Eng World!

Lord, you call me the light of the world light of the world, 

shone on me let me be the light of the world

a light that shines in the dark shines
for the world to see a city set on a hill can not be hidden

-from the song of "The Light of The World" 

A comparison of the South Korean and U.S. Educational System: Social Learning

Intro

As far as the international student’s viewpoint studying abroad from South Korea, I have concerned about why South Korea and the U.S. have a different educational fundamentals, divergence of opinions, and issues.  Especially, the Korean Open Education, started from 1996 and influenced from U.S.’s educational romanticism, has caused a variety of surplus of competitive institutions in Korea. However, the real education in the US was different than I experienced in Korea. Due to a differentiation of American rational traits and conceptions, the Korean Open Education could not be acceptable to Korean students. Compared to prepare for an annual entrance examination in Korea I experienced, United States encourages club activities to students. Moreover, US students are more independent in general social studies. However, as the sequence of this issue, US has faced with many social issues not neglecting.

The Educational Process

Due to the partition of the Korean peninsula according to Japanese occupation from1910 to 1945 and Korean War from 1950 to 1953, most Korean have a passive characteristic in terms of view of this period. That is the main reason why Korean has had successful rapid economic growth by the government. Being contrary to other countries have fought a long time to obtain a freedom of democratic rights, South Korea have got a democratic basis easily influenced by United States.[1] However, 63 years of Korean democratic history, there are revolutions and struggles in the short period by students.[2]  Due to the lack of lower ground resources, Korean regards knowledge is a national strength.[3] Therefore, Korean considers an education is a remarkable fundamental of developing democracy. They thought an education for the examinations for entrance for a higher school and a higher social status is attached to most Korean parents. Due to 1988 Seoul Olympics and the consequence of rapid economic synergy effect, living expenses have increased, so women have to work to support the family. Both parents within the household are working full-time.

However, in the viewpoint of the US, US economy took hundreds of years to develop agricultural, industrial, and informational market. US have developed based on free socially acceptable idea and free-enterprise competitive economy market. Compared to Korea’s rapid politic development, US democracy took a long time industrial revolution, American War of Independence, and American Civil War. Therefore, it took little longer that women had a right to vote (August 26, 1920) and a period of women are pushed to the workforce. Then households have been dependent on more than one income since 1970’s.

Based on between United States and South Korea’s historical and social development process, in 2011, South Korea and United States student’s typical social habits for teenagers look similar. After school, most students hang out with friends, play games, watch television, and do internet. Therefore, their problems look almost same.

Reasons

Because United States and South Korea’s have a different social and national background, there are many difficulties. Most South Korea students rely on Hack Won, a sort of after private institute school. On the contrary, United States students have more musical, physical, and social activities than study.

As a result, it is shown remarkably in the 20’s and 30’s baby-boomer generation in South Korea, after facing with 1997 Asian financial crisis, South Korea has studied more competitively because Korean social structural organization did not admit most TOP three universities. Therefore, South Korean students have thoughts such as ‘I can earn more money if I study more.’ ‘if I study this field, I cannot be fired’. South Korean students have studied become for the top student when they are in elementary school, and they have studied to enter a well-known high school when they are in junior-high school, and they have studied one of the best universities when they are in high school, and they have studied for famous and well-paid job when they are in college student. This phenomenon is resulted in parents’ force and social ideology. Therefore, South Korean students do not have a real meaning of study but a method of achieving a goal.

On the contrary, American students certainly discriminate what they like or not. Because of their habitual characteristic, students tend to study one area they like most. That is why there are so many specified directions, so students have to plan by themselves. Consequently, there are many counselors, home room teachers, and psychologists motivating students’ school work. That is because the grade standard students have achieved is mostly absolute evaluation than comparative evaluation. More astonishingly, American regards the students own study depends on students’ own mind, every student can decide a right whether to study on their own when they turn into 16[4]. Therefore, the United States have a strong belief of studying to achieve a school work

For these reasons, American students has more high school dropout rate than Korean students. (Overall in Michigan: 77%)[5]. This is one of the significant reasons in the United States. Especially, students in the United States should consider the study is most important issue decide their upcoming future. Another important issue is American parents assume one attitude of an onlooker, so the students tend to change their major often. That is because they have no fundamental values in their life. As a result, the students have difficulties to get a job because they do not have perspective goal.

Therefore, the basic difference between South Korean and American parents is the role of supporting their children. It is a problem that South Korean parents determinate their children’s future and over-guide for them, and in terms of the United States parents, they over-respect their children’s life.

            In consequence, when the students turn into the adult, they tend to rely on their parents.  Students keep studying for the best job without the pleasant of understanding knowledge.  Their parents keep giving a financial support to achieve a best goal for them. On the other hand, American students are independent. Because of this there no proper guideline for all students, so it takes more time and money to fulfill their own goal.

After school

            South Korea’s education has developed well. In educational aspect of surplus of educational institutes helps students to choose a various decision. A study combined with school work and institute offers diverse opportunities to study because these educational institutions have researched how to teach students efficiently. In spite of this benefit, Korean students have Lack of creativity because they have been educated only one idea. They work as social expectation, so this causes another social norm in not only student’s generation but also adult’s.

            United States’ education indicates a different way to student to study. US’s after schools, especially club activities are believed beyond GPA and test scores when considering prospective college students. Therefore, most students have a different plan for preparing to because they are more variety and encourage creativity. However, students have poor study habits: the study requirement is minimal. They focus on more socialization and less on academics; for example, most students do part-time Jobs.

Proposals

            As A. Bartlett Giamatti said “A liberal education is at the heart of a civil society, and at the heart of a liberal education is the act of teaching.” Compared to expectations about United States and South Korea’s education, there are many similarities such as typical students’ habit, students have influenced by their parents, and both countries have fought a better solution for students, parents, and teachers. Therefore, government should offer a realistic solution for students, parents, and teachers. This fact indicates government should research deeply and correctly to understand the educational and social difficulties of communicating among students, parents, and teachers.

            However, people realize the parents’ different reaction could result in different students educational habits between South Korea and the United States. It is important Korean parents should lessen to make their children’s career, and the United States’ parents should help to find a real value in their children’s own life.