for the attitude of 'confident with mathematics.' The boys displayed a higher level of confidence in mathematics than the girls consistent with other study findings for Asian students. The degree of effect from 'parental involvement in education,' 'teacher efficacy,' and 'confident with mathematics' on mathematics achievement are found to be stronger for girls than boys. The finding implies that girls' mathematics achievement can benefit from having more positive encouragement and involvement of parents and teachers and strengthening confidence in mathematics.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.239-256
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• 2001

The notion of metaphor has been increasingly popular in research of mathematics education. In particular, metaphor becomes a useful unit for analysis to provide a profound insight into mathematical reasoning and problem solving. In this context, this paper takes metaphor as an analytic unit to examine the relationship between objectivity and subjectivity in mathematical reasoning. Specifically, the discourse analysis focuses on the code switching between literal language and metaphor in mathematical discourse. It is shown that the linguistic code switching is parallel with the switching between two different kinds of mathematical knowledge, that is, factual knowledge and mathematical imagination, which constitute objectivity and subjectivity in mathematical reasoning. Furthermore, the pattern of the linguistic code switching reveals the dialectical relationship between the two poles of mathematical reasoning. Based on the understanding of the dialectical relationship, this paper provides some educational implications. First, the code-switching highlights diverse aspects of mathematics learning. Learning mathematics is concerned with developing not only technicality but also mathematical creativity. Second, the dialectical relationship between objectivity and subjectivity suggests that teaching and teaming mathematics is socioculturally constructed. Indeed, it is shown that not all metaphors are mathematically appropriated. They should be consistent with the cultural model of a mathematical concept under discussion. In general, this sociocultural perspective on mathematical metaphor highlights the sociocultural organization of teaching and loaming mathematics and provides a theoretical viewpoint to understand epistemological diversities in mathematics classroom.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.199-222
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• 2009

As great attention is given to a high quality of English education in Korea, more and more in-service and pre-service English teachers are looking for an opportunity to study in an English speaking country to become better qualified teachers. However, after receiving a degree in an English speaking country, many teachers fail to apply what they have learned to their own teaching due to their tensions of identity, beliefs, knowledge, and professionalism within the changes of sociocultural settings. By using sociocultural theory as a theoretical framework, this paper explores how formal training and Ph.D. studies in the U.S. have influenced a Korean teacher educator in applying theory to practice in relation to her identity, beliefs, knowledge, and professionalism during 30 years of her teaching experience. Rather than facing tensions, the teacher educator has been willing to change her roles, broaden and deepen her beliefs in teaching and knowledge about theory of teaching and learning, and continue her professional development. Limitations and implications of the study are provided.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 1999

The reform movements of current mathematics education have based on several major ideas, in order to provide a new vision of the teaching and loaming of mathematics. Of the ideas, the motto of communication of mathematics appears to be a significant factor to change teaching practices in mathematics classroom. Through Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the psychological background is presented for both supporting the motto and extracting important suggestions of the reform of mathematics education. The development of higher mental functions is explained by internalization, semiotic mediation, and the zone of proximal development. Above all, emphasis is put on the concepts of scaffolding and inter subjectivity related to the zone of proximal development. Seven implications are proposed by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory for the new forms of the teaching and learning of mathematics.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.773-790
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• 2015

Conducted as an ethnographic examination of science teaching and learning in an Innovative Middle School in Korea, this study employs sociocultural theory to examine how structures afford and limit student participation in an innovative school designed to promote student-centered learning. Data includes teacher and student interviews, student responses to a questionnaire, classroom observations, and analysis of video recordings of ten lessons in two in two 8th grade science classes. Using structure|agency dialectic theory, we identify and describe some structures that afford and limit teacher and student agency at the micro (science classrooms), meso (school), and macro (Korean society) levels to raise some questions about current reform measures, such as innovation schools, that seek to position classroom teachers as agents for change in science education reform in Korea. Findings suggest that while teachers and school administrators play an essential role in structuring learning opportunities at the meso and micro levels, they have limited agency to address structural constraints originating at the macro-level, which can negatively impact teaching and learning in the science classroom. We offer implications for policy and practice and argue the need for more qualitative research, informed by sociocultural theory, to inform science education reform efforts in Korea.