한국과 북한의 초등학교와 중등학교 과학 교과서의 학습내용을 TIMSS의 분석틀에 따라 비교하고 그 연계성을 조사하였다. 분석 결과 한국과 북한의 과학 교과서 내용은 TIMSS 지구과학 영영 내용 분석틀의 학습요소들을 상당히 많이 공통적으로 다루고 있으나 그 내용의 수준과 범위는 한국의 교과서가 북한의 교과서보다 탐구적이고 정량적으로 기술되어 있는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 TIMSS의 지구과학 영역 내용 분석틀의 내용요소 총 70개 중에서 한국은 74.4%에 해당하는 52개의 내용요소가, 북한은 67.1%에 해당하는 47개의 내용요소가 초 · 중등학교에 각각 반영되어 있고, 학교급간 관련 정도는 한국의 경우 초등학교와 중등학교 간의 관련성이 높은 반면에 북한은 고등학교 내에서의 관련성이 더 높게 나타났다. 한국과 북한의 과학 교과서 내용요소의 연계성 유형은 한국의 경우 13.4%가 중복, 77.0%가 연계, 9.6 %가 격차를 보였다. 그리고 북한은 14.9%가 중복, 63.8%가 연계, 21.3%가 격차를 보였다. 이로써 한국의 과학 교과서의 내용이 북한에 비해 보다 탐구적이고 정량적으로 기술되어 있으며, TIMSS의 지구과학 내용요소가 보다 많이 반영되어 있고, 내용(개념)의 연계가 보다 잘 이루어져 있음이 밝혀졌다.

This study aims at identifying the characteristics of current science curriculum in several countries in terms of its format, aims and objectives, contents and guidelines. Each country has its own characteristics of science curriculum, also common characteristics among many countries. Firstly, the format of sicence curriculum in Eastern countries is very different from that of Western countries. Western countries have the curriculum format which includes characteristics and needs of science education, philosophy and background, characteristics of learner, teaching strategy and teaching materials, but Eastern countries have the curriculum format which includes only objectives, contents, and guidelines. Secondly, the aims and objectives of science curriculum in Eastern countries focus on scientific knowledges and concepts, while those of Western countries emphasize scientific methods and attitudes. Thirdly, the contents of science curriculum are very similar regardless of eastern countries or western countries. In other words, all countries included in this study emphasize biological science and earth science at lower grade level and physical science at upper grade level. Especially the observations and learning through curiosity are suggested at lower grade level, and logical reasoning is emphasized at upper grade level. Finally, the guidelines of science curriculum in eastern countries do not suggest specific information about teaching contents, experimental methods, teaching-learning activities, evaluation methods, and teaching and learning materials, while those of western countries provide more specific information about them which teachers can utilize effectively.

An implementation study was conducted by analyzing the science curricula, surveying of the classroom activities, and the contents of the current science text books. Through this investigation, it was found that exist a discrepancies between the science curricula and current text books, the contents of the text books are just listing of informations and too hard compare the level of students activities. Furthermore, the current text books were prepared under the laboratory oriented approaching methods by emphasizing the inquiring processes. However, (at present. situations) the most schools could not carry out the objects of the current text books due to lack of instruments, laboratory facilities, and laboratory work books.