• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.173-186
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to design and apply a pilot inquiry experiment focusing on the epistemological issues of scientific activities, and derive educational implications by analyzing experimental activities and reflective discussions. Three graduate students who major in science education participated in the study voluntarily. Participants showed the characteristics of stable enquiry in Experiment 1. However, the small but continuous changes in Experiment 2 led the experiment to a phase of fluid enquiry seeking new theories. Participants mobilized various resources, proposed new hypotheses, and models and requested additional experiments to verify them. In the process of reflective discussions, the participants led to the following three epistemological issues. First, at the beginning of the experiment, their observations were theoretically dependent. Second, when the observations were no longer coherent with theory, they face a crisis, and the adjustment of observation and theory proceeds. Third, stable enquiry and fluid enquiry are performed according to the relationship between observation and theory. The educational implications of school science inquiry based on the above process and results are as follows: First, this study shows that fluid enquiry can follow stable enquiry naturally, and examples of the activities are presented together. Second, in this study, it was confirmed that participants could draw up epistemological issues based on their experiences through reflective discussions following inquiry.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.856-869
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• 2006

J. J. Schwab is usually considered as the founder of the concept of scientific enquiry, perhaps the most important key word of science education of the 20th century. Mainly through the method of literature review, this study reappraises Schwab's life as a science educator as well as a curriculum scholar, and his ideas concerning several important issues about science and science education. Like other eminent science educators, before the 1950s, who were originally talented scientists but later became engaged in educational activities, Schwab were trained and known as a genetic scientist, but later he concentrated on university reform, curriculum studies and science education. His academic interest was very diverse across different disciplines, from biology and science in general to history, philosophy and education. The essence of his theory of scientific enquiry was 'to teach science as science', and the best way to do it was 'to teach science as enquiry'. With enquiry, however, he tried to deliver some important but differentiated meanings, for example by distinguishing 'science as enquiry' and 'teaching as enquiry', and 'static enquiry' and 'fluid enquiry'. Scientific enquiry was the core concept upon which many of his ideas concerning science education and education in general were based, such as the diversity of science, textbooks, curriculum and roles of teachers. In summary, Schwab can be characterized as a rational reformist of science education, who tried to identify the very nature and goals of the discipline and to bring its substantial changes with concrete and practical guidelines. Nevertheless, some of his ideas, like the diversity of science and conceptual invention, have been handed down by his followers frequently with considerable distortion.