CRW2 Education
March 16, 2017
According to some people, particularly the students who I have taught, the Korean education system needs reforming. Well, here is a chance to have a say in how you think it should be changed.
Students: The Korean Ministry of Education would like input on how to make a better system. Please recommend one change and explain your reasoning.
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English Language Pages 
Anything in that Korean education system I would like to change is relative evaluation. There are two following reasons of this.
First of all, The evaluation disadvantages due to the forced allocation ratios can only happen in the relative evaluation. That is no matter how well I score, I might get a bad score if someone do a little better. In my case, when I am a high school student, I score completely same with my friend on test, performance assessment, and anything that related with score. Originally, we can get a A grade on that subject but, we cannot help getting B grade due to assigned ratio such as A grade is only accepted by 4% per all students. Like this, sometimes these things happen at university.
Secondly, Relative evaluation encourages competition. In case of absolute evaluation, we just do own things ourselves in contrast relative evaluation. The shining example of this is my sister who is high school student now. She said that as the day went on, everyone seems to be selfish. The day before performance evaluation, my sister was tired, so she wanted to go to sleep for a while and asked her friend to wake her up after 10 minutes. But, her friend does not wake up my sister. Like this, most of students thinks that her or his friends as enemies.
In Korean education system, the most serious problem is the monotonous teaching methods. Today’s teaching method has lots of problems and it should be changed variously because of the following reasons.
First of all, the monotonous teaching methods disturb students’ critical thinking skill. In current teaching method, mostly, classes are consisted with only lecture also the exams are taken by paper test. In this way, teachers are knowledge messenger, and students take the knowledge thoughtlessly. Also, there is always an answer in one problem since the tests are consisted with questions choosing what is correct. So that students don’t have to think critically, and they just memorize what is the answer.
Other problem is that students can not express what they learn clearly, even though they have lots of knowledge in their head. It is because they have never learned how express their thinking. In current school, students take lecture, which means that they only listen to their teacher, write down what he or she said and memorize that. They may have no opportunity to talk about what they learn or how they think about the theme.
For these reasons, the teaching methods should be changed. If some various teaching methods such as discussion, presentation or oral test, were instituted in class, students could also improve their various skills.
Maybe, the most valuable thing that we can learn from experiencing Korean education system is the greatness of effort. if you decide and try to study hard, certainly, you will be gotten high score than before because you just do memorize all the things in your books. But I think this is the problem.
Of course, it is good to know for students that the effort never betray them. However, not only Korean education system is leaning toward the memorizing, but also it causes creativity of students to decline gradually. Korean students usually study only to find right answer. They prefer to find answer more fast and easily rather than to understand principle of theory. For this, they lose how to think and find right way when they meet very difficult problems. So I think it is very natural that they suffer pain when they become university students.Because it is the almost first time to they to learn how they think and find the way logically.
So I think Korean public education needs to teach students how to think logically and deeply. For this, ministry of Korea education must increase the time of debate class. Also method of exam needs to change from multiple choice to subjective questions. Sure, it is hard to change our education system like this because of budget or time. But it is certain that Korean education system needs to be redefined.
Most of students would agree that Korean education is effective in some way. They would also agree that it also ruins the creativity of students as much as it is effective. Teaching by rote is not a method that could enhance student’s creativity and feel free to tell one’s opinion. Almost all the Korea’s educating subjects are teaching by rote.
When I was in Canada elementary school, the teacher and students were always communicating during the classes. The students could say one’s opinion, and they seemed they were not afraid to show their ideas. The class was usually like discussion after reading the novel. On the contrast, when I came back to Korea middle school, I barely had a time to express my opinion. Because the subject did not require students’ opinions but to memorize.
To make matter worse, the company always say they want creativity to university students who are preparing for the job. The company is demanding creativity to students who have been studying 12 years of learning by rote. I found this paradoxical.
In short, students should have classes that sparks the creativity. I think students should have a chance to show their opinions freely and exchange others thinking too. By doing it, it could make students more mature and imaginative.
If I recommend one thing to change to make a better Korea’s education system, I would like to change the curriculum of mathematic to easier.
When I was in middle school and high school, I was not good at math. It was always my hardest subject to study. I tried to study hard and invest the time but the result was not good. The point is that not only I but also other students had difficulties.
The difficult curriculum encourages an advance study so most of the student do not study mathematics in school. Students study mathematics in the academy or by a private tutor. Some student even gives up study mathematics and also me, either. It is a big problem that students do not listen teachers class in school and ineffective way for both teachers and students.
I heard from a friend who studies abroad that the level of mathematics is easier than Korea. In United states, student use calculator. I think this system is more practical than the way we study math. We need mathematics in our life but nowadays, Korean education system requires too deeply than its usage.
Thus, if the Korean Ministry of Education alleviates the standard of math subject lower, the student will more happily study and it will help students to follow the class without advance study.
Korea has its particular style of education. This has been controversial for the past few years. Some people say it’s effective because it makes students competitive and work hard. Those are the reason why advocates believe that is positive influence to students. However in my point of view, the entire system has big problem. To be honest I did not received Korean education therefore I do not know much about it, but even as a third party, I could find problems easily.
Among several problems, I think the biggest and most serious problem is standardized education. In order to rank students one through end, Korean students take a great number of tests which has only one answer for their entire six years of middle school and highschool. If combined elementary school, number become bigger. Which means it’s all about memorization. No further deepen thinking.
Society, teachers and parents all force them to memorize things without questioning, doubt. Expect them to just to get ‘good grades”. There’s where information is injected indiscreetly to students and make them shut their mouths down. Continuity of this vicious circulation, in some point between six years, students lost their ability and willingness to think critically and creativity.
Finally they become people who accept and believe every information just as told. See complex and issues in only black and white.
If i could suggest my idea to the Korean Ministry of education, even if it sounds too hollow, i would like to say please just get rid of all ranking things and test, fill out curriculum with discussion and critical thinking classes instead. Let both students and teachers to be able to listen to each other and embrace every opinions from each and every single person. Even though those are different from their own.
I think Korea’s education system has a lot of problem. Actually everything is problem. However, if I only can change one, I would like to reform the high school education system so that students can find what they are good at or want to do for living. Right now for three years of high school, students only study for Korean SAT to enter better university. I want to reform this system into three separate year of educational system. At first year, study basic academic works for extension of middle school, and take aptitude test and personality test to find what students are strong at and interested in. Second year, make class by students who has common interest or talent. Than support each class with different method and help students to experience there dream job. At last year, school and company make agreement that company help third year students to intern at the company. Therefore students can chose whether they will enter university to study more for the expert knowledge or work right away. I think this reformed system can bring three advantages.
First, students’ stress of studying will be decreased because they study what they really want to do. Based on the research Korea has one of the highest teenage suicide rate. Most of the teenage suicide is due to stress of studying. Second, Korean people mind of job could be changed. Many Korean prefer white color job and ignore blue and green color job. However reformed educations system can make Korean to think all occupations are equally honorable. Since, they get to choose what they are good at and like therefore at some point people will not think of high and low of job. Last but not least, this will bring positive effect to our society. Just by the two advantages that I described, can make better image of Korea. Moreover, it can place a person with the right talent in the right position.
In conclusion, if our education system reforms like what I think students will be free from stress, people will regard all occupations are equally honorable, and our country will have more talented people. I am not the only one who think like this, 안철수 who is candidate for president also want to reform education system like me. I do not support 안철수, however I agree and support his educational pledge. I hope one day Korean high school students can be in better society with better educational system.
My recommendation is that merger and abolition of Korean SAT subjects. Most of students of Korea are putting time into studying examination subjects because going to famous college is the highest goal for the students. The problem is that these examination subjects are not valuable to invest so many hours. A volume of subjects is just the few number of DVD discs. Studying is focused on how to solve examination question for itself. This is important reason of abnormal boom in private education. The world that young students would go on has been changing rapidly, but the students are being forced to a competition for itself. So I recommend that removing all the subjects except language and mathematics section in SAT those are basic skills. Then, we need new solution for education that would be suitable to new trends. Moreover, there is students’ growing need for chance to career exploration. The time remains after rearrangement must be used for it. It requires social agreement to invest our budget not to private education for entering university but for students being people who they want to be.
It is the generally accepted fact that the educational system in Korea is hyper-competitive. Korean teenagers are under heavy stress from the hyper-competitive educational environment and harsh job market conditions. Most of the young students in Korea are forced to conceal their talent in order to ‘survive’. For this reason, I’d like to change the root of the Korean educational system and environment.
The most important thing for the change would be making various options for students. Options could be given to the club activities, curriculums, student’s academic careers, or the autonomy itself. The more choices like various club activities, curriculums, academic careers available, the more likely they could find their real ‘dreams’. Korean society usually emphasizes the financial and social success. This social consciousness leads students to chose standard careers such as a doctor, teacher, scientist, lawyer, and so on. It doesn’t mean that these jobs are negative. The point is that the preference of certain professions might give teenagers wrong ideas about all work is ‘not’ equally honorable. If various options were given to the student from the educational system, they could choose what they really want, and finally, they could make their own life by themselves, not by somebody else around them.
The biggest problem in Korean education is over-obsession with scores. Of course, in any society this part exists, but in Korea seems to be even more problematic because it is so commonplace.
Such education can lead to two problems.First, private tutoring is increasing. This is for students to learn skills to get a higher score than others. Although the original purpose of private tutoring is to help with the study, many academics now teach only the skills and methods to raise students’ scores.
Second, because students are only focus on getting high scores, students lack the ability to think creatively.
Education in Korea can be called one-sided education, which is simply a one-sided teaching by the teacher, and do not need students to think about just let the students to memorize them. So that, students are not easy to think creatively.
For these reasons, the methods of teaching shoud be changed, for examples, discussion, presentation and so on, also the way ro assess students’ learning levels should be changed in a variety of ways.
If I were a Ministry of Education, I would like to change two things.
One is about what students learn and the other is about school beginning time and closing time.
There are two main sources for people to get knowledge. The one is through books and the other is through experience.
Korean schools are too focused on books. They must introduce more actual experiencing education systems. For example, school can introduce more field trips and more art, music and physical education programs. Students have to learn more experience and learn from experience, not from books.
To spend more time out of school, school must reconsider about school beginning time. School must decrease the time which spent in the classroom. For this, school must reset the beginning time from 9A.M to 10:30A.M. Also, School must reset the closing time from 7P.M to 3P.M.(Current closing time is differ from the school, In my experience, I left my school10 P.M) Students must spend more time in their home, concert halls, museums, gym and nature. School must follow noninterference policy. School must let students go out of school.
If I have a power to change Korean education system, I would recommend to The Korean Ministry of Education that we should evaluate students more frequently when entering college.
One of the most apprehensive problem of Korean education is that the weight of Korea scholastic ability test, called SooNeung or KSAT, is high. This test is an universal method to students who want to enter the college. But, because it performs once a year, its importance is very large. It means that if you lose your chance during the test, you should study one year more to get another chance. It increases anxiety, and provokes immoderate private education. Students learn skills in private education how to solve and memorize the problem quickly. Furthermore, the test itself is intent on breaking a trap to make confusion to students.
To solve this problem, Korean education system should be changed to evaluate students in having diversification. Performing KSAT twice in a year and choose the better score would be a solution. Another solution is that decreasing the university quota through KSAT and giving more chance without passing the college entrance examination.
if I can change education systems, I would like to reform the high school education systems.
First, high schools should expand physical education class. High schools in my country are now scheduling shorter time for physical education class and they also planning to increase the number of English and math class hours for high school students. However, physical education class is essential for students, because student don’t have enough time to exercise. During physical education time, students can exercise and learn how to take care of their bodies. Furthermore, as the saying goes, “A sound mind in a sound body.” Through physical education class, they can have a health body and healthy mind.
Secondly, they should organize more job experience programs for students. There are many great occupations in Korea. However, most of students don’t know well about the kind of jobs, so it is difficult to decide their future careers. Experiencing different kinds of working area will help them focus on and realize more specific dreams. In addition, it give motivation to the student and they can study more hard.
In summary, if I have a chance to change education in high school, I will expand phsical education class and make more job experience programs for students.
In recent years, private educational institutes that are called Hakwon in Korea, no longer teach students over 10p.m., because Korean Ministry of Education prohibited that for students to ensure their sleep. Nowaday, it looks like that excessive extracurriculum has been decreased, but unlike the weekdays, students still have to spend their time to studying at the “Hakwon” in weekend. Therefore, it seems that they don’t have no holidays for rest. I would like to input the prohibition of private lessons in holiday, so students can get their holidays again. Although this action might be economical loss to teachers who are working in private institutes, it means that it can lower the costs of private lesson and lighten pressures on students’ shoulder. And both the prohibition of lessons over 10p.m. and weekend prevent students from overnight study and excessive lessons that concetrated on weekend, they can create the synergy effect for giving more flexible conditions to students. I think parents also agree this implement, because most of them reluctantly let their kids go Hakwon for them not to be dragging behind. Furthermore, students will be take less private lessons than in public school, schools will regaion their authority as main educational institue. In summary, I think that this guaranteed weekend will be most effective and simple solution than other complicated regulations that are dramatically enforced as reorganization of school system.
There are some strong points in Korean education. However, many people argue that the one-way education system of Korea may limit children on their creativity.
I I can reform the education system of Korea, I would incorporate critical reading and writing, and discussion section into the regular school curriculum, to give students opportunities to think in their own language. The one thing I’ve learned at university is that I must have my own thoughts about everything. Because the state education in Korea encourage students to “answer”, not “think”, it is very difficult to have that. Therefore, If I can input a change in education system of Korea, I will enable children to have their creativity by encourage them to think.
Problems of Korean Education System
South Korea has a compulsory teaching system.
; After school..Compulsory education…!!?
These days, high school students have a lot to study.
It is a system that can not leave school until 11 pm.
Korean students study day and night.
There are many students who get scold by parents when doing exercise with their friends.
The reason is because physical strength is reduced.
Korean parents ask their children to study harder with their physical strength.
When the system goes away,
Korean students can exercise freely and make sure their lives will become brighter.
If I have a chance to change the Korean education system, I want to make a test that students can express their opinion. When I was an elementary, middle, and high school student, there were many objective tests that had five options. We always had to find the only one answer among those options. Sometimes, we don’t know which one is the answer then we choose one answer randomly. We couldn’t show our personal thought in these kind of test. I think this test prevents us from expanding our thought. Since the answer was already given, it’s hard to think in a totally different ways. Also, students will just memorize the answer without understanding to get high score for the test. For these reasons, it would be good to give one comprehensive question that doesn’t have the only one correct answer. There is no specific answer. If students write or speak confidently what they know, that will be one answer. They have to express their personal opinion about what they learned. It is not the test that students have to memorize and say all the details. It encourages students to do their own thinking. They don’t have to worry about getting low score. They will get high score by showing what they studied.
In Korea, students don’t have an opportunity to have an essay question. There are many reasons but one of the reasons is that it’s hard to grade on essay question. I think, however, schools have to help students raise their various abilities. It no more important just grading score by giving objective tests. Someday, they need to express their idea in university or workplace. Therefore, it would be good education to give a chance that presents oneself.
[Seung Joon Oh] Edited Version
Before talking about the changing Korean education system in a good way, we need to stick to the background. There is a fundamental problem related with education system. Even if we change some parts of education system for good, effectiveness of the changes are likely to be temporary.
Korea is a country with excessive number of population, but with small territory and little natural resources. Human resource is the only one that Korea has. Having that said, the hyper-competitive circumstances are inevitable in schools or work places to survive and be selected as the “useful” ones.
I know that many of Korean people are complaining about our current education system, especially for that it is too competitive and not considering the creativity of the students. However, even if we change some parts (surface parts, not considering the fundamental) for ensuring creative activities of students, in ways like guaranteeing the discussion sessions, time for physical , art, music education an (what most Koreans are dying to say), what will be changed then? Can we mitigate the hyper-competitive atmosphere which is the core of the problem that current education system has? The main problem is the hyper-competitiveness caused by the country’s circumstances. Without solving the fundamental issues related with the current situation of Korea, these surface-focused changes will not be the critical solutions, but temporary and even meaningless.
I just want to say that many of Korean people should focus on the fundamental part of the issue. Most Koreans miss out what is beneath the problem when they are talking about what is wrong with the education system.
South Korea’s education system and Chinese college are roughly the same, according to the college entrance examination scores. This test seems that it can decide people’s life, and had been exaggerated. This kind of phenomenon made the education in primary school and middle school look like that the purpose of learning is to cope with the exam. Students can not develop their study plan according to their own need reasonable. Of course, the formation of this situation has a basis reason: one thousand years Chinese continuation of the imperial examination system can be unfailing, is because it has achieved relatively fair selection system.
I heard that some of the country’s education is this form: from the beginning of school to the university entrance exam, the final score is added up for each semester, each school year, all around development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetics and labour education are are contained in the score. This method can solve the problem of oriented education system psychology, and pay more attention to the process of learning every day. But the ideal education system in my heart is that: no scores, no comparison, no time limit. Only cultivate the ability, students can choose their course according to their own preferences, Students can learn by their own rhythm. And will not be forced to learn what they don’t want to learn. Because when entering society, ability is obviously more important than diploma and score.