Hyonyong Lee

Gifted Elementary Students' Understandings about Earth Systems and Environmental Problems

Department of Earth Science Education, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, KoreaAbstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate elementary school science gifted students’ perceptions about Earthsystems and environmental problems. A total of 28 students in the attached center for science gifted education to theuniversity participated in this study. Through the survey, participating students were asked to respond to their self-reportedknowledge level, the perceived danger levels, certainty, and tangibility of the selected 13 Earth environmental problems.The DAET (Draw-An-Earth Test)-Checklist were developed and used to analyze the images of the Earth drawn bystudents. Additional interviews were conducted to clarify the meanings and components of students’ image. Resultsindicated that a total of 80 components regarding Earth systems, 11 components of Earth systems interaction, and 4components related to Earth systems literacy were identified through the DAET-Checklist and additional interviews.Regarding the students’ self-reported knowledge level, they reported that they were most knowledgeable about airpollution, global warming, and water pollution. and they also recognized global warming, air pollution, and waterpollution as the most dangerous problem. Results indicated that participants were certain that acid rain, air pollution, andwater pollution were problematic, and that acid rain, air pollution, and forest desertification were tangible issues. It isanticipated that this study contributes to understanding the elementary school science gifted students’ perceptions towardthe selected Earth systems and environmental problems.Keywords: Earth systems, science gifted student, environmental problems, certainty, tangibility요약: 이 연구의 목적은 지구계와 환경 문제에 대한 초등 영재학생들의 인식을 조사하는 것이다. 대학부설영재교육원소속 28명의 초등학교 학생들을 대상으로 13개의 지구 환경 문제에 대한 지식수준, 심각성, 확실성, 체험 가능성에 관한 인식을 조사하였다. 학생들이 그린 지구 이미지를 분석하기 위하여 Draw-An-Earth Test 체크리스트를 개발하여 사용하였으며, 이미지를 구성하는 요소와 이미지에 담긴 의미를 분명하게 파악하기 위하여 인터뷰를 실시하였다. DAET체크리스트와 인터뷰 분석 결과 지구계의 구성요소에서 80개, 지구계의 상호작용에서 11개, 지구계의 소양 영역에서 4개의 요소가 확인되었다. 학생들은 지식 수준과 관련하여 대기 오염, 지구온난화, 수질 오염에 가장 잘 알고 있다고 하였으며, 지구온난화, 대기오염, 수질 오염을 가장 심각한 문제라고 하였다. 또한 산성비, 대기 오염, 수질 오염에 대하여확실성이 높게 나타났으며, 산성비, 대기오염, 산림파괴에 대하여 체험가능성이 높게 나타났다. 이 연구를 통하여 교수학습 측면에서 초등 과학 영재들이 지구계와 환경문제에 대하여 어떻게 인식하고 있는지 이해할 수 있었다.주요어: 지구계, 과학 영재 학생, 환경문제, 확실성, 체험가능성

An Analysis of 10th Grade Students' Understanding of Concepts about the Plates' Motions according to the Level of Spatial Ability

Seongsan High School, Daegu 704-934, KoreaAbstract: The purpose of this study was to compare 10th grade students’ understanding of concepts about the plates’motions depending on the different spatial ability. Based on previous studies and literature reviews, two instruments wereselected and used in this study. The Spatial Perception Test developed in Korean Testing Center was applied to measurestudents’ spatial ability. Another instrument for testing students’ understandings of plates’ motions consists of a total of 10items. The instruments were distributed to 118 students who were 10th graders in metropolitan city. The results are asfollows: First, a correlation coefficient between conceptual understanding of plates’ motions and spatial ability was r=0.439(p< .01). It indicates that conceptual plates’ motions and spatial ability have a moderate relationship. The students weredivided into two groups (high and low) by spatial ability. The independent t-test was performed and reveals that thestatistically significant difference between high and low groups. On the other hand, the 6 students (3 higher spatial abilitystudents and 3 lowers) were selected and interviewed individually to find the differences in their understanding of theconcept of plates’ motions. The findings from interviews indicate that most students recognized about concepts of trenchand ocean ridge, a rise and drop of the mantle, and divergent and convergent boundaries. However, students hadmisconceptions about section of trench and ocean ridge. In addition, the students who had higher spatial ability knew themore proper concepts about the creation and extinction of plate, crustal movements, and bottom of the ocean extension,whereas the students who had the lower spatial ability had misconceptions.Keywords: plates’ motion, spatial ability, misconception요약: 이 연구의 목적은 10학년 학생들의 공간능력의 차이에 따라 판의 운동과 관련된 개념 이해가 어떻게 다른지 알아보는 데 있다. 이를 위하여 공간능력과 판의 운동 관련 개념 검사 도구를 선정·개발하였다. 공간능력 검사는 KTC에서 개발한 적성종합 검사지 20문항을 사용하였다. 또 다른 검사지는 판의 운동과 관련된 개념을 묻는 것으로 총 10문항으로 구성되었다. 검사지들은 광역시 소재 10학년 학생 118명에게 투입하여 상관관계를 분석하였고, 공간능력 검사점수를 통해 공간능력이 높은 집단과 낮은 집단으로 구분하여 두 집단 간의 판의 운동 관련 개념 이해 정도 차이를 분석하였다. 또한 공간능력 점수가 높은 학생 3명과 낮은 학생 3명을 표집하여 반구조화된 면담을 실시하였다. 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 공간능력 점수와 판의 운동 개념 성취도의 상관관계를 분석한 결과, 상관계수 r=0.439 (p< .01)로 둘 사이에는 보통 수준의 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 공간능력 검사 점수에 따라 상·하 두 집단으로

An Analysis of Earth Science Vocabularies Used in the 10th Grade Science Textbooks

The purposes of this study were to analyze the level of Earth science vocabularies in the 10th grade textbooks with the Science Word Analysis (SWA) program and to investigate the vocabularies selected by the 10th grade students as difficult ones. For this purpose, we extracted the Earth science vocabularies from eleven textbooks, and classified into scientific and non-scientific vocabularies with the SWA program based on the standard Korean language dictionary. In addition, we investigated the difficulty of each vocabulary by surveying five hundred sixty students with a questionnaire. Results showed that the frequency of the scientific vocabularies that were beyond the designated level was the largest among any other levels in all textbooks. Most of the vocabularies selected by students as difficult ones to understand were classified into out of the level. From these results, it were suggested that the students` cognitive level should be considered when developing science textbooks and difficult vocabularies should be replaced with easy ones without a change of meaning.

Development of Experimental Apparatus to Efficiently Educate the Phenomena by Coriolis Force

A new apparatus was presented in order to help understand the concept of the Coriolis force which is essential in understanding the trajectories of the atmospheric current and the tide of seawater. In the apparatus proposed in high-school textbooks, since the slide from which the ball is released is set outside the rotating disk, it was not possible to interpret, with the trajectory of the ball on the disk, the motion of the atmosphere and the current of seawater occurring as a result of the Coriolis force. In order to resolve such problem, a new apparatus was developed in which the slide was set on the disk and rotated with the disk. Experiments were carried out using both the existing apparatus and the new apparatus, and the results were compared. While, in the experiment performed with the existing apparatus, it was difficult to analyze the trajectory of ball because the motion of the ball was not smooth when it hit the disk, in the experiment with the new apparatus it was much easier to analyze the trajectories. It was also possible to compare the trajectories when the initial velocity of the ball was varied.

Analysis and Effects of High School Students’ Systems Thinking Using Iceberg(IB) Model

이 연구의 목적은 고등학생들의 시스템 사고를 측정하는 분석하는 도구로 Iceberg(IB) 모델을 적용하고, 시스템 사고 평가를 위한 루브릭을 활용한 IB 모델 활동 결과 분석 방법을 제시하며 그 효과를 검증하는 것이다. 문헌 분석을 통해 IB 모델과 시스템 사고 평가를 위한 루브릭의 활용에 대한 이론적 근거를 조사하였다...

The Development of High School Instructional Program for Increasing Creative Thinking Abilities: Focused on Building a Scale Model of the Solar System

The purpose of this study was to develop instructional programs for 10th graders to facilitate their creative thinking abilities and understanding concerning the scale of the Solar System. The programs were based on four major themes and composed of eight lessons which dealt with the relative scale of the Solar System. The programs were applied to 155 students at G high school in Gumi City. The results showed that the programs were helpful to students in that they facilitated easier understanding of the relative sizes of planets within the solar system as well as creative thinking abilities including divergent thinking and convergent thinking.

Development and Application of an After-school Program for an Astronomy Observation Club in a Highschool: Standardized Coefficient Decision Program in Consideration of the Observation Site`s Environment

The main purposes of this study are to: (1) to develop astronomy observation program based on a standardized coefficient decision program; and (2) to apply the developed program to after-school or club activities. As a first step, we analyzed activities related to astronomy in the authorized textbooks that are currently adopted in high schools. based on the analysis, we developed an astronomy observation program according to the standardized coefficient decision program, and the program was applied to students` astronomical observations as part of the club activities. Specifically, this program used a 102 mm refracting telescope and digital camera. we took into account the observation site`s environment of the urban areas in which many school were located and then developed a the computer program for observation activities. The results of this study are as follows. First, the current astronomical education in schools was based off of the textbooks. Specifically, it was mostly about analyzing the materials and making simulated experiments. Second, most schools participated in this study were located in urban areas where students had more difficulty in observation than in rural areas. Third, an exemplary method was investigated in order to make an astronomical observation efficiently in urban areas with the existing devices. In addition, the standardized coefficient decision program was developed to standardize the magnitude of stars according to the observed value. Finally, based on the students` observations, we found that there was no difference between the magnitude of a star in urban sites and in rural sites. The current astronomical education in schools lacks an activity of practical experiments, and many schools have not good observational sites because they are located in urban areas. However, use of this program makes it possible to collect significant data after a series of standardized corrections. In conclusion, this program not only helps schools to create an active astronomy observation activity in fields, but also promotes students to be more interested in astronomical observation through a series of field-based activities.

An Analysis of Undergraduate Students` Mental Models on the Mechanism of the Moon Craters Formation

The purpose of this study was to investigate information sources and types of reasoning that non-astronomy major undergraduate students used to build their mental models on the mechanism of the Moon craters formation. In-depth interview was used to collect qualitative data, and the questions for the interview were developed through an analytical induction method. We interviewed four students individually by using Seidman`s interview step. The findings revealed that the participants built nonscientific mental models, and yet they held a consistent explanatory framework. The students explained that the crater was made by the fall of a meteorite. They all suggested a similar shape of meteorite even though their drawings about the shape of craters and its related to variables were different from one another. The information sources that the participants used fur their explanatory frameworks were varied, i.e., daily experiences, subject knowledges, and intuition. In addition, they used causal reasoning, intuitional reasoning, knowledge based reasoning, and analogical reasoning.