• 한국수학교육학회지시리즈A:수학교육
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.429-440
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• 2011

This paper analysed gifted middle students' conception of the definitions of point and line and the uses of definitions in proving. The findings of this paper suggest that the concept of mathematical definitions is very unnatural to students, therefore teachers and textbooks need to explain explicitly the characteristics of mathematical definitions which are different from dictionary definitions using common sense. Also introducing undefined terms in middle school geometry would give students a critical chance to deal with the transition from dictionary definitions to mathematical definitions.

• 한국과학교육학회지
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• 제32권8호
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• pp.1295-1317
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• 2012

There has been disagreement on the importance of definitions in science education. Yager (1983) believes that one crisis in science education was due to the considerable emphasis upon the learning of definitions. Hobson (2004) disagrees with physics textbooks that do not provide general definition on energy. Some textbooks explain that "there is no completely satisfactory definition of energy" or they can only "struggle to define it." In general, imprecise definitions in textbooks (Bauman, 1992) and inaccuracies in definition provided by teachers (Galili & Lehavi, 2006) may cause alternative conceptions. Besides, there are at least four challenges in defining physical concepts: precision, circularity, context and completeness in knowledge. These definitional problems that have been discussed in The Feynman Lectures, may impede the learning of physical concepts. A meta-study approach is employed to examine about five hundreds journal papers that may discuss definitions in physics, problems in defining physical concepts and how they may result in alternative conceptions. These journal papers are mainly selected from journals such as American Journal of Physics, International Journal of Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Physics Education, The Physics Teachers, and so on. There are also comparisons of definitions with definitions from textbooks, Dictionaries of Physics, and English Dictionaries. To understand the nature of alternative conception, Lee et al. (2010) have suggested a theoretical framework to describe the learning issues by synthesizing cognitive psychology and science education approaches. Taking it a step further, this study incorporates the challenges in semantics and epistemology, proposes that there are at least four variants of alternative conceptions. We may coin the term, 'alternative definitions', to refer to the commonly available definitions, which have these four problems in defining physics concepts. Based on this study, alternative definitions may result in at least four variants of alternative conceptions. Note that these four definitional problems or challenges in definitions cannot be easily resolved. Educators should be cognizant of the four variants of alternative conceptions which can arise from alternative definitions. The concepts of alternative definitions can be useful and possibly generalized to science education and beyond.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.612-620
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• 2006

Purpose. Smoking is the leading cause of death and smoking initiation rarely occurs after adolescence. Thus research on adolescent smoking is crucial. A consistent definition of smoking is important because inconsistent definitions make comparisons across studies an arduous task. Thus, the aim of the study was to suggest future research directions for smoking definitions after examining pitfalls in the literature. Methods. In this study the literature on adolescent smoking in the U.S. and South Korea was examined, and three types of smoking definitions were identified. Limitations in the studies are identified and future research directions are suggested. Results. In the U.S. literature, smoking definitions can be categorized into three groups: definitions based on stage models, smoking trajectories, and definitions derived from specific data. In the South Korean literature, various levels of smoking have not been differentiated. Conclusions. While the literature does not provide a definitive answer regarding the definition of smoking, it suggests three issues to consider for future research. First, multiple measures of smoking are more desirable than a one-time measure. Second, theory- or trajectory-based smoking definitions are more desirable than definitions derived from available data. Finally, regularity and amount of cigarette use should be incorporated in defining smoking behavior.

• 대한수학교육학회지:학교수학
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.15-27
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• 2002

The purpose of this thesis is, through analysing the characteristics of the definitions in Korean school mathematics textbooks, to explore the levels of them. Definitions use din academic mathematics are rigorous. But they should be transformed into various types, which are presented in school mathematics textbooks, with didactical purposes. In this thesis we investigated such types of transformation. With the result of this investigation we tried to identify the levels of the definitions in school mathematics textbooks. We tried to construct, with consideration about methods of definition, frame for analysing the types of the definitions in school mathematics. Methods of definition are classified as connotative method, denotative method, and synonymous method. Especially we identified that connotative method contains logical definition, genetic definition, relational definition, operational definition, and axiomatic definition. With these analyses we made a frame for investigating the characteristics of the definitions in school mathematics textbooks. With this frame we identified concrete types of transformations of methods of definition. We tried to analyse this result with van Hieles' theory about let·els of geometry learning and the mathematical language levels described by Freudenthal, and identify the levels of definitions in school mathematics. We showed the levels of definitions in the geometry area of the Korean school mathematics.

• 한국독어학회지:독어학
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• 제7집
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• pp.145-163
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• 2003

In this paper, we examined various definitions of terminological definition for the extraction of terminological information from corpora. After we reviewed researches at the lexicography and at the terminology, we introduced the qualia structure of Generative Lexicon (Pustejovsky 1995) for the purpose of analyzing terminological definitions. By means of the qualia structure, we analyzed the definitions which are presented at the terminological dictionaries. As a result, we confirmed that the terminological definitions can be discomposed into 4 subtypes of qualia structure. Based on this examination, we analyzed terminological definitions of articles at a newspaper and showed the usefulness of the qualia structure at the extraction of terminological definitions from the corpora.

• 한국수학교육학회지시리즈D:수학교육연구
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.41-58
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• 2003

This study firstly examined 18 prospective secondary mathematics teachers' understanding of the nature of definitions and the use of the dynamic geometry software Sketchpad to not only improve their understanding of definitions, but also their ability to define geometric concepts themselves. Results indicated that the evaluation of definitions by accurate construction and measurement enabled students to achieve a better understanding of necessary and sufficient conditions, as well as the ability to more readily find counter-examples, and to recognize uneconomical definitions, and improve them.

• 대한수학교육학회지:수학교육학연구
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.363-384
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• 2001

The purpose of this thesis is, through analysing the characteristics of the definitions in Korean school mathematics textbooks, to explore the levels of them and to make suggestions for definition - teaching as a mathematising activity, Definitions used in academic mathematics are rigorous. But they should be transformed into various types, which are presented in school mathematics textbooks, with didactical purposes. In this thesis we investigated such types of transformation. With the result of this investigation we tried to identify the levels of the definitions in school mathematics textbooks. And in school mathematics textbooks there are definitions which carry out special functions in mathematical contexts or situations. We can say that we understand those definitions, only if we also understand the functions of definitions in those contexts or situations. In this thesis we investigated the cases in school mathematics textbooks, when such functions of definition are accompanied. With the result of this investigation we tried to make suggestions for definition-teaching as an intellectual activity. To begin with we considered definition from two aspects, methods of definition and functions of definition. We tried to construct, with consideration about methods of definition, frame for analysing the types of the definitions in school mathematics and search for a method for definition-teaching through mathematization. Methods of definition are classified as connotative method, denotative method, and synonymous method. Especially we identified that connotative method contains logical definition, genetic definition, relational definition, operational definition, and axiomatic definition. Functions of definition are classified as, description-function, stipulation-function, discrimination-function, analysis-function, demonstration-function, improvement-function. With these analyses we made a frame for investigating the characteristics of the definitions in school mathematics textbooks. With this frame we identified concrete types of transformations of methods of definition. We tried to analyse this result with van Hieles' theory about levels of geometry learning and the mathematical language levels described by Freudenthal, and identify the levels of definitions in school mathematics. We showed the levels of definitions in the geometry area of the Korean school mathematics. And as a result of analysing functions of definition we found that functions of definition appear more often in geometry than in algebra or analysis and that improvement-function, demonstration-function appear regularly after demonstrative geometry while other functions appear before demonstrative geometry. Also, we found that generally speaking, the functions of definition are not explained adequately in school mathematics textbooks. So it is required that the textbook authors should be careful not to miss an opportunity for the functional understanding. And the mathematics teachers should be aware of the functions of definitions. As mentioned above, in this thesis we analysed definitions in school mathematics, identified various types of didactical transformations of definitions, and presented a basis for future researches on definition teaching in school mathematics.

• 한국수학교육학회지시리즈A:수학교육
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.177-186
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• 2004

In this paper, we introduce new functional definitions for school geometry based on DGS (dynamic geometry system) teaching-learning environment. For the vertices forming a geometric figure, we first consider the relationship between the independent vertices and dependent vertices, and using this relationship and educational considerations in DGS, we introduce functional definitions for the geometric figures in terms of its independent vertices. For this purpose, we design a new DGS called JavaMAL MicroWorld. Based on the needs of new definitions in DGS environment for the student's construction activities in learning geometry, we also design a new DGS based geometry curriculum in which the definitions of the school geometry are newly defined and reconnected in a new way. Using these funct onal definitions, we have taught the new geometry contents emphasizing the sequential expressions for the student's geometric activities.

• 대한지구과학교육학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.141-147
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• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze terms in primary science textbooks. The results of the research are as follows. 1. The higher-grade science textbooks use more types of categories and less definitions for terms. Only 14% of definitions for terms are showed in textbooks, and no more than 0.4~0.6 definitions shows the shortage of definitions for terms in one class content. 2. The definitions by contract, which forms 68%, was the highest in elementary science textbooks. And the dictionary definitions, which are 62%, was the highest in experiment-observation textbooks. 3. The most used type of definitions is the way which is used for a case or a indicating methods, and its rate is increasing steadily. And its rate was 76% of the whole of terms. 4. Terms used in energy field are few as compared with terms of other fields. Each field has completely different ways of defining terms and presenting content in textbooks to other fields.

• 대한수학교육학회지:수학교육학연구
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.215-227
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• 2000

This study is on the differences of the functions of definitions between in proof geometry and in intuitional geometry. There are the functions of definitions in intuitional geometry which may connect to those in proof geometry. We assert that when we teach them, we should be careful, for the teaching of the functions of definitions in proof.