This study aimed to investigate into students' learning behavior inside and outside of school. The features and factors of these learning cultures are studied as well.
The following specific questions were made to achieve the major purposed of this s...
This study aimed to investigate into students' learning behavior inside and outside of school. The features and factors of these learning cultures are studied as well.
The following specific questions were made to achieve the major purposed of this study.
First, how do students study in and outside of school ?
Second, what are the features of the learning cultures shown from the students' learning behavior ?
Finally, what are the factors affecting students' learning culture ?
Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for this research. Qualitative methods such as participant observation and in-depth interviews were conducted on 11 3rd grade students and 17 6th grade students from Sarang elementary school in the rural area. This was the long term study class. 10 3rd grade students and 10 6th grade students from the Heemang elementary school in the urban area were chosen for the short term subjects, Mar. 2003 to Feb. 2004. There were also interviews with teachers of earch class. Phone interviews were conducted with the elementary school supervisor at the Office of Education.
Quantitative methods of questionnaire, like the survey, were conducted on 340 3rd and 6th grade elementary school students from the North Jeolla Province.
The major conclusons were as following.
First, the students' learning in school is composed of 6 features. These are dual recognition on research, understanding & memorizing oriented learning, learning with textbook, participation in study for fun & interests, closed questions & closed answers, and learning for good grades. On the other hand, students' learning outside of school has 3 features. These are repetition & memorizing oriented learning, boring homework, and learning at institute for good grades.
Second, there are 6 features of the students' learning culture. These are learning of dependence led by others, learning the same content with the same way, test oriented learning, learning the same way as others, textbook oriented learning, and learning at actual space and cyber space.
Finally, there are 4 internal school factors that affect learning. These are frame of hours & content of curriculum as learning mechanism, participation in loaming by control on learning behaviors & hours, the learning atmosphere of requiring higher test grades, and homework that students do not like but should do. There are 3 external school factors as well. These are parents' over enthusiasm on the education, social awareness & practice prioritizing on grades, and scholarship oriented administrative & financial setup. Internal and external school factors are complex but work together rather than independently.
It could be concluded that different people may lead the learning culture of elementary school students. Textbook oriented learning in school is led by teachers. Outside of school, the parents lead the learning. Institute oriented learning for students in cities and homework oriented learning for those in the rural areas.