본 연구에서는 한자를 기반으로 하는 지구과학 용어의 이해정도를 살펴보고 활 용방안을 제시하고자 한다. 기존의 연구에 의하면 한자는 지구과학의 개념을 이해 하는데 도움이 되지만, 한자에 대한 지식이 부족하면 지구과학의 개념을 파악하는 데 오히려 장애가 된다. 초등학교 3학년에서 6학년까지의 과학교과서에 게재된 지구과학 관련 용어의 70%에서 80%는 한자에서 유래되었다. 9학년에서 한자기 반 지구과학 용어의 이해정도는 한글과 한자를 함께 제시할 때 보다 효과적이다. 10학년에서 한자기반 지구과학용어는 한자의 뜻과 음을 자세히 설명할 때 이해정 도가 향상되었다. 대학의 자연과학 전공 교육에서는 한자기반의 용어가 고등학교 에 비해 급격히 증가한다. 따라서 새로운 지구과학의 용어를 완벽하게 이해하기 위해서는 한자에 대한 별도의 교육이 필요한 상황이다. 또한 한자는 대학교육에서 새로운 학술정보를 습득하는데 매우 유용하며, 외국어로 기술된 과학문서를 명확 히 번역하는데도 매우 효율적이다. 이 논문을 통해, 지구과학 용어를 효율적으로 이해하기 위한 새로운 교과서 표기방법을 제안한다. 즉, 교과서에서 한자기반 용 어에 대해서는 한자를 병기하고, 한자의 의미를 제공하는 형태이다. 또한 교과서한쪽에 사전식 용어 풀이를 제공한다면 보다 효과적일 것이다.

The purpose of this study is investigation of understanding levels and utilities of the earth science educational terms written by Chinese characters. Kim and Koh (2003)'s analysis of the earth science concerned vocabularies in science textbooks for 3rd to 6th grades of elementary school. In the books, earth region vocabularies were derived from 70% to 80% words of Chinese, below 10% of pure Korean, and other languages. Jeong et al.(2007) analyzed 9th grade(middle school grade of the Korea) students' understanding about the earth science terms written by Chinese characters depending on their learning style and attitudes toward science. They selected the eight students, the students were judged middle level of science. Students were divided into four groups: verbal-high attitude toward science, verbal-low attitude toward science, visual-high attitude toward science, and visual-low attitude toward science learners. Researchers had three types of questionnaires including Korean character type, picture type, and Korean and Chinese characters type to how developing the students' understanding about the earth science terms written by Chinese characters. The results of data indicated that the 9th grades students' understanding showed no significant difference by their different learning style, and yet demonstrated higher level of understanding in Korean and Chinese characters type questionnaire rather than Korean characters type only or picture type. On the other hand, the level of students’ understanding both in Korean characters type and picture type was equal. In conclusion, it seems more effective learning earth science terms written by Chinese characters when they were provided with both Korean and Chinese characters.Jeong et al.(2007) analyzed 10th grade students’ understanding level about earth science terms written in Chinese characters according to learners’ characteristic. In older to investigate the responses followed their various characteristics, first of all, proper scientific terms were selected, and then corresponding questions about them were offered as subjects, which consisted of Korean characters type, picture type, and Korean and Chinese characters type. During paper test and interview, the questions were given to fifteen students from general high school. The results of the study are as follows; Students in formal operation level and field independency answered very well and also the terms of Chinese characters type and picture type improved the students' understanding and memorization. Generally, Chinese characters have more positive influence on their learning than negative. Therefore, in general, it seems that more effective to explain the sound and meaning of terms in detail. In addition to give learners enough time to draw a picture about each terms by themselves when scientific terms are delivered to students in Chinese characters in class.Lee et al,(2002) investigated that whether 11th grades students with more knowledge of Chinese Character get higher academic adaptability in inquiry activities using the concept and understanding level of earth science terms than the students with less knowledge of Chinese Character. They analyze which relationship exist between two groups. The students with more Chinese Character knowledge show high understanding level and high corrected answer rate in inquiry questions. However, the students with little knowledge also high corrected answer rate in inquiry question, but there is only a little difference on the level of concept understanding for earth science education is linearly connected from elementary school to high school. In a prior study, researchers reported that Chinese Character learning will help understanding concept better but the lack of knowledge about Chinese Character will not be obstacle to understand the concepts in earth science, futhermore to do inquiry activities using the concept. Under the college education, however, science terms written by Chinese characters in science major tend to compare with the highschool abruptly. In order to get a complete concepts of new science terms, learning of the Chinese characters is needed. In conclusion, Chinese Characters learning will help understand new knowledge in college education and is very efficient at translation of science literatures written by foreign language without confusion.

이 연구의 목적은 9학년 학생들의 학습 양식과 과학에 대한 태도에 따라 한자기반 지구과학용어에 대한 이해 수준을 알아보는데 있다 연구 목적을 위해, 과학과 성취수준이 중간 순위 학생 8명을 선발하였으며, 이들을 시각적 학습자이자 과학에 대해 높은 태도를 가진 학생, 시각적 학습자이자 과학에 대하여 낮은 태도를 가진 학생, 언어적 학습자이자 과학에 대해 높은 태도를 가진 학생, 언어적 학습자이자 과학에 대해 낮은 태도를 가진 학생 그룹으로 분류하였다. 이들의 한자기반 과학용어에 대한 이해수준을 확인하기 위해 한글 표기형, 그림 표현형, 한자 음 훈 병행 표기형의 형태로 세 가지 형태의 질문지가 개발되었다. 이 질문지들로 9학년 학생들의 응답 자료를 수집한 결과, 학습 양식에 따른 차이는 없었으며, 한글 표기형이나 그림 표현형 보다는 한자 음 훈 병행 표기형에서 높은 이해수준을 보였다 따라서 중학생들에게 한자기반 과학용어를 제시할 때 한자의 음과 훈을 동시에 제공한다면 학생들의 과학용어 이해에 효과적일 것이다.