Jun-Ki Lee

Changes in Brain Activation Induced by the Training of Hypothesis Generation Skills: An fMRI Study.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the learning-related changes in brain activation induced by the training of hypothesis generation skills regarding biological phenomena. Eighteen undergraduate participants were scanned twice with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after training over a period of 2 months. The experimental group underwent eight biological hypothesis generation training programs, but the control group was not given any during the 2-month period. The results showed that the left frontal gyri, the cingulate gyrus, and the cuneus were activated during hypothesis generation. In addition, the brain activation of the trained group increased in the left inferior and the superior frontal gyri, which are related to working memory load and higher-order inferential processes. However, the activation after training decreased in the occipito-parietal route, which is associated with the perception and the analysis processes of visual information. Furthermore, the results have suggested that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) region is the critical area in the training of hypothesis generation skills.

Mycorrhizal symbioses found in roots of fern and its relatives in Korea

Mycorrhizal symbioses were found in the roots of 45 out of 59 species of pteridophytes collected in Korea. The mycorrhizal fungi were colonized in the root cortical cells, primarily in terrestrial species, but rarely in epiphytic or aquatic pteridophytes. Mycorrhizae that are typically found in orchid colonized the roots of the epiphytic pteridophytes, but not in other species. These were the first observations of orchid mycorrhizae in pteridophytes. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were examined after staining, then confirmed with PCR, using a specific primer. This is the first report of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in the roots of pteridophyte species in Asia.

An Analysis on Congruency between Educational Objectives of Curriculum and Learning Objectives of Textbooks using Semantic Network Analysis - Focus on Earth Science I in the 2009 revised Curriculum -

Division of Science Education/Science Education Institute/Institution of Fusion Science,Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk 561-756, KoreaAbstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate how congruently the learning objectives of Earth ScienceⅠtextbooks match the 2009 revised Earth Science curriculum. For this purpose, we classified the learning objectives ofcurriculum and textbooks were into three factors including ability, cross-cutting concepts, and behavioral verbs. The textdata were analyzed using the semantic network analysis method. The results are as follows. The learning objectives oftextbooks with regard to ability factors mainly emphasized the cognitive and affective domain. In addition, the ability ofinquiry performance was emphasized in the learning objective of the curriculum. The textbooks used various sub-frame ofcross-cutting concepts in comparison with the curriculum. Both textbooks and curriculum used the term ‘comprehension’the most as behavioral verbs. However, most behavioral verbs just remained at the level of cognitive system.Keywords: curriculum, textbook, learning objectives, semantic network analysis요약: 본 연구의 목적은 2009 개정 과학 교육과정의 지구과학 I 목표와 교과서의 학습 목표와의 일치성을 알아보기위한 것이다. 이를 위하여 교육과정의 목표와 교과서의 학습 목표를 능력, 공통 개념, 행위 동사로 구분하였으며, 이 자료를 언어네트워크분석을 이용하여 분석하였다. 분석 결과 능력 요소와 관련하여 교과서는 인지적, 정의적 영역을 주로강조하였다면 교육과정은 이외에도 탐구능력을 함께 강조하였다. 공통 개념은 교과서가 교육과정보다 더 다양한 요소가사용되었다. 행위 동사 요소는 ‘이해’를 가장 많이 사용하였으나 대부분 인지 체제 수준으로 제시한 것에 그치고 있다.주요어: 교육과정, 교과서, 학습목표, 언어네트워크분석

Multiple Symbiotic Associations Found in the Roots of Botrychium ternatum

Abstract Two types of mycorrhizae, orchid (OM) and arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM), were observed in the cortical cells of Botrychium ternatum roots. The vesicles or arbuscules of AM fungi were examined and the fresh or digestive pelotons by other species of basidiomycetes were also observed in the roots under light microscope. These symbioses were, as the genomic DNAs extracted from roots of B. ternatum reacted with the specific primers, confirmed with PCR technique, being added to more strong evidences. These discoveries were rarely happened in the roots, especially a fern in nature. OM was observed in the roots of B. ternatum collected from the nationwide areas, whereas AM was only in the roots of B. ternatum collected from Chung-Buk areas. It is speculated that OM are associated with the nitrogen cycle in Islands and the growth of B. ternatum in the inland of Central Korea is related to both the phosphate and nitrogen cycle in the nature. The results suggest that B. ternatum is a typical species with two types of mycorrhizae under various growing conditions.

Differences of Perception on Giftedness between Homeroom Teachers and Teachers of The Gifted

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences of perception on giftedness between homeroom teachers and teachers of the gifted. The data was collected from 13 homeroom teachers and 8 teachers of gifted students. It was analyzed using recommendation letters, and shorthand notes about giftedness. The results of the study were as follows: most homeroom teachers used awards, learning attitude, presentation of self and school achievements for defined giftedness and preferred an exemplary student with task commitment but often overlooked motivation. The teachers of the gifted preferred motivation and self-satisfaction but not other social and affective characteristics. Also homeroom teachers thought that education condition is important, while the teachers of the gifted believed it was not an all important element. These differences will hurt the credibility in the selection or gifted students because homeroom teachers and teachers of the gifted use different words and expressions in their assessments of the same students. Therefore, I believe more needs to be done to encourage homeroom teachers to better understand gifted children through training programs.

A Study of Gifted Students` Peer Relationship in an Elementary School`s General and Gifted Classes

Peer relationships in young students` communities are one of the important factors influencing the cognitive and affective domains of learning. Moreover, students who join the special program for gifted students possess differential peer relationships from the students in general classes. This study aims to explore the differences of 5th grade five science-gifted students` peer relationships between students in special classes for gifted students and general classes. Five students in the special program for gifted students, managed by the Office of Education in a southern city, participated in this study. Social network analyses were utilized to explore participants` peer relationships; the students` homeroom teacher was interviewed to explore the contextual and in-depth characteristics of gifted students` peer relationships. The results illustrated four cases of peer relationships: (1) smart loner (2) my study mate (3) I`m the best in my class, and (4) a good friend anywhere. This study identified that the gifted students possessed diverse peer relationships in both the special program and general classroom. In addition, this study suggests that the program for gifted students needs to be specially designed based on the gifted students` peer relationship.

Brain Activation During Scientific Hypothesis Generation in Biologists and Non-biologists

Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate neural substrates during scientific hypothesis generation, in particular, the differences between biologists and non-biologists. Eight biologists and eight non-biologists were scanned while they performed eight scientific hypothesis generation tasks. The results of this study revealed that activation of the left inferior and middle frontal gyri were driven by increased working memory load. The superior medial prefrontal cortex reflected higher-order inferential processes. The activation of the right hippocampus reflected the retrieval and encoding of information in long-term memory. The increased activity in the occipito-parietal route was due to perception and visuo-spatial working memory. Furthermore, the biologists’ exceptional abilities for hypothesis generation were correlated with the acceleration of memory retrieval and higher-order inferential processes.

Identification of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi from Botrychium ternatum Native in Korea

Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were observed in Botrychium ternatum native in Korea. The partial small subunit (SSU) of ribosomal DNA gene from the fern roots was amplified with primers AM1/NS31. Nucleotides sequence analysis of the clones revealed that two fragments were close to Glomus proliferum and G. sinuosum. The other three DNA fragments were close to those of G. proliferum with the relatively low similarities (92~95%) and speculated to be originated from three different species of Glomus (GLA006, GLA016, and GLA032). Five different nucleotide sequences close to three AM fungal species were found in the roots of B. ternatum native in Korea.

Analyzing the Structure of Science Gifted and General Middle School Students` Values of Career: Social Network Approach

Students` perceived values of career play a core role in formation of their career motivation. In particular, science gifted students should build sound values of career in science and technology so that our society can retain the human resources for future science and technology. This study compared and analyzed the structure of science gifted and general middle school students` preferred job and values of career using semantic network analysis. Methodologically, we first collected science gifted and general middle school students` preferred careers and the reasons of the career choice using survey method. Then, we structuralize semantic networks of students` perceived values of their preferred careers using semantic network analysis. We identified the characters of networks that two different student groups showed based on the structure matrix indices of semantic network analysis. Findings revealed that science gifted students considered the creativeness as the most important value of career. Second, science gifted students considered more diverse values of career than general students. Third, science gifted students considered the self-realization such as displaying capability as a core value of career in STEM and medical science whereas general students considered the community service as a core value of the careers. This study identified the significant differences between science gifted and general middle school students` values of careers. The structures of students perceived values of careers can be used for teachers to counsel their students about students` future careers.

Neural Substrates During Finding Target Objects and Observing Natural Phenomena: An fMRI Study

This study investigated neural substrates underlying subjects’ intentional visual search while finding target objects and observing natural phenomena using fMRI. Eight healthy, male, right-handed subjects participated in this study. Sets of finding target objects and observing natural phenomena tasks were presented to and performed by the subjects. The bilateral SPL and the occipital gyrus were activated by both task sets, bilateral fusiform gyrus was activated only during finding target objects tasks. The left precentral gyrus, the left inferior frontal gyrus and the culmen were activated only during observing natural phenomena tasks. The right inferior frontal gyrus was found to be active in the main effect of observing natural phenomena and the left postcentral gyrus was activated in the main effect of finding target objects. Thus, expectation-controlled search may be associated with comparison processes and goal-controlled search is related to both spatial and attentional processes.