No. 152 / Jun 7, 2021
The Ministry of Education’s “2022 Revised National Curriculum Promotion Plan” was announced on April 20, and Ajou University president, Park Hyung-joo, was appointed chairman of the National Curriculum Revised Promotion Committee. The Ajou Globe (The AG) met with it president to discuss the value of education and communication among school students.
Q. You are the chairman of the 2022 National Curriculum Revised Promotion Committee, what educational values do you consider important to this curriculum?
A. Many changes have taken place. Life has changed significantly, for instance, the nation is currently adapting to online education due to COVID-19, while future generations will live with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Now is the time to think about what a person’s role is in the relationship between mankind and machines. When trends change and technology develops as quickly as it does these days, the ability to learn when necessary and solve projects when they arise is needed – more so than persons with expertise in specialized fields. Currently, talent awards are not given to people who know a lot, but people with problem-solving abilities. Thus, creative problem-solving through competency education is more important and valuable than education for knowledge.
Q. If “problem-solving abilities” are key in this revised curriculum, how should universities change accordingly?
A. In college, evaluating problem-solving abilities has become more important than evaluating knowledge. The type of project, problem solving, and experience will become more important at the college level. The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, for example, asks questions before classes, makes students think for themselves, and then proceeds with the lesson. In Korea, video lectures are substitutes for classes, but video lectures act as knowledge transfer textbooks at the EPFL. This class involves discussions, debates, and presentations, fostering objective thinking and excellent practical skills. Our universities should also switch to an approach to learning that asks questions first, and then solve them, not the other way around. Our school also has a system called Paran Semster, which allows hands-on experience and problem solving. However, I think this experience and problem solving need to be improved to facilitate learning.
Q. You said you were going to monitor the educational gap created by COVID-19, and The AG wonders how you think universities should change in response to this.
A. Due to online classes, the educational gap has widened, and the “middle level” has disappeared. This is because of problems such as the home environment and the digital divide. Thus, universities that focus on “middle level” students are confused about where to set the lesson difficulty level. It has become difficult even for one class to teach the same content, let alone content which should be customized and tailored to learning by level. Ajou University conducts customized learning based on AI. AI instructs each student on the part of the lesson that is lacking using a quiz. If students are willing to study, they can do so even if they are not ready. Last year, we incorporated it into three subjects in our school; grades increased and the percentage of failures decreased. In introducing this system, Ajou University has taken a leading role in learning by AI. Universities preparing for this shift expect a reduction in students’ learning frustration.
Q. “Book Club with the President” is a student activity that has been consistently made available, what are the criteria for the club’s book selection?
A. I get a list of books that students read a lot from our school library, which I also defer to in selecting best sellers. I also obtain recommendations from professors and students. The first book of the year was The Alchemist. All the books so far have been nonfiction, and this is the first fictional text. Originally, I did not choose novels because their interpretation changes from person to person, but I wished to send a message to students having a hard time with COVID-19 right now. For those who feel depressed and skeptical; I wanted to express an encouraging message that it is not meaningless to wander.
Q. Have you personally learned anything from communicating with students?
A. I learned about the concerns that young college students have. In particular, I realized that the employment problem has become rather serious. My college days were somewhat static and difficult, but it was still a time when I could get a job once I graduated. In fact, I actually paid more attention to the relationships between friends than employment anxiety. Now, however, students have anxiety about their future throughout their schooling. One sometimes even thinks of friends as competitors. Thus, I thought a lot about how to help students, and figured I should provide employment support. Internships are globally embraced nowadays and are almost essential; Students at our school are also trying to secure on-site internships, so we have opted to support internships more actively, and more. I think that, upon understanding what you are struggling with and what you want, I try even harder to give you more solutions.
Q. Finally, is there a message you want to send to the students?
A. I want to tell my students to get rid of their cynicism about the world! I think there are many opportunities for everyone. Yet, cynics often do not recognize an opportunity until it is gone. This is my personal experience: when I was studying in the United States (U.S.), I had to return to Korea without graduating; I could not pay my tuition due to sudden state financial problems. A few days before I returned to Korea, I happened to hear a story at the next table in the school cafeteria. For those who are struggling with academic problems that are difficult to solve, I am a stranger, but I have come to help. They offered me an opportunity for a joint study, and the crisis in my life was resolved that same day, when Professor I met offered me a scholarship. If I had had a cynical attitude, I would have just passed on that chance and returned to Korea, thinking, “Why don’t they know that?” Similarly, there are opportunities our students may be overlooking right now. I want to be a person who listens to and cares about other people’s work, instead of being cynical. If you become that kind of person, you can seize all the opportunities that you come across.
By Lee Noo-ri, AG Reporter
cabello@ajou.ac.kr
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