• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.402-415
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• 2018

This study aims to inquire into the U. S. elementary school teachers' storylines for science teaching methods, scientific knowledge and interactions with students. As research subjects, two American elementary school teachers, named Christina and Melissa, were selected. As test tools, this study adopted Storyline Test and semi-structured interviews. Firstly, in regard to the science teaching method, Christina evaluated that she gradually improved her science teaching skills up to positive 6 points, starting from 2 points in the first year of teaching career, while Melissa sustained a stable state with 5 points in the 9th year of teaching career, starting from 1 point in the first year of teaching career. It was found that both the teachers had more confidence in their science teaching methods by participating in various training programs. Secondly, Christina evaluated her scientific knowledge in the first year of teaching career as 4 points, but evaluated her present scientific knowledge as stable as 6 points since she started studying teaching materials actively, discussing with other teachers and having more ability of application through science class integrated with other school subjects, in the 7th year of her teaching career. On the other hand, Melissa evaluated her scientific knowledge in the first year of teaching career as 1 point since she did not exactly know what to teach elementary school students, but in the 6th year of teaching career, she sustained a stable state with points through joint-activities with other teachers. It was found that chances to research with other teachers had important effect on both the teachers' confidence in scientific knowledge. Thirdly, in regard to interactions with students in science class, Christina said that she did not have any interaction with students when instructing inquiry activities in the first year of teaching career, but since the 10th year of her teaching career, she had sustained a stable state with 6 points through active interaction with students, by leading learning projects and science competitive exhibitions, etc. On the other hand, Melissa evaluated her interaction with students in the first year of teaching career as 1 point because her class was reading-oriented, but since the 9th year of teaching career, she had sustained a stable state with 6 points so far, by developing inquiry activity strategies to improve interaction with students. Overall, it was found that inquiry activities played a central role in improving both the teachers' interaction with students.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.103-112
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate secondary science teacher's concepts of good science teaching. To do these, I have developed a questionnaire composed of 32 good teachings on education content, instructional method, instructional environment and atmosphere and assessment categories. 136 secondary science teachers have participated in the questionnaire and were requested to show agreement. Additionally, they were requested to describe the best science teachings that they have experienced. Results are as follows: First, the best science teaching that science teachers thought is a teaching that is in full accord with students' level in education content category, a teaching with an energetic interaction in instructional method category, a teaching in a trustful atmosphere in instructional environment and atmosphere category, a teaching in which students could learn something through a teaching-related assessment in assessment category. Second, secondary science teachers thought that a self-directed learning, a differentiated instruction and a teaching with diverse materials are not important factors in good science teaching. Third, there is a difference between good teaching that secondary science teachers have conceived and good teaching that they have experienced. It shows that science teachers did not precisely understand what good science teaching is. Additionally, I discussed the need of finding a case on good science teachings and a support of an interaction-focused teaching.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.261-274
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the influences of teaching practices upon preservice elementary school teachers' self-images of science teaching. Twenty-six juniors were selected from the departments of science education in a national university of education. The Draw-A-Science-Teacher-Test Checklist (DASTT-C) was administered before and after teaching practices. Five juniors were also interviewed in depth, and some of their science classes during teaching practices were observed, in order to investigate the factors influencing the formations of their self-images of science teaching. Analyses of the results revealed that their self-images of science teaching changed from near 'studentcentered' to near 'teacher-centered'. Many juniors responded that the main factors affecting the formations of their images of science teaching before teaching practices were teaching-learning experiences in elementary and secondary schools, and/or universities. After teaching practices, however, many juniors responded teaching-learning experiences during teaching practices. The factors were classified into three types, which are the influences of the experiences in teaching elementary school students in science classes, the influences of other preservice elementary school teachers, and the influences of guidance teachers. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.382-393
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of elementary science teaching program strengthening aesthetic experiences on science learning motivation and achievement. The subjects of this study were divided into two groups. The experiment group practiced elementary science teaching program strengthening aesthetic experiences, while the control group practiced teacher guided-based instruction. The results of this study were as follows. First, science teaching program strengthening aesthetic experiences gave a significant influence on increasing the science learning motivation. Second, science teaching program strengthening aesthetic experiences gave a significant influence on increasing the science achievement. In conclusion, this study showed that elementary science teaching program strengthening aesthetic experiences gave a positive influence on the science learning motivation and science achievement in elementary school science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.748-757
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• 2004

When teachers for the gifted express metaphors about their teaching, they may develop better understanding and conceptualizing of teaching and enable to choose appropriate teaching strategies for optimizing individualized learning of the gifted. Therefore, the purpose of this study includes to explore metaphors about science teachers' teaching for the gifted in middle schools and classify into types of metaphors. The survey was administered and completed survey instruments by 66 science teachers for the gifted at gifted educational institutions affiliated with local offices of education and 18 science teachers at middle schools were analyzed. It was revealed that science teachers for the gifted described seven types of metaphors about their teaching with characteristics of student-centered (counsel, helper, etc.), teacher-centered (judge, captain, etc.), or student-teacher-interacted (painter, nurse, etc.) types. More than 60% of teachers described their teaching as either student-centered or student-teacher-interacted types. However, percentage of teachers for the teacher-centered and power-oriented type was higher for science teachers for the gifted (33%) than science teachers for regular students (22%). It was also found that female science teachers for the gifted showed higher percentage for teacher-centered and power-oriented (35%) than male teachers (28%) and teachers with BS degree showed higher percentage for student-centered and service-oriented type (33%) than teachers with MS degree (27%). In addition biology teachers for the gifted also were appeared to be more teacher-centered and power-oriented type (60%) than physics (21%), chemistry (6%), and earth science (33%).

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.131-144
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• 1999

This study investigates the pre-service teacher trainees' reactions to and evaluations about the earth science teaching method that utilizes songs. The subjects of the study were 81 university students in teacher training institutes for primary schools and secondary schools. The researcher used songs which the subjects judged to be reflecting some of the natural phenomena related to the earth science. The teacher trainees were taught some of the earth science concepts with the help of the selected songs. Discussions about the possibilities of the songs as an ai d to science teaching were also encouraged. The teacher trainees demonstrated positive reactions to the teaching method, and expressed their intention to use songs in their future teaching. The method also inspired the trainees to be inquisitive in their everyday life and seek other effective teaching methods.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument for assessing teachers' awareness of science teaching through analogy (ASTA) and to establish its validity and reliability. Based on the literatures on science teaching with analogies, we constructed 23 survey items. Face validity of the items was established using three science education experts. Through exploratory factor analysis with responses of 35 pre- and 26 inservice elementary school teachers, the instruments were constructed on four subcategories: awareness of analogies in science, use of analogy in teaching and learning, self-efficacy in science knowledge, and knowledge of analogy. The data collected from pre- and in-service elementary teachers demonstrated that overall the teachers' awareness of analogy in science was neutral, which indicated they did not have clear standpoints of science teaching through analogy. Further examination demonstrated that there was no significant difference between pre- and in-service teachers and between two genders. Moreover, there was no significant difference among teachers who preferred either didactic or discovery teaching approaches. We conclude that ASTA test would contribute assessment of teachers' awareness of analogy in science teaching while further examination of the instrument will warrant for its broader use.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.135-158
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the pedagogical content knowledge in science teaching of pre-service early childhood teachers and their attitude toward science and science teaching efficacy belief. A total of 294 pre-service early childhood teachers responded to a questionnaire that examined their pedagogical content knowledge in science teaching, attitude toward science, and science teaching efficacy belief. The results of this study were as follows: First, teachers had average pedagogical content knowledge in science teaching. The groups of 3rd and 4th grades were significantly higher than the 2nd grade group. Second, the teachers' recognition was below average in attitude toward science and science teaching efficacy belief. The groups of 3rd and 4th grades were significantly higher than the 2nd grade group. Third, a meaningful statistical relationship was found between the pedagogical content knowledge in science teaching of pre-service early childhood teachers and their attitude toward science and science teaching efficacy belief. As the score of pre-service early childhood teachers in pedagogical content knowledge in science teaching became higher, the score in attitude toward science and science teaching efficacy belief became higher.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.86-92
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• 2010

Although constructivist assessment has been emphasized by many science educators, most elementary school teachers are still not familiar with this. In order to investigate the causes of this problem, we examined the perceptions of pre-service elementary school teachers toward constructivist science assessment and the relationships among the perceptions toward constructivist science assessment, the views on science teaching and learning, science teaching efficacy beliefs, and the perceptions toward constructivist science learning environment. Analyses of the results revealed that the perceptions of pre-service elementary school teachers toward constructivist science assessment were higher than those of the elementary school teachers reported previously. The results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the views on constructivist science teaching and learning and personal science teaching efficacy beliefs were the significant predictors of the perceptions toward constructivist science assessment.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.773-794
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• 2001

Many studies on the professional development of science teachers demonstrated that induction teachers' conceptions of teaching science are important factors in developing their professionalism. The present study was conducted to describe in detail the progress of two science induction teachers, June and Mike, towards conceptual change teaching, and to investigate secondary induction science teachers' conceptions of teaching science by analysing their conceptual ecologies. The study was interpretive, using multiple data sources to achieve a triangulation of data. Both June and Mike held strongly positive learning in their views of knowledge and science. Holding positivist views of knowledge and of science is likely to be a major obstacle for anyone coming to understand constructivism and its implications in teaching for conceptual change. This argument resonates in several key ways with the teachers' cases, even though I recognize differences between scenario and teachers, and between teachers themselves.