The Science Curriculum: What is it for?

1. The Science Curriculum: What is it for? Hyun-Ju Park (Chosun University) Presenter: 황은지 (Seoul National University)

2. Contents • Understanding Korean Science Education • Science Education in Korea • Scientific Literacy • Goals of the 7th National Curriculum • Objectives of the “science” course • The Study • Final Thoughts

3. Science Education in Korea • As one of the core subjects in the school curriculum, science has had a predominant role in the development of Korean society. • Science presents one of the great achievements of humanity, not only by changing dramatically the way we live but more importantly through what it says about our understanding of our lives and of possibilities for the future. • The Korean Ministry of Education had regularly revised its science education curriculum through the national curriculum reformation program with the 7th national curriculum.

4. Scientific Literacy • The scientific literacy is the major goal of science education for the 21st century. • The 7th science curriculum in Korea stresses science education for all students with respect to developing scientific literacy to help them continue to be concerned about and interested in scientific issues as lifelong learners • By developing their scientific knowledge and understanding the relationship between ‘science and technology’ and society

5. Goals of the 7th National Curriculum • By focusing on globalization and the information age, the main goal of the new Korean science curriculum is “educating students to have new knowledge and skills and related to science and technology so that students will be able to have abilities to collaborate and compete as global citizens in the 21th century” (MOE, 1997) • This idea reflects the goals and objectives of the 7th national curriculum particularly the need to deal with a rapidly changing society and suggests the necessity for “a science inquiry model in the every life context” (KICE, 2000)

6. Objectives of the “science” course • To acquire scientific inquiry processes and apply them to solving problem in everyday life • To comprehend basic scientific knowledge and apply it to explaining natural phenomena • To build interests in science and science learning and develop attitudes to inquire continuously • To understand the influence of science on the development of technology and the progress of society

7. Context of the Study • The new curriculum stresses science education for all students with respect to developing scientific literacy to help them continue to be concerned about and interested in scientific issues as lifelong learners by developing their scientific knowledge and understanding the relationship between science and technology and society. • The new science curriculum requires that teachers need to engage students in inquiry based learning. • In this respects, the introduction to the idea for "Science for All" has caused significant changes in teaching and learning of school science.

8. The purpose of the study • Teachers' aims about science education play a significant role in shaping their teaching. • Investigate secondary science teachers' own aims of science teaching in their ideas and in their science class.

9. Research Methods • Research via a survey and in-depth interview were utilized in this study. • A sample of 278 secondary science teachers participated in this study. • Science teachers(n=278) were asked to rate the importance of aims in teaching science in secondary school, selecting from a list(generated from interviews with science teachers) using a four-point ranging from irrelevant to very important. • Among them, a smaller sample of science teachers(n=53) were interviewed and invited to identity their own aim in science classroom.

10. Results • The data show that teachers hold a wide range of opinion about the aims of science teaching. • The aims of 278 science teachers listed in order of importance were: • The teaching of skills and processes (52%) • Students’ enjoyment of science (43%) • Making science relevant (24%) • Teaching scientific content (20%) • Success in examinations (18%)

11. Results continued • A smaller sample of science teachers(n=53) rated a different order of priority appeared. • teaching scientific content (58%) • success in examination (56%) • making science relevant (31%) • teaching higher-order thinking skills and process of inquiry (25%) • promoting enjoyment and interest (10%) • What science teachers believe to be important in the teaching of science is different to what is important in their daily work under the 7th National Science Curriculum.

12. Results continued • Science teachers might focus on the content to success in examination with less importance attached to the social setting of the classroom. • Enjoyment of science class lessons and teaching scientific inquiry processes is a low priority. • This teaching situation seems to be absurd and may turn some students away from science; and others may feel that they cannot do science because they cannot do the exams.

13. Results continued • One reason cited by teachers why the lesson is taught that way may be lack of time to deal with the scientific contents. • And the Korea education system forces teachers and students to rehearse for testing, limiting the scope of the curriculum and the enterprise of teachers. • Another reason is lack of teaching strategies for reaching the goal of science education.

14. Final Thoughts • I would like to recommend to identify the clear aims of the current science curriculum for science teachers. • To make the aims clear will help science teacher driving forward the goals of science education. • And help and encourage science teachers broadening of the range of teaching strategies for teaching science.

15. Thank you !!!