South Korea’s K-12 School System Darryle Boyd EDTC 645 Dr. Blesh April 20, 2011

Introduction Today’s students live in a global society and when they graduate, they are very likely to be key players in the global economy (Peters, 2009). There are also global lessons to be learned in education. Countries whose students perform lower on international tests in reading, math, and science may be able to learn valuable learning strategies from higher-performing countries.

South Korean Educational Culture Based on the teachings of Confucius, which states that knowledge is the key to wealth and enlightenment. The goal today is to produce productive citizens. Morality and discipline are important parts of education. Teaching is a highly respected profession. Source

South Korean Educational Administration Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST) Metropolitan and Provincial Offices Regional Offices Local Schools Structure is hierarchical. Decision-making occurs at the top (Lee, n.d.).

Characteristics of the South Korean School System Strong focus on Social Studies, Science and Math. Mastery of English is required for student success.

South Korea’s overall PISA scores in reading and math have been in the top five worldwide (Lee, n.d.) for most of the last decade. Characteristics of the South Korean School System PISA 2009 results. pisa/2009

Development of physical skills through play and organized sports is accomplished outside the classroom. It’s importance is deemphasized. Characteristics of the South Korean School System Physical Education Science, Math Social Studies

Characteristics of the South Korean School System Technology is readily available in classrooms but is not the predominant tool used for teaching. Depending on the subject, it can be considered a distraction from learning. Image Source Page:

Characteristics of the South Korean School System Professional technology training is not offered by the administration. Teachers learn from a technology teacher on staff. They also learn technology from their students (Personal Communication, 2011). source

Learning environment is competitive. Societal success is strongly dependent on students success in school. Characteristics of the South Korean School System Image Source Page:

Private tutoring is used heavily to support student educational success. Characteristics of the South Korean School System Image Source Page:

Parents are an important part of South Korean students education. They have a “zeal” for their children’s education and make sacrifices to get extra help for their children when they need it (Lee, n.d.). Characteristics of the South Korean School System Source Image: blogs.nyu.edu

Characteristics of South Korean School System Extreme Competition for College Entrance Low confidence in school education High private expenditure for tutoring Image Source: mynokiablog.com

Weaknesses of the South Korean School System Technology may be under used. Research shows that ICT can improve science learning for low-performing Korean students (Park, Kahn, and Petrina, 2009). Over-zealous, one-dimensional studying and emphasis on testing does not encourage creativity or innovation which is an important asset for success in the global community (Autoblog, 2010). Government decides what is best for nation and sometimes these decisions do not benefit the educational system. The dominance of governmental priorities “restricts educational reforms” ( Kim, 2005). Teaching styles often lack innovation which limits use of newly evolved teaching methods (Li, 1998)

Lessons that the US can learn from the South Korean School System Use technology judiciously. Do not use technology for technology’s sake. Emphasize science and math. Skills learned in these classes are the most useful in the global economy. South Korean teachers get paid more than US teachers but they work fewer hours and their students perform better on standardized tests. The US educational system must find ways to maximize the time and money they put into educating their students (Lee, n.d.). Decrease emphasis on sports. Work to lower its prominence in school culture and decrease the number of hours spent attempting to excel in sports.

Conclusion South Korean school systems are amongst the best in the world. Country emphasizes science and math which are important for global success. Group culture can inhibit innovation from students and limit educational reform. The US can improve its standing in the world by incorporating some of South Korea’s educational practices in reference to math and science.

References Kim, K. S. (2005). Globalization, statist political economy, and unsuccessful education reform in South Korea, , Education Policy Analysis Archives. 13(12). Retrieved from Lee, Mee-Kyeong. (n.d.). The PISA results and the education system in Korea. Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE). Park, H., Khan, S., Petrina, S. (2009). ICT in science education: A quasi experimental study of achievement, attitudes toward science, and career aspirations of Korean middle school students. International Journal of Science of Education. 31, 8. pp Personal communication. (2011). Interview with Gyung-Gi-Do on April 22, Peters, L. (2009). Global Education: Using Technology to Bring the World to Your Students. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education