Journal of the Korean earth science society (한국지구과학회지)

The Korean Earth Science Society (한국지구과학회)
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The Conceptions of Astronomical Distance of Elementary School Teachers

초등학교 교사들의 천문학적 거리에 대한 개념 연구

  • Jeong, Jin-Woo (Department of Earth Science Education, Korea National University of Education) ;
  • Han, Shin (Department of Earth Science Education, Korea National University of Education)
  • 정진우 (한국교원대학교 지구과학교육과) ;
  • 한신 (한국교원대학교 지구과학교육과)
  • Received : 2010.11.23
  • Accepted : 2010.12.21
  • Published : 2010.12.31
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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the conceptions of elementary school teachers regarding the variation scale about astronomical distance and its accuracy with distance increased. The astronomical distance questionnaire was administered to 69 elementary school teachers, then; three teachers were selected to interview about their conceptions. Results showed that many elementary school teachers overestimated the distance from the Earth to the Moon and to the Sun, and dramatically underestimated the distances to the nearest star and to the nearest galaxy. They inferred astronomical distance with the use of both intuitive (psychological) measure and theoretical (calculative) measure. They well recited the terminology such as AU and a light-year, yet they did not show a good understanding of what the terms exactly means. Some teachers thought that the distance to Neptune is farther than the distance from Earth to the nearest star. There was a considerable variability in the participants' estimates of astronomical distances. Elementary school teachers showed a tendency to overestimate the distance as it gradually increases to the outer solar system.

본 연구의 목적은 현직 초등학교 교사들의 천문학적 거리 개념을 확인하고 천문학적 거리에 대한 편차 규모와 천문학적 거리를 점점 확대 시켰을 때 정확성을 알아보기 위한 것이다. 경기도 소재 초등학교 교사 69명을 대상으로 천문학적 거리 관련 질문지를 배포하여 결과를 분석한 후 3명을 임의 추출하여 그들이 작성한 질문지를 바탕으로 인터뷰를 실시하여 그들의 천문학적 거리 개념을 분석하였다. 많은 초등학교 교사들이 지구와 달, 태양 사이의 거리를 과대 평가하였고, 항성 및 은하까지의 거리는 매우 과소평가하였으며, 천문학적 거리를 이론적(계산적) 척도와 직관적(심리적) 척도를 활용하여 추정하였다. 그들은 AU, 광년과 같은 단어를 익히 들어 잘 알고 있으나 그 의미를 정확하게 이해하지 못하는 사례도 있었으며, 지구에서 해왕성까지의 거리가 항성까지 거리 보다 더 멀다고 인식하는 사례도 있었다. 천문학적 거리를 추정할 때 상당한 변이성이 존재하며, 태양계 내에서 태양계 밖에 존재하는 천체로 거리를 늘려나갈수록 초등 교사들은 그 거리를 점점 더 과소평가하였다.

Keywords

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  1. A Review of Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Knowledge for Teaching Earth System Concepts vol.32, pp.5, 2011, https://doi.org/10.5467/JKESS.2011.32.5.494
  2. Pre-service Elementary Teachers' Conceptions on the Relative Sizes of Celestial Bodies vol.33, pp.7, 2012, https://doi.org/10.5467/JKESS.2012.33.7.645