This research is aimed at developing understanding-oriented elementary social studies economics unit based on understanding design model and at the same time confirming the possibility of applying the developed unit to an actual ground.
The substantial study issues this research intends to deal with are as follows:
1. In the understanding-oriented social studies economics unit applied by understanding design model what is the desired result?
2. In the understanding-oriented social studies economics unit applied by understanding design model what is the evidence of understanding?
3. In the understanding-oriented social studies economics unit applied by understanding design model what is the learning plan?
4. What is the result of application of understanding-oriented social studies economics unit based on understanding design model?
For this research, subject matter unit was developed according to the process of understanding design model and the class targeting 32 fifth-grade schoolchildren of an M elementary school located at Sungnam was conducted technical statistics and t-test was conducted to analyze the results of the prior & post test of social studies economic concepts, economic ability, and economic attitude and also the result of the performance tasks conducted in class by using SPSS V. 12.0.
Prior to unit development, this research conducted a demand survey on teachers and learners related a social studies subject and set up a research objective by finding out the realities of a social studies subject by each group.
The unit development procedures of this research-applied understanding design model are abjective establishment, assessment plan, and learning plan and unit development process is as follows:
First, this research analyzed the unit of <Economic life with people together> suggested in the current curriculum in relation to <Developing Economics in our city or district> which is the subject matter of development unit, through which this research confirmed that there exist some problems, such as its objective absent from essential questions, assessment absent from performance tasks, and learning plan centering on inducing acquisition of factual knowledge without deep relation to economic concepts and principles dealt with unit survey and also confirmed the necessity of unit development including objective, assessment, and learning plan on the basis of the understanding.
On the first stage, first, this research analyzed the contents of the related unit in the realm of knowledge and function to set up an objective, from which this research confirmed the separated elements without relation. Second through a related unit home and abroad, this research analyzed achievement standard and concepts of economic education. Third, this research systematized the knowledge corresponding to <Economic life with people together> into the structure of knowledge on the basis of the grad of ranks for 'enduring understanding' which belongs to fact, topic, academic concept, and inter-scientific concept.
Based on such procedures, this research set up "'enduring understanding' of the structure of knowledge makes a liberal decision in the free market economic system", "'enduring understanding' of the structure of knowledge solves the individual or social economic decision problem through the determination process." According to above outcome, this research structurized the related contents and reorganized the unit contents order and renamed the unit to <Economic life with people together>.
In addition, this research structuralize the knowledge and function related with reorganized unit and find out the realm from 'enduring understanding', and set up the unit objective central the realm. According to the procedures, the ultimate objective of the <Economic life with people together> is set up "understanding the problem-solving through the liberal decision in the free market economy for economic problem between scarcity of resource and desire of human beings."
To substantiate the established objective mentioned above, this research selected, through unpacking standard process, "Scarcity influences to goods and services, production, division, and consumption. ", "In the market economic system, economically liberal decision is possible and in accordance with it be compensated." "Supply and demand influences to the price of goods and services." "Desire solution from the relative shortage caused to the trade and mutual dependence."
In addition, for the perpetual understanding of the objective, this understanding, this research selected "What is the reason we cannot own what we want?", "How can we share out the resource with responsibility and fair.", "What is the result of the liberal economic selection?", "Can people be self-sufficient what they need all?", and "What are people doing for their shortage to have?" as essential questions inducing an continuous inquiry during class.
At stage two, this research made an analysis an assessment element that should be assessed in the unit of <Economic life with people together> to confirm whether to understand the established objective in terms of six sides, such as explaining, interpreting, applying, perspective, empathy, and self-knowledge. Each side has to do with the characteristic of the contents to be assessed and the performance assessment of the unit <Economic life with people together> was made in terms of explaining, interpreting, and applying. As for the tasks for performance assessment, this research administered three question items to more clearly confirm the evidence of the understanding of knowledge and function.
Performance assignment 1 <Production of our section>, performance task 2 <Price decision of the production> set up to assess the understanding of function based on understanding of knowledge and decision making process in the free market economic system. Performance assignment 3 <Concept map> set up to assess the understanding of function based on understanding of knowledge and data gathering as well as arrange, reasoned from between concepts in the free market economic system.
At stage 3 in understanding-oriented performance assignment blueprint, this research organized the blueprint of performance tasks to assessment of the unit objective based on performance tasks objective, understanding implicational objective, assessment subject, and performance tasks put in assessment standard. Performance tasks are three, performance tasks 1 and 2 was produced based on Mini-Society(Marilyn L.Kourrisky, 1983) and performance tasks 3 was produced based on a case of concept map (Kim, kyungja 1999) developed with CRESST attached UCLA. Performance tasks circumstantiated, performance tasks 1 and 2 to assess the understanding of function focus on understanding of knowledge and decision making process appears in the free market economic system, performance tasks 3 to assess the understanding of function focus on understanding of knowledge and data gathering as well as arrange, reasoned from between concepts in the free market economic system.
Performance tasks like above, made a big model with the performance assignment developing procedures, but in the tasks form, stated according to the GRASPS tasks fact, such as understanding design model, tasks form, Goals, Roles, Audience, Situation, Product, Performance, Purpose, Standards and Criteria for Success suggested by Wiggins and McTighe (2005). To verify the propriety degree of this performance tasks, presented the unit assessment objective, performance assignment blueprint, performance assignment activity paper, performance assignment grade standard to three specialists and verified the propriety degree according to the question on the performance assignment proper examination.
Development of grade standard divided and arranged the scale of the performance tasks according to presented standard every performance assignment blueprints, and then stated the grade standard according to performance level. Every grade standard about performance assignment is; in the performance task 1, consisted of demand and resources, decision-making, and communication; in the performance task 2, consisted of price decision on the demand and supply, take part in society; in the performance task 3, consisted of problem-solving process in the free market economy, understanding of concept connected with economic activities, analysis the data, reasoning, synthesis. The performance tasks are verified the propriety degree through three specialists.
At stage 3, this research sets up concrete 13 class-time learning plan for understanding and develops learning materials. WHERETO design element to set up for appropriate learning plan. That is 'Where are we headed', 'Hook the students', 'Explore & Equip', 'Review & Rethink', 'Exhibition & Evaluation', 'Tailored', and Organized. In 'W' element, this research suggested prior diagnosis and objective introduction, performance tasks and rubric on the unit of <Economic life with people together> and also confirmed the feasibility and value on the unit. In 'H' element, this research planned and implemented suggested the case of scarcity through the game, setting the 'a day market' and through this activities, performed check the demand, production, advertisement, sale, and consumption activities, which arouse interest and challenging mind in the unit of <Economic life with people together>. In 'E' element, this research offers vision to the rational selection for the shortage resource and to the necessity of the share ; learned about decision-making process ; information summary about demand investigation ; analyze the learning and suggest the assignment study so that learners can get a variety of experiences related to daily life. In addition, using the effective problem-solving strategy makes the successful running stores and offers learning to show the concept map with relative method among concepts. In 'R' element, this research induced learners to have an opportunity to re-consider, correct, and reflect on oneself and made brainstorming answer the investigation questions about that free market economic system, process of supply, and their concepts, what kind of effect, influence to our life based on self-assessment and feedback of their production and performance.
In 'E-2' element, this research tried to take part in the performance tasks using rubric as a guide for success in relation to R element. In 'T' element, this research offered an opportunity for playing a fitting role activities individual interest, production fixed up talent, advertisement, sale for learning reflecting learners' demand and ability. In 'O' element, this research reflected all design elements in WHERETO so that and selective with levels in relation to contents, process, and outcomes learners can go through with the process of "whole-part-whole", and " learning-practice-reflection" for the perpetual understanding of the proper unit. Consequently, on the basis of such design elements, this research finally set up 13 class-time learning plan on the subject <Economic life with people together>.
The result of the application of the developed unit mentioned above is as follows:
As a result of assessing the schoolchildren's understanding level concerning the expected objectives from them, first, analyzed the total assessment results reflected adding an extra weight, in the performance task 1, there appeared 28.1% upper level, 50.0% middle level, and 21.9% lower level ; in the performance task 2, there appeared 25.0% upper level, 65.6% middle level, and 9.4% lower level ; in the performance task 3, there appeared 34.4% upper level, 56.2% middle level, and 9.4% lower level, which is a measure to confirm their understanding of knowledge.
Analyzed the performance tasks results classified by realm, in the performance task 1, there appeared an average 2.19% high level grade at the decision-making realm, and the similer results at the demand and resource, communication. These results are judged the assessment to be affected because of students are cognized Decision-Tree that studied the applied progress in the prior learning class. In the performance task 2, there appeared an average 2.16% high level grade at the take part in the society realm, and an average 1.53% lower level grade at the decision price on tne demand and supply realm. These results are judged the difficulty that students apply the demand and supply to their real life. In the performance task 3, there appeared an average 2.09% high level grade at the understanding concept realm related with economic activities rather than analyzed the data, analysis, reasoning, synthesis realm. Performance assignment was graded based on the grade standard by 2 specialists and trust in each factor between the markers appeared .602-.848.
All test of the social studies economic realm concept, economic realm decision-making, economic realm interesting degree, economic attitude appeared significant.
First, there appears a statistically significant difference[p<.01] in economic realm concepts.
Second, economic realm decision-making was promoted[p<.01] on the whole; particularly, there appears a significant difference in understanding economic knowledge and investigation of value.
Third, economic realm interesting degree is promoted[p<0.1] on the whole;
Forth, economic attitudeit is also promoted[p<0.1] on the whole;
Fifth, through the analysis of the reports, many students answered that developed unit according to understanding design model process was too difficulty to most of students (78%) in the introduction, but they learned much from economics. And they answered that they learned much new idea through decision-making among the section members and they can use them profitably at the present and in the future.
This research, applied developed understanding-oriented economics unit for help 'enduring understanding' that remembered long time post learning rather than finding out a fragmentary fact at the economic phenomenon to students, confirmed what is the meaning of the understanding knowledge and function in social studies economis realm. That is, understanding of the economic phenomenon is realized not finding out a fragmentary fact, but further big realm including each facts.
On the basis of this research, this researcher proposes a follow-up research subject as follows:
First, teachers need a pose as a specialist who reconstructs curriculums to fix the class situation for raise the efficiency of study, not translator who translates curriculums already made by specialists to students. Of course, reconstruction is realized considered running time, unification among the subjects, a method of class, but grasp the structure of the knowledge in curriculums, understanding the realm students obtain through the curriculums, connecting the learning scene with the estimating scene, teachers make constant efforts to have the abilities.
Second, this research made an analysis of before-the-fact & after-the-fact change of economic concept, economic decision-making, economic interesting degree, economic attitude using a test paper in order to virify the unit with the development of the understanding-oriented the social studies and unit by using understanding design model. Such a research method was selected to make objective there of the developed unit, and enforced teacher's observation, report and interviews to complement the results. However, researcher cannot found out more official test paper based on economic realm concepts so used the concept paper developed by researcher and decision-making paper developed by a graduation thesis. This makes an unreasonable to verify a bit. Therefore, to ensure the possibility of the field application based on objectivity and trust of the developed unit needs official test paper assessing the various realm and wants to try actively developing the performance assessment.
Third, because of the theme of this research is only one unit, "Understanding-oriented Elementary Social Studies Economics Unit" for 4th grade, so couldn't develop unified other various realm of Social Studies units. Therefore, wants to try develop unified other various realm of Social Studies units and unified other understanding-oriented subjects.
Forth, the theme of this research needs to be the performance tasks, "Understanding-oriented Elementary Social Studies Economics Unit", of the same type but different kind to for whether to achieve objective or not. However, this research target was limited to only one unit, and that children have never taken this lessons, it was quite natural that there appeared very low possibility of children's performance in case pre-examination was conducted using the same tasks for performance assessment. Nevertheless, in the post research, developing the performance tasks of the same type but different kind to, we can state more correctly the growth change of the students. And spending many time to develop understanding-oriented unit, application of the performance tasks, and above all for marking the performance assessment at the learning plan, in the teacher's position. So that, wants to develop kerneled subject based on expert knowledge and technology in the developing of the complicated performance tasks mixed with many realms.
Fifth, this research analyzed the results quantitatively for the justice of the performance tasks marking to assess the understanding knowledge and function, not only dependent on the report and production, but also the assessment of the children's observation from the one of the three performance tasks. But as the qualitatively research on the progress practiced understanding-oriented curriculum, between schoolchildren's and the teacher's reciprocal action surveyed on the whole unit including the performance tasks or analyze the learning steps, which is the considerably ensured the possibility of the objective field application from the success factor the education connected with affirmation in results. Therefore, we need a qualitatively research on the development of the understanding-oriented curriculum unit and application.