This study attempted to examine the 7th science curriculum and the 2007 revised curriculum scheduled to be applied after 2009 and analyzed, especially, added and eliminated contents in the chemical field of 'science', a common basic curriculum account...
This study attempted to examine the 7th science curriculum and the 2007 revised curriculum scheduled to be applied after 2009 and analyzed, especially, added and eliminated contents in the chemical field of 'science', a common basic curriculum accounting for 3rd grade students and 10th grade students and moved contents. In addition, it analyzed the rationalization of revised contents and suggested appropriate follow-up measures followed by revised curriculum. The results of comparing and analyzing the standard direction, the content system, and the details of the chemical field of 'science.
First, examining the 7th science curriculum and the basic characters of the revised curriculum, although they had a same direction, unlike the 7th curriculum that described comprehensively, the revised curriculum concretely described the links among the contents, the functions of study objects, learning methods, and learning conditions.
Second, while the 7th curriculum divided the content system into energy, substance, life, and the earth, the 7th revised curriculum divided the content system into motion and energy, substance, life, and the earth and the universe. Chemical fields were included into substance. The depth and complement courses from 6th grades to 10th grades in the 7th curriculum were eliminated, free research courses were newly added in the revised curriculum.
Third, examining the details, lots of contents such as 'melting powder substance' were eliminated in order to provide sufficient opportunities for fundamental research activities in the chapter of 'objects and substances' for the 3rd grade, 'understanding the characteristics of various liquids' and 'separating mixtures' were integrated in the 4th grade, and 'volume changes by heat' was eliminated. 'Creating crystal' in the 5th grade was eliminated and 'creating solution' and 'examining the characteristics of solution' were integrated into 'dissolution and solution.' 'Changes of solution' in the 6th grade was expanded and moved to the unit of 'acid and base' and the rest of contents in the 6th grade remained. The contents in the 7th grade remained, the contents in the 8th grade was moved to the 9th grade with a part of ' electrolyte and ion' in the 10th grade, 'construction of substance' in the 9th grade was moved to the 8th grade, and 'the regularity in the changes in substance' was moved to the 10th grade. 'reaction of acid and base' in the 10th grade was expanded and modified to 'various chemical reactions', and 'the speed of reaction' was eliminated.
Fourth, as a result of revising the 7th curriculum, the suitability of the contents of science curriculum was analyzed. As the low levels of contents in the 3rd grade were eliminated and the contents in the 4th grade were added by considering the connection of the contents, the connectability increased. As the low levels of contents in the 4th and 5th grades were eliminated, the contents that had the connectability were integrated, and duplicated contents were excluded, the connectability of detailed and repeated contents. Considering the knowledge of the 6th grade, contents were expanded and the proportion of practical contents related to daily lives increased. Although there was no change in the contents for the 7th grade, the connectability increased by arranging the order of units sequently. The contents moved forward in the 8th, 9th, and 10th grades were easily constructed to understand based on the level of comprehension and they were integrated and moved by considering the connection of the concepts to be suited for academic ranks.
The 7th revised curriculum constructed educational courses by trying to sublate the duplication of the contents and aim to integrate the contents and from the aspects, it rationalized the volume and levels of the contents by reducing units for each grade in elementary school's curriculum and integrating or eliminating duplicate contents from the 7th to 10th grades.
On the other hand, the revision of the curriculum was only a starting point of the serial processes for science education. With regard to the revision of the curriculum, the effectiveness increases and the results corresponding to the goals can be achieved when follow-up measures are prepared.
First, textbooks should be developed to support the curriculum. Second, training for teachers should be conducted to assimilate the changes in revised curriculum and practice in real situations.
Third, evaluation systems should be prepared to correspond to the curriculum. Fourth, the system should be established during the process of developing revised curriculum.