• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.134-143
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to devise a new method for examining the readabilities of textbooks and to compare the readabilities of elementary school science textbooks. Third and sixth grade science textbooks were compared in terms of word, sentence, and paragraph in this study. In the word analyses, criterion suggested by Kim (2003) who classified about 238,000 words into seven categories according to their educational importances was adopted. In this study, the words from 3rd and 6th grade science textbooks were classified into four categories, and then the kinds and frequencies of words in each category were investigated. In the sentence analyses, sentences were classified either a simple sentence or a compound/complex sentence, and the ratios of each type were calculated. The average number of words in a sentence was also calculated in the sentence analyses. The ratios of conjunctions and demonstratives were examined in the paragraph analyses. The results indicated that both the kinds and frequencies of words in 3rd grade science textbook were smaller than those of 6th grade one. However, both science textbooks were similar in the distributions of words across the four categories. The ratio of simple sentences in 3rd grade science textbook was higher than that of 6th grade one, and the length of a sentence in 3rd grade science textbook was also shorter than that of 6th grade one. Both the ratios of conjunctions and demonstratives in 3rd grade science textbook were lower than those of 6th grade one.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.163-172
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to develop the analytic framework of Creative Problem Solving(CPS) for elementary school science textbook. For this purpose, we developed the framework based on the theories of problem, definition of problem solving and various kinds of CPS model. The six elements of the framework for content analysis were extracted through theoretical examination: problem introduction, problem statement, solution thinking, formulating hypothesis, testing hypothesis, and assessment. The developed framework was applied to the extbooks for the 5th and the 6th grades 1st semester in elementary science textbook of the 7th national curriculum. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The scores of the framework for content analysis in the 5th grade were slightly higher than those of the 6th grade, but there were no significant difference. 2. The comparison of the scores between the elements of the framework was found that the scores on the elements of testing hypothesis and formulating hypothesis were higher than those of the other elements. 3. The comparison of the scores between the units was found that the scores of the framework for the 9th unit (“trip of water”) of the 5th grade were higher than those of the other units, which were presented lower level than 1.0 (50.0%) score of the framework. 4. The comparison of the scores between the intensive course and the regular coures in the 6th grade textbook was showed that the scores on the intensive course were higher than the basic course. In conclusions, it was found that the problem introduction and problem statement in the textbook should be amended, and that various information and activities should be presented in the textbook.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.187-200
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study is to examine how well students can acquire scientific knowledge from the process and activity presented in the textbook. This is achieved by analysing of comparison on the material area in the 6th and 7th national curriculums' 3rd and 4th grade science textbooks. The method of this study is to analyse the contents, teacher's instruction and illustrations of the textbooks in the material area in both 6th and 7th national curriculum's 3rd and 4th grade science textbooks. Following is the result of the study. First, compared to the 6th national curriculum's content. 7th national curriculum is composed by phenomenon and activity focused. This considers student's developmental stages and abilities of concentration so one topic in the textbook is divided into 16 small contents. Therefore the textbook content of the 7th curriculum seems to have desirable changes. Secondly, teacher's instruction in the textbook of the 7th curriculum has impartial distribution in part Ⅰ and part Ⅱ according to Homey's analysis. This shows that some problems of writing textbooks that were pointed in the 6th curriculum have been improved. Thirdly, the content of the textbook emphasizes inquiry process as the 6th curriculum did. The 7th curriculum, however, more deeply deals with expecting and inferring. Finally, the analysis of illustration shows that the proportion of motive induction is high. This is also desirable approach to give students more interests in studying science.

• 한국지구과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2010.04a
• /
• pp.73-73
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to analyze illustrations, contents, and experiment in 6 kinds of science textbook from the 9th grade covering the phase change of the Moon (on the phase change of the Moon in six 9th grade science textbook) and to suggest coherent and effective contents and frame of the science textbook. Hence, the researcher decided the study problem. The study problems are as follows; 'Are the illustrations in the science textbook presented to help understand the phase change of the Moon depending on the position of the observer?', 'Does the contents of the book clearly mention the phase change of the Moon?', 'Can students understand the phase change of the Moon through the experiments in the science textbook?', 'Do illustrations, contents, and experiment of the science textbook consistently explain phase change of the Moon?'. 10 persons (9graduate students including the researcher) took part in this study. All things unanimously agreed upon by all participants were reflected in the results. The results are as follows. First, the universe observer's view point is mixed with the earth observer's view in illustration of these science textbook regarding the phase change of the Moon. Moreover, illustrations of some textbooks are presented with such words as 'sunrise', 'midnight' and consequently contain too much contents. Second, the contents of the science textbook concerning the phase change of the Moon is not described clearly. In addition, they don't give clear and detailed explanations for the reason of the phase change of the Moon. Third, all of the textbooks, except one textbook, describe the experiment regarding the phase change of the Moon with the earth observer's view point but don't specifically mention that the view point is that of the earth observer's view point. Fourth, illustrations, contents, and experiments in the science textbook don't coherently explain the phase change of the Moon. In addition, it is confirmed through the process of the result analysis that the described contents in the science curriculum is not well constructed or logical.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.67-71
• /
• 2003

The present study examined the inquiry type, process, and context of activities presented in the matter field of the 7th grade science textbook based on the 7th curriculum. It was to investigate for educational suggestions in instruction and development of science textbook. Three units of ‘three states of matter', ‘motion of molecule', ‘the state change and energy' were analyzed. The result indicated that the types, processes and skills, and context of inquiry were not balanced, and learners should be educated with complementary inquiry activities. It is proposed that the inquiry activities presented in science textbooks be examined, and the framework to evaluate inquiry activities be reflected on the standard of science textbook authorization for development of the science textbook to accord with aims and objectives of curriculum.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.453-464
• /
• 2019

In this study, the types of inquiry activities in the $5^{th}$ & $6^{th}$ grade science textbooks according to the 2015 revised science national curriculum were analyzed and compared according to grade level and science area. Science textbooks for elementary school $5^{th}$ & $6^{th}$ graders contain quite diverse types of inquiry activities, which are student-centered inquiry activities. There were comparatively higher proportions of inquiry types such as experiment & observation and simulation, but relatively lower of inquiry types of investigation-discourse & presentation, discussion, expression. Elementary science textbooks are expected to cultivate science key competencies for elementary school students. Considering the science area, the motion & energy, substances, earth & space, and integration areas had the most experiment & observation among activity types, while the life area had the most simulation activities. Even in some area of the 6th grade science textbook, there was little or no data interpretation, discussion, and simulation activities. In order to achieve the goal of elementary science education, science textbooks should be developed considering the revision of future elementary science curriculum.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.132-141
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of using digital science textbook on the scientific problem solving of elementary school students. For this research, an instrument to measure student's problem-solving skills was developed. The pretest and posttest scores of one hundred and six 5th grade students' problem-solving skills were analyzed and also the responses of three students who were selected by their levels in the problem-solving science digital textbook class were qualitatively analyzed. The results of this study were as follows; the scores of problem solving skills of science digital textbook groups were higher than that of traditional paper textbook group(p<.05). In the qualitative analysis of the students' reponses in a digital textbook class according to their achievement level, low-achievers' problem-solving skills were much more improved than high- and mid-achievers' skills. In conclusion, science digital textbook has a potential to improve students' scientific problem solving skills, and this possibility will be much higher when science digital textbook is used with teachers' intended instructional goals and strategies like problem-solving lessons.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.37-50
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to develop the quality of the textbook and to find out reasonable selection and structure by examining and analyzing the cognition of teacher and students on the structure and contents of elementary science textbook in the 7th curriculum. The findings of this study were as follows: First, as a result of the students’ cognition, their interest level of the learning contents was high and the degree of the difficulty of the learning contents was low on the whole. Second, as a result of the teachers’ cognition of contents of the textbook, teachers who taught third graders understood that the third graders have relatively much contents to be studied and the level of the contents of the textbook was high. On the other hand, fourth graders’ teachers recognized that contents to be studied and the level of the contents were appropriate. And they understood that there were much work to be studied in the units which were difficult and there were difference between contents to be studied and the degree of the difficulty in some units such as life or the earth fold. Third, as a result of the teachers' cognition of structure of the textbook. teachers were very affirmative to reduce school hours. They understood that current numbers and scale of the unit were appropriate. Teachers were satisfied with the structure of elementary science textbook in the 7th curriculum on the whole.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.29 no.8
• /
• pp.874-885
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze illustrations, contents, and experiments in 6 kinds of science textbook from the 9th grade covering the phases of the Moon (on the phases of the Moon in six 9th grade science textbook) and to suggest coherent and effective contents and frame of the science textbook. Hence, the researcher decided the study problem. The study problems are as follows; 'Are the illustrations in the science textbook presented to help understand the phases of the Moon depending on the position of the observer?', 'Does the contents of the book clearly mention the phases of the Moon?', 'Can students understand the phases of the Moon through the experiments in the science textbook?', 'Do illustrations, contents, and experiment of the science textbook consistently explain the phases of the Moon?'. 10 persons (9graduate students including the researcher) took part in this study. All things unanimously agreed upon by all participants were reflected in the results. The results are as follows: First, the universal observer's view point is mixed with the earth observer's view in the illustration of these science textbook regarding the phases of the Moon. Moreover, illustrations of some textbooks are presented with such words as 'sunrise', 'midnight' and consequently contain too much. Second, the contents of the science textbook concerning the phases of the Moon is not described clearly. In addition, they don't give clear and detailed explanations for the reason of these changes. Third, all of the textbooks, except one textbook, describe the experiment regarding the phases of the Moon with the earth observer's view point but don't specifically mention that the view point is that of the earth observer's view point. Fourth, illustrations, contents, and experiments in the science textbook don't coherently explain the phases of the Moon. In addition, it is confirmed through the process of the result analysis that the described contents in the science curriculum is not well constructed or logical.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.551-557
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the questions in the 'Matter' units of elementary science textbooks under the 7th curriculum. For the analysis, a total of 338 questions were extracted from 15 units. Six criteria (recalling, recognizing, predictive, applied, divergent, and evaluative question) were reconstructed for textbook question analysis based on Blosser(1973)'s question category system for science. The results were as follows. First, there were more closed (recalling, recognizing, predictive, or applied) questions (72.2%) than open (divergent or evaluative) questions (27.8%) in elementary science textbooks. Second, cognitive-memory (recalling or recognizing) question type was the most frequently asked in all grade levels. Open (divergent or evaluative) questions increased according to grade level whereas convergent (predictive or applied) questions decreased. Third, question types were applied based on the characteristics of each unit rather than on children's developmental characteristics. Educational implications were discussed based on the results.