Professor
Center for Science Education

B.S. in Chemistry Education, 1988, Seoul National University
M.S. in Science Education, 2000, Korea National University of Education
Ph.D. in Science Education, 2007, Purdue University

Office: S-191
Phone: (812) 237-3011
E-mail: elsun.seung@indstate.edu

Research Interests

Knowledge for teaching
Dr. Seung is interested in the nature of professional knowledge for science teaching and the process of teachers' professional knowledge development. She believes that teaching any subject is a highly complex cognitive activity, and becoming a teacher is a process that involves developing specific types of knowledge and knowledge-based skills.

Reflection
In regard to teacher education, Dr. Seung believes that the biggest problem that preservice teachers face is bridging the theory/practice divide. Complementary to her research focus on teachers' development of professional knowledge is her interest in preservice teachers' development as reflective practitioners.

Nature of Science
Consistent with her research focus on teachers' development of knowledge for teaching, Dr. Seung's interest in a specific domain of science teacher knowledge is the nature of science. She believes that the preparation of scientifically literate students is a perennial goal of science education, and an adequate understanding of the nature of science is a central component of scientific literacy. Thus, the nature of science should be emphasized more in teacher education programs.

Recent Publications

Seung, E. (2023). Should student exploration always come before teacher explanation? In S. Jeong, L. Bryan, D. Tippins & C. Sexton (Eds.), Navigating the challenges of elementary science teaching and learning: Using case-based pedagogy to understand dilemmas of practice. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature.

Seung, E., Park, S., Kite, V., & Choi, A. (2023). Elementary preservice teachers’ understandings and task values of the science practices advocated in the NGSS in the US. Education Sciences, 13(4), 371. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040371

Kite, V., Park, S., McCance, K., & Seung, E. (2021). Secondary science teachers’ understandings of the epistemic nature of science practices. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 32, 243-264. DOI: 10.1080/1046560X.2020.1808757

Choi, A., Seung, E., & Kim, D. (2021). Science Teachers’ Views of Argument in Scientific Inquiry and Argument-Based Science Instruction. Research in Science Education, 51, 251–268. DOI: 10.1007/s11165-019-9861-9

Seung, E., Park, S., & Lee, M. (2019). The impact of a summer camp-based science methods course on pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching science as inquiry. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 30, 872-889. DOI: 10.1080/1046560X.2019.1635848

Seung, E., Choi, A., & Pestel, B. (2016). University students’ understanding of chemistry processes and the quality of evidence in their written arguments. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, 12, 991-1008.

Seung, E., Park, S., & Jung, J. (2015). Methodological approaches and strategies for elicited metaphor-based research. In W. Wan & L. Graham (Eds.), Elicited Metaphor Analysis in Educational Discourse, The Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Co.

Seung, E., Park, S., & Jung, J. (2014). Exploring preservice elementary teachers' understanding of the essential features of inquiry-based science teaching using evidence-based reflection. Research in Science Education, 44, 507-529.

Seung, E. (2013). The Process of Physics Teaching Assistants’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 11, 1303-1326.

Seung, E., Bryan, L., & Haugan, P. (2012). Examining physics graduate teaching assistants’ pedagogical content knowledge for teaching a new physics curriculum. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 23, 451-479.

Nam, J., Seung, E., & Go, M. (2013). The effect of a collaborative mentoring program on beginning science teachers’ inquiry-based teaching practice. International Journal of Science Education, 35, 815-836.

Seung, E., Park, S., & Narayan, R. (2011). Exploring elementary preservice teachers’ beliefs about science teaching and learning as revealed in their metaphor writing. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20, 703-714.

Seung, E., & Bryan, L. (2010). Graduate teaching assistants' knowledge development for teaching a novel physics curriculum. Research in Science Education, 40, 675-698.

Seung, E., Bryan, L., & Nam, J. (2009). Korean pre-service teachers’ understanding about the nature of science (NOS). Journal of the Korean Association for Research in Science Education, 29, 314-328.

Seung, E., Bryan, L., & Butler, M. (2009). Improving preservice middle grades science teachers’ understanding of the nature of science using three instructional approaches. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20, 155-177.

Park, S., & Seung, E. (2008). Creativity in the Science Classroom, The Science Teacher, 75, 45-48.

Bryan, L., Recesso, A., & Seung, E. (2008). An evidential reasoning approach to analysis of science teaching practices using a web-based video analysis tool. In L. Yew-Jin & T. Aik-Ling (Eds.), Science Education at the Nexus of Theory and Practice, Rotterdam: the Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Seung, E., Bryan, L., & Nam, J. (2005). Korean university students' philosophical stances of understanding atomic structure in terms of the Lakatosian view. Journal of the Korea Association for Research in Science Education, 25, 678-688.

Noh, T., Seung, E., Kang, H., Jeong, Y., & Kang, S. (2004). The effects of grouping method in thinking-aloud paired problem solving. Journal of the Korea Association for Research in Science Education, 24(6), 1063-1069.

Oh, H., Noh, T., Seung, E., Hong, J., & Kim, H. (2004). The effect of ICT-Based instruction on students' views about STS. The Korean Society of Biological Educator, 32(1), 79-89.

Noh, T., Kim, H., Kim, Y., Seung, E., & Hong, J. (2003). The change of students' views on the relationship between science, technology and society during the high school 'science' course'. Journal of the Korea Association for Research in Science Education, 23(6), 650-659.

Noh, T., Kang, S., Han, S., Jeon, G., & Seung, E. (2002). The effects of assigning cognitive roles in small-group discussion. Journal of the Korean Chemistry Society, 46(1), 76-82.

Seung, E., Nam, J., & Choi, B. (2000). The characteristics of formative assessments practiced in middle school science teaching from a constructivist perspective. Journal of the Korea Association for Research in Science Education, 20(3), 455-467.

Nam, J., Seung, E., Um, J., Kim, K., & Choi, B. (1999). Science teachers' perceptions and the status of formative assessment in science teaching. Journal of the Korean Chemistry Society, 43(6).

Hidden Science (with Jonghoo Hyeon, Jiyee Mun, Hongju Gweon), Woongjin.com Press, Seoul, volume 1, 2, 3 (1995).