Korean High School Research Articles

쓰기 능력 발달 척도 개발 및 타당화

Based on Bereiter’s (1980) theoretical model of the development of writing abilities, this study developed and validated a scale applicable to Korean high school and college students with 25 items (5 items per factor) in five factors divided into “associative, performative, communicative, unified, and epistemic writing.” In addition, the simplex assumption was checked to see if the five stages of the development of writing abilities identified by Bereiter were developmentally connected as per the original theoretical model.
 The main findings of the study are as follows: First, associative, performative, communicative, and unified writing were developmentally linked, while epistemic writing was not. Second, associative writing was either negatively correlated with other factors or its values were not statistically significant. Third, considering rhetorical context, including readers’ level, interest, response, and counterargument, was inversely related to fluency in written language production and idea generation.

Effects of sleep pattern, duration, and quality on premenstrual syndrome and primary dysmenorrhea in korean high school girls

BackgroundSleep deprivation is known to be a risk factor for premenstrual syndrome and primary dysmenorrhea in adults. However, it has rarely been investigated in adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether sleep pattern, duration, and quality independently affect premenstrual syndrome and primary dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls. An additional purpose was to investigate the sleep status in Korean adolescent girls during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional survey study was conducted in 519 high school girls aged 15 to 18 years in Gyeonggido, South Korea, in 2021 during the COVID-19 lockdown. Menstrual pain intensity and menstrual symptoms were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Cox menstrual symptom scale (CMSS), respectively. Premenstrual syndrome was assessed by the premenstrual symptoms screening tool (PSST). Sleep was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The known risk factors of dysmenorrhea, including menstrual and lifestyle characteristics and stress, were assessed as covariates.ResultsDuring the pandemic, approximately 68% of girls slept 7 h or less, while about 60% reported poor sleep quality. Additionally, 64% of participants had a bedtime later after 1AM, and 34% woke up later after 8AM. Late bedtime significantly affected VAS (P = 0.05), CMSS severity and frequency (both P < 0.01), and PSST symptom (P < 0.01). Waking up late affected CMSS severity (P < 0.05), PSST symptom (P = 0.05), and PSST function (P < 0.05). However, the significance of these effects disappeared after controlling for covariates. Sleeping less than 5 h affected CMSS frequency (P < 0.05) and PSST symptoms (P < 0.001). After controlling for covariates, the significance of the effect on PSST symptom remained (P < 0.05). General sleep quality and PSQI components, including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep disturbance, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction, significantly affected CMSS frequency and severity and PSST symptom after controlling for covariates (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, or P < 0.001). The multiple regression analysis revealed that among sleep characteristics, sleep quality was the most important risk factor of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea.ConclusionOur study result heightens the importance of healthy sleep hygiene, especially sleep quality in the management of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls.

과학 성취 우수 집단 예측 변인 분석

This study investigates the predictors of science high-achievement group among Korean high school students, considering raw data of the students’ responses to PISA 2015. In particular, the factors differentiating the excellent group from the general group were analyzed using a random forest analysis with hybrid sampling and hyper-ensemble approach on the responses of 92 individual questions. The results revealed distinct gender-based patterns. Male students captured higher rankings in factors related to science-related reading at the age of 10 and experimental practices. Conversely, female students displayed a stronger correlation between high achievement and non-cognitive characteristics such as connecting the value of science subjects to their future careers. Despite the gender differences in the magnitude of increase in prediction probabilities and variations, their overall direction remained consistent. Notably, both male and female students who were introduced to science-related books around the age of 10 and were presently exposed to scientific literature exhibited a higher likelihood of belonging to the high-achievement group. These findings will aid the development of tailored education support plans for high-achieving students, facilitating the success of these students to foster a scientific potential and brighter future.

대학수학능력시험 수학 영역의 변화를 통해 살펴본 고등학교 수학 평가의 방향 탐색

This study aimed to analyze the shifts in the mathematics domains of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) since its inception in 1993, with the intent of identifying improvements for the future. The goal is to provide insights for exploring the direction of assessment in Korean high school mathematics education. To this end, we focused on the test system, content area, and behavioral area within the CSAT mathematics domains. Key findings include: first, the test structure influences the assessment factors and item types, in addition to the examination time and number of items. Second, by analyzing the content area, we established a correlation between the national curriculum and assessment area, and confirmed the importance of setting the assessment area. Third, the examination of the behavioral area tended to the item-type fixation, demonstrating the necessity of the ongoing modifications in evaluation item types. Building upon these findings, we discuss the direction of an evaluation that considers the evolving demands and shifts within mathematics education.

Physical Activity Characteristics of High School Students According to Physical Education Class and Sex

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to analyze the level and characteristics of physical activity (sedentary, light, and MVPA) of high school students according to physical education (PE) class (DWPE: days with PE class, DNPE: days with no PE class) and sex.METHODS Data were collected on 147 students (65 male and 82 female) from four high schools in Seoul city, and physical activity was measured using a three-dimensional accelerometer. The collected physical activity data were input into SPSS 25.0, and the descriptive analysis and two-way ANOVA according to PE class and sex were performed.RESULTS The descriptive statistical analysis showed that 31% (40.7% male and 23.4% female) of participants met the recommended physical activity durations (MVPA of 60 min/day). In the two-way ANOVA, sedentary activity, light activity, and MVPA showed statistically significant main and interaction effects according to PE class and sex. According to the results of the interaction effect analysis, the gap in physical activity between DWPE and DNPE was large in male students. For male students, light activity and MVPA significantly increased on the day of the PE class, and sedentary activity significantly decreased. However, for female students, DWPE and DNPE did not differ significantly in all levels of physical activity.CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the level of physical activity of Korean high school students was relatively low, and the effect of daily-life physical activity in the PE class was limited to male students. Accordingly, an alternative should be introduced to increase the physical activity of female high-school students through PE classes.

Development and Impact of an Intercultural STEAM Program on Science Classroom Creativity

Abstract As collaboration among scientists from diverse backgrounds can help generate theories and foster the discovery of natural phenomena, the importance of creativity via collaboration in science learning has been widely recognized. This study aimed to investigate the science classroom creativity of Korean high school students who participated in an Australia-Korea intercultural STEAM program (ISP). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, data was only collected from Korean students. The Revised Science Classroom Creativity Questionnaire (R-SCCQ) was administered to 25 Korean students, and interviews were conducted with 10 students to explore creative behavior. The results showed a significant increase in students’ science classroom creativity following their participation in the ISP. This study shows that the intercultural experience provided by the program can help induce a more flexible mindset and encourage different perspectives, ultimately enhancing science classroom creativity. This finding is significant as it highlights the potential of the ISP as a new teaching method for promoting creativity in science education.

Image-schema-based-instruction enhanced L2 construction learning with the optimal balance between attention to form and meaning

Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of L2 instruction on the learning of English caused-motion constructions (e.g., Jane put the balls into the box, Harry swam Peter to the beach). Korean EFL high school students (N = 156) were randomly assigned to three instructional conditions and one control group. While the metalanguage group relied on explicit uses of grammar jargon, the input flood group read narrative stories in which the instances of a prototypical verb were presented with higher frequency than other verbs. The image-schema group, which adopted a balanced approach to form and meaning attention, studied the core meaning of the target construction. Mixed-effects logistic regressions on Korean-to-English translation tests revealed that the image-schema group was most effective in terms of learnability and generalizability. The benefits of image-schema-based instruction were attributed to simultaneous attention to form and meaning, which might lead to deeper processing. Image-schema-based-instruction is discussed as a viable alternative for L2 construction learning.

Critical literacy supplementary materials in high school EFL

Abstract Building on the concept of Freirean culture circles, this study reports on the development of supplementary materials to incorporate critical literacy into high school EFL textbooks. Collaborating with two experienced high school EFL teachers in South Korea, critical supplementary materials were developed to compensate for the speaking sections of Korean high school EFL textbooks. Teacher interviews, classroom interactions, and students’ surveys revealed five key elements of critical materials that were necessary for students’ critical engagement, namely: framing, safer topics, critical questions, critical vocabulary, and writing before speaking. This study shows that critical materials enable teachers’ critical literacy teaching practices, helping teachers deal with the dilemma between what is feasible and the principles of critical literacy. With classroom-based examples and discussions, this article offers insights to ELT teachers, materials developers, and teacher educators who strive to promote critical literacy in skill-based ELT classrooms.

초 · 중 · 고등학생들의 월가구소득에 따른 사교육 격차 추이 분석: 코로나19 전후 비교를 중심으로

이 연구에서는 통계청과 교육청이 주관한 초·중·고 사교육비 조사 자료를 활용하여 지난 10년간 월가구소득에 따른 사교육비 격차의 추이가 어떻게 변화했는지 살펴보았으며, 코로나19 사태가 사교육비 격차 추이에 어떠한 영향을 미쳤는지 살펴보았다. 다층회귀분석을 적용하여 약 49만 명 학부모들의 응답을 분석한 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 초등학생들의 1인당 실질 사교육비는 시간에 따라 감소하였고, 중학생들의 1인당 실질 사교육비는 유의한 변화가 없었으며, 고등학생들의 1인당 실질 사교육비는 시간에 따라 증가하였다. 둘째, 코로나19 사태 이후의 초등학생과 중학생들은 코로나19 사태 이전보다 사교육비를 더 많이 지출하는 반면, 고등학생들은 사교육 지출에 있어 코로나19의 영향을 받지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 코로나19 이전에는 모든 학교급에서 시간에 따라 월가구소득에 따른 사교육비 격차가 증가한 것으로 나타났다. 넷째, 모든 학교급에서 코로나19 이후에는 사교육비의 격차가 감소한 것으로 나타났다. 상기 연구결과는 사교육비의 증가와 교육의 양극화를 해소하기 위한 정책적 대응이 필요함을 시사한다.

A study on smartphone dependence and depression in Korean high school students.

Using the 10th Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in 2020, we attempted to determine the relationship between smartphone addiction and depression in 25,987 high school students. The demographic characteristics of the subjects were reviewed frequently, and the correlation between smartphone dependence and depression were determined. The results show that it is difficult to track the time spent on smartphones to determine the level of depression (R = 0.143, P < .01), it is difficult concentrating on other tasks due to smartphones (R = 0.140, P < .01), and it is difficult to remove images/data received on smartphones from the head (R = 0.141, P < .01). Further, the impulse to use smartphones is strong (R = 0.157, P < .01), health concerns (r = .124, P < .01) and family conflicts exist due to the use of smartphones (r = .149, P < .01), problems with social relations exist due to the use of smartphones (R = 112, P < .01), and difficulties exist in performing tasks due to the use of smartphones (R = 0.153, P < .01). According to the results of the study, it was determined that there is a relationship between smartphone usage and depression among Korean high school students. The findings from this study can be referenced to help guide the development of smartphone usage parameters for Korean teenagers in depression management programs.

중국에서 고교학점제를 경험한 교사의 인식 연구

Objectives This study was conducted to explore ways to address the growing concerns of teachers ahead of the full implementation of the Korean high school credit system in 2025. This study focused on China, which has a strong cultural homogeneity with Korea and has already been implementing the high school credit system for 20 years, and conducted a survey on the degree of understanding and operation performance of teachers who experienced the high school credit system in China. The purpose of this study is to provide useful data to Korean high school teachers preparing for the high school credit system by examining the causes and improvements of the problems of the Chinese high school credit system for teachers who judged that their operational performance was insufficient.&#x0D; Methods A survey was conducted on 247 teachers working at high schools in Hunan Province, China, who re-established a plan to implement the high school credit system in 2020, to analyze their perception of the high school credit system. Quantitative data collected for the understanding, evaluation of the operation, cause and pattern of problems, and areas of the system improvement plan were analyzed by basic statistics, frequency analysis, and ANOVA using SPSS 25.0. Qualitative data on the improvement plan of the system were analyzed using the main word analysis and axis coding.&#x0D; Results Both Chinese teachers' understanding of the high school credit system and the performance of the high school credit system operation of working schools were found to be moderate. The results of this response showed significant differences in terms of the number of class students, age, and teaching career. Chinese teachers perceived the lack of teaching competence and expertise suitable for the high school credit system as a factor of hesitation in the operation of the high school credit system, and the lack of connection between the high school credit system curriculum and college entrance. The improvements they proposed were able to achieve results such as reducing graduation credits, simplifying and liberalizing the system, deploying resident professional teachers, improving parental awareness, and strengthening teachers' professional education.&#x0D; Conclusions Despite implementing the high school credit system for the past 20 years, China still has not brought about national stabilization, which is deeply related to the results of this study. Researchers conclude that these Chinese cases have great implications for the Korean high school credit system, which is about to be fully introduced, and suggest as follows. For the stable operation of the high school credit system in Korea, it is necessary to actively educate and promote the high school credit system in the educational community. It is necessary to deploy a dedicated teacher with expertise in students' subject selection guidance and career education. The age and requirements of teachers should be considered when planning a teacher training program. It is necessary to reduce credits for graduation from the high school credit system and strengthen autonomy by school or region. It is necessary to improve and agree on the academic management system.

A study on the perception of South Korean high school students about the influence of learner and teacher on school science learning

This study was conducted on the perception of high school students regarding the influence of learner and teacher on school science learning. The subjects were 867 South Korean high school students at 464 natural science and 404 humanities learning course. The components of the influence of learner and teacher in school science learning consisted of learning motivation, class participation, learning, and achievement. Overall, high school students perceived that learners had a stronger influence than teacher on learning motivation, class participation and achievement except learning. High school students at natural science learning course recognized more than students of humanities learning course that learners had a stronger influence on learning motivation, class participation, and the achievement than teacher. Since high school students at natural science learning course considered their future careers when selecting such learning course, their interests and motivation in science were already higher than students of humanities learning course. Thus, school teachers have to make an effort to develop the professionalism of teaching because the learning effect was not limited to the cognitive skills of science class students, and may vary depending on the explanations of teachers.

English learning anxiety and English learning demotivation in South Korean third-year high school students

Because of the high level of anxiety and academic pressure associated with the college entrance exam in South Korea, this study investigated the effects of English learning anxiety on English learning demotivation and academic achievement in third-year high school students. To determine the correlations of the effect of English learning anxiety on both components, 249 participants were selected from nine third-year student classes at an academic high school in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, to complete questionnaires, the data from which were analysed using quantitative statistical methods. The regression analyses revealed that the English learning anxiety in the male and female students with top grades had positively and significantly affected their academic achievement. However, except for high-level male learners, demotivation was not found to have any effect on student achievement. The results suggested that it is important to design education-friendly measures to enhance third-year high school student motivation and alleviate any excessive anxiety.

Development of Prediction Model for Suicide Attempts Using the Korean Youth Health Behavior Web-Based Survey in Korean Middle and High School Students

Development of Prediction Model for Suicide Attempts Using the Korean Youth Health Behavior Web-Based Survey in Korean Middle and High School Students

Effects of depression on suicidal ideation of adolescents: indirect effect of gratitude and conditional direct effect of mindfulness

Introduction. In Korea, the number one cause of death among adolescents aged 10 to 19 is suicide (intentional self-harm), which is gradually increasing. This suggests that efforts to identify the causes of suicide and provide educational and counseling interventions to resolve it should continue. This study aims to suggest ways to alleviate the effect of adolescent depression on suicidal thoughts through gratitude and mindfulness. Study participants and methods. The research subjects were 609 intentionally sampled Korean middle and high school students. The survey subjects were 58.9% male, 41.1% female, 49.0% middle school students, and 51.0% high school students. As for residence, 80.7% lived in small and medium-sized cities, followed by 17.2% in rural areas. Data were collected through the survey method and analyzed using SPSS PC+ Win. Ver. 26 and PROCESS macro ver. 4.2. The statistical methods applied to the analysis are frequency analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and conditional direct effect analysis. Results. First, as a result of correlation analysis, depression showed a negative correlation with mindfulness (r=-.501, p&lt;.01) and gratitude (r=-.403, p&lt;.01) and a positive correlation with suicidal ideation. (r=.666, p&lt;.01). Mindfulness showed a positive correlation with gratitude (r=.423, p&lt;.01) and a negative correlation with suicidal ideation (r=-.318, p&lt;.01). Second, depression had a significant negative effect on gratitude, and gratitude had a significant negative effect on suicidal ideation. The indirect effect of gratitude was significant as there was no zero between the lower and upper bounds of the bootstrap, and it played a mediating role. Third, the conditional direct effect was significant in all three conditions of mindfulness. As mindfulness increased, the positive effect of depression on suicidal ideation decreased, so mindfulness played a buffering role. It was confirmed that the effect of depression on suicidal ideation was reduced by intervening with mindfulness and gratitude in adolescents with high levels of depression. Practical significance. These results can be used as important data for schools and counseling organizations to provide counseling to adolescents with high levels of suicidal thoughts due to depression.

한국 고등학생의 학업성취도에 미치는 영향요인: 한국 아동ㆍ청소년 통합조사 원시자료를 이용하여

This study was conducted to identify the factors affecting the academic achievements of Korean high school students. The participants were high school students consisting of 1015 male and 828 female students, totaling 1843. Data were collected from the ‘2019 Study on Indicator Development and Creation of Community Indicators with Happy Youth Ⅶ.’ and analyzed by SPSS 25.0 program using complex sample descriptive statistics, complex sample Rao-Scott x²-test, and multiple logistic regression. The factors affecting the academic achievement of male students were self-worth and optimism, for female students, a sense of belonging, optimism, life satisfaction, resilience, and loneliness. Improving the academic achievement of high school students would require institutional measures to mandate school-level curriculum-linked programs to promote optimism. Also, male students would require counseling and psychological education programs from a specialized institution or encouragement and support from parents and teachers to improve self-worth. For female students, implementation of various programs to improve the sense of belonging, such as student-teacher relationship programs.

An Examination of the Impact of Text Modification on EFL Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Learning

The present study investigated the effect of different text types (original, elaborated, and simplified) on Korean EFL learners’ reading comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning, focusing on language proficiency as a moderator. Three groups of 110 Korean high school students participated, each reading a different type of text. Their reading comprehension was measured with a multiple-choice comprehension test and a recall protocol. In addition, the students’ incidental vocabulary learning was assessed by the achievement score in the pre- and post- vocabulary tests. A series of two-way ANOVA were conducted. The findings indicated that two modified texts (simplified and elaborated) were more effective for students’ reading comprehension than the original text. Although the difference in the effect between simplified and elaborated texts was not significant, students who read the elaborated text tended to produce more detailed descriptions and richer expressions in the recall protocol. In addition, the elaborated text was most effective for incidental vocabulary learning, whereas the simplified text was found to be least helpful. No interaction effect was found between text type and students’ language proficiency, but it was found that the effect of text types was marginally different according to language proficiency in incidental vocabulary learning.

국가수준 학업성취도 평가 2019년~2021년 고등학교 영어과 인지적∙정의적 특성 변화 추이 분석

The present study was designed to look into the tendency of the educational achievements and the affective features of Korean high school students on the English language from 2019 to 2021 under the revised 2015 national curriculum. In order to serve the purpose of the current research, student performance was analyzed based on the four performance levels of the four language skills and on such competencies as English communication and knowledge-information processing skills. The results showed that the performance of the students in the top two achievement levels especially on the speaking skill had fallen as far as over fifteen percentage points from 2019 to 2021. In addition, concerning the perceptions on the English language, the participating students tended to have thirty to forty percentage points less self-efficacy and interest than value and learning motivation. In sum, a wide variety of supporting policies need to be developed in order to make up for the lowered English speaking skills and to help those in lower achievement levels improve their English language ability as well as increase their self-efficacy and interest in English.

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fast foods deteriorates adolescents' mental health.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and fast-food consumption is significantly associated with adolescents' poor mental health. Furthermore, sugar-sweetened beverage and fast-food consumption might form clustered diet patterns with significant positive associations in adolescent high school students. Thus, the combined consumption of SSBs and fast foods may have more negative effects on mental health with synergetic effects than the sum of their independent consumption. This study aimed to identify the effects of combining the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fast foods on mental health, including stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation among Korean high school students. Secondary data from 24,006 high school students were analyzed from the 17th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, 2021. For statistical analysis, complex sampling analysis using the SPSS Statistics 26.0 software was applied for descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. In Korean adolescents, combining more than medium consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fast foods was associated with more stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation than their independent consumption. In addition, combining high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and low to high consumption of fast foods might have dose-dependent negative effects on stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents. Based on the results of this study, healthcare providers in schools and communities might develop various interventions including school/community-based feeding programs and policies targeting the restriction of SSB and fast-food consumption to improve adolescents' mental health.

An exploratory study on learner agency and second language writing practices of Korean high school students

This qualitative study explores Korean high school students’ exercising of agency in processing and producing L2 writing. Data were collected from off-line and online interviews, field notes, and other written materials over the course of two years and analyzed from a social view of agency (Ahearn, in: Jaspers, Östman, Verschueren (eds) Society and language use, John Benjamin Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 2010; van Lier in Sociocult Theory Teach Second Lang 163:186–193, 2008). The students’ engagement in varied L2 writing projects and their writing artifacts consistently showed their enhanced awareness of linguistic and other semiotic resources which resulted in their frequent and continuous use of multiple languages and other placed resources. Meanwhile, they developed their strategies and reshaped their L2 writing practices considering the given context, placed resources, and their funds of knowledge. Findings from this study provide valuable insights into the open possibilities of EFL students’ exercise and development of agency, which is an increasingly necessary feature of life-long learners in the post-pandemic era.