A prospective,longitudinal cohort study: The impact of child maltreatment on delinquency among South Korean youth in middle and high school

BackgroundCultural groups vary in how they understand child maltreatment and children's misbehavior and these cultural variations may impact the relationship between maltreatment and delinquency.ObjectiveThis study investigated the impact of maltreatment on delinquency among South Korean youth. Participants and Setting: Using Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey data, this study followed two cohorts of middle (n = 2,275) and high (n = 2,272) school youth for their first self-reported delinquency over 4 years.MethodDiscrete-time hazard model was used for the analyses.ResultsApproximately 19% of middle and 11% of high school youth engaged in delinquency for 4 years. Maltreatment is associated with delinquency only for high school youth (HR = 1.42). In both cohorts, male youth with high levels of aggression were more likely to engage in delinquency. Additional risk factors included high levels of depression (HR = 1.36) and negative attitudes toward school rules (HR = 0.68), father's education less than high school (HR = 0.63), low levels of self-control (HR = 0.63). Findings also identified culturally unique factors that place Korean youth at heightened risk of delinquency: mother's education more than high school (HR = 1.49) and higher family income (HR = 1.93).ConclusionPreventive interventions need to identify culturally specific risk factors for youth at increased risk of delinquency and thus these preventive interventions should be culturally tailored.     

Racism in Interracial Dating: A Case Study in Southern Culture and Fundamentalism

This article presents a case study of Bob Jones University (BJU), a fundamentalist Christian institution located in South Carolina that is known within the context of U.S. higher education for its conservatism on multiple levels. Our analysis traces the beliefs of the institution's founder and subsequent leaders, in addition to particular religious, cultural, and social influences, all of which shaped BJU's institutional policies, including the university's racial practices. We believe that BJU's policies can best be understood from the contexts of two primary influential forces: its Southern cultural heritage (specifically, the culture-of-honor that has existed within the Deep South of the United States) combined with its fundamentalist moorings. Although BJU's policies have historically differed markedly from other Christian institutions regarding racism, we believe that the present study may be helpful in illustrating important historical lessons that possess potential contemporary applications for higher education policy and prac-tices.     

Reconceptualizing kindergarten education in South Korea: a postcolonial approach

This article examines the relevance of postcolonialism in early childhood education, with special reference to the kindergarten education system of South Korea. Most of the research on Korean kindergarten education has conceptualized it as preparing children for their later schooling and helping them learn the moral and social values most desired by society. In order to problematize such a monolithic conceptualization of kindergarten education, this article intends to reconceptualize it by analysing Korean kindergarten education in the context of its postcolonial condition. Using a postcolonial framework and Foucault's concepts of power and discourse, this article provides significant insights into reclaiming kindergarten education as a historical, cultural, and discursive product. With a specific focus on different conceptions of “readiness” as an example, how kindergarten education in Korea has become hybrid through postcolonial experiences is further elaborated.     

For whom the bell tolls: globalisation,social class and South Korea's international schools

This article discusses how in South Korea, English-medium international schools, initially established to educate foreign residents, have recently transformed themselves into private providers of global education for South Koreans. The article explains the social, economic and political circumstances under which the South Korean government has allowed this transformation to take place in response to the forces of globalisation as well as to South Korean elites' educational demand. The article argues that English-medium international schools are elite-class reproducing institutions. The role of English, one of the major imperatives of global capitalism, will also be discussed, as this language has been impinging on South Korea's education and labour market.     

An Autoethnographical Study of Culture,Power, Identity and Art Education in Post‐Colonial South Korea

This article reflects my experiences of learning art in the 1970s and 1980s and my teaching career in school art education in twenty‐first century South Korea. This autobiographical reflection shows how I have struggled with my identity as an art teacher in the post‐colonial context of Western influences on Korean society since World War II. There has been greater tension and a greater struggle for different values, practices and identities when new values and practices have been introduced into the particular socio‐cultural context of South Korea. My struggles with particular kinds of pedagogic identity valued within the rapidly changing political, economic and cultural context of Western influences on Korean art education demonstrate the hidden structural mechanism of the relationship between culture, power and identity in the post‐colonial world of globalisation. This study as an autoethnographical research provides critical insights into how identities are produced by pedagogic discourses and practices of art education that are constructed through the specific systems of practice and language which transmit and regulate such identities and values.     

论影响政策借鉴的地方化因素——基于澳大利亚与韩国媒体对PISA的报道

在教育全球化时代,地方化因素对于一个国家是否成为教育改革的参考标准依然重要。澳大利亚和韩国两国媒体对亚洲国家和地区PISA成功的描述与话语讨论因国情不同而表现出各自的特点,进而影响着政策借鉴是否可以以及如何发生。基于对澳大利亚与韩国媒体对PISA结果报道的比较后发现,对亚洲教育的刻板印象、国家间的经济关系、潜在参考国家和地区在PISA排名表中相对排名的变化等三大因素影响着一个国家对这些国家或地区"最优教育系统"的政策借鉴。     

Rethinking historical and cultural source of spontaneous mental models of water cycle: in the perspective of South Korea

This review explores Ben-Zvi Assaraf, Eshach, Orion, and Alamour’s paper titled “Cultural Differences and Students’ Spontaneous Models of the Water Cycle: A Case Study of Jewish and Bedouin Children in Israel” by examining how the authors use the concept of spontaneous mental models to explain cultural knowledge source of Bedouin children’s mental model of water compared to Jewish children’s mental model of water in nature. My response to Ben-Zvi Assaraf et al.’s work expands upon their explanations of the Bedouin children’s cultural knowledge source. Bedouin children’s mental model is based on their culture, religion, place of living and everyday life practices related to water. I suggest a different knowledge source for spontaneous mental model of water in nature based on unique history and traditions of South Korea where people think of water in nature in different ways. This forum also addresses how western science dominates South Korean science curriculum and ways of assessing students’ conceptual understanding of scientific concepts. Additionally I argue that western science curriculum models could diminish Korean students’ understanding of natural world which are based on Korean cultural ways of thinking about the natural world. Finally, I also suggest two different ways of considering this unique knowledge source for a more culturally relevant teaching Earth system education.     

Democracy and Human Rights Education in South Korea

This paper traces the history of education in South Korea in terms of various forms of control and their impact on democracy and rights. Three periods are identified: pre-colonial, colonial (Japanese occupation) and post-colonial (dependent capitalism). Democracy and rights have been highly politicised and education to promote these is still part of a struggle by various teachers' and parents' movements. A history of abuses of student rights and the oppression of teachers has begun to be challenged since 1993. Nonetheless, teachers remain reluctant to use the terminology of democracy and human rights, and some corporal punishment is still in evidence. Korean teachers have little autonomy, as the system remains centralised, competitive and bureaucratic. To establish a culture of peace and non-violence, the paper argues for a change in school ethos, a change to school regulations and education laws, a wider spread of democracy to media and community and the publication of manuals on education for democracy and human rights.     

A Comparative Study of Moral Development of Korean and British Children

The present study explored Kohlberg's theory of moral development in relation to Korean and British children. A total of 128 Korean and British children aged 7-16 years were interviewed individually using Kohlberg's moral dilemmas, Form A. It was thought that the children in both cultural groups would develop moral stages at a similar rate. However, they showed cultural differences in the use of moral orientations. In addition, it was not possible to match some of the responses from the Korean children to Kohlberg's manual, implying that there are some Korean traditional concepts which affect Korean children's moral reasoning that Kohlberg was not aware of. Thus, Kohlberg's system could be used to examine children's general moral stage but was insufficient to understand fully Korean children's moral reasoning. The present study suggests that the interpretation of children's moral reasoning should be made based on consideration of cultural influence.     

The expansion of higher education led by private universities in Korea

This article explores the role of the Korean government in expanding private higher education over time and attempts to examine the impact of such expansion on access to and equity in higher education. The enrolment rate in Korean higher education has increased to over 80% within the past 60 years. This can be attributed to two factors: the rapid expansion of private universities which currently enrol about 80% of undergraduates, and the Koreans' educational aspirations rooted in the cultural esteem for education. The government's role is also paramount in the expansion by deregulating private universities. However, higher education expansion, mainly led by private resources with minimal government funding, has resulted in educational inequity. The Korean case demonstrates the importance of maintaining a balanced act between regulating and promoting the expansion of private higher education for a developing economy.     

The influence of the ecological contexts of teacher education on South Korean teacher educators' professional development

This study is designed to explore how the ecological context of teacher education influences affect South Korean teacher educators' professional development. Research findings reveal that South Korean teacher educators' concerns about their professional development are mainly related to conducting research influenced by global, political, social, and institutional influences together. The global influences permeate lower contextual levels in order and appear as concrete policies affecting teacher educators' work. As a result of an environment that favors academic achievement in various levels of the ecological contexts of teacher education, South Korean teacher educators desire more international academic communication.     

Parent involvement and views of school success: The role of parents' Latino and White American cultural orientations

We examined ethnicity and cultural orientation as predictors of parents' views of and involvement in children's education, using data gathered from the Latino (n = 74) and non‐Latino (17 White and 13 ethnic minority) parents of children in an elementary school's dual‐language program. Parents completed a questionnaire that assessed Latino and White American cultural orientations, importance of children's academic and social success, and self‐ and significant other involvement in children's education. Results indicated that Latino (and other ethnic minority) parents valued academic and social success equally and more strongly than did Whites and that Whites valued social success more strongly than academic success. Latinos also reported greater involvement of significant others. These differences were largely accounted for by cultural orientations. Educational practices that take into account differences in cultural orientations and the involvement of significant others thus seem more likely to improve academic outcomes than do efforts intended to promote the valuing of education. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Rhetorical Success of Thabo Mbeki's 1996 “I Am an African” Address

Thabo Mbeki's 1996 “I Am an African” address, delivered on the occasion of the Constitutional Assembly's passage of a new constitution for a truly democratic South Africa, was successful and memorable. Three strategies account for its success: its use of what Bakhtin termed “stylization,” which allowed the rhetor to invest the speech with the aura of John F. Kennedy; its strategic shifting from the first-person singular to the first-person plural; and, most important, its construction of a narrative history of South Africa that, modeled on Scripture, celebrates the South African people's past, present, and future.     

‘Who's this Tong‐il?’: English,culture and ambivalence in South Korea

Many supporters and critics of a ‘global English’ assume that English is (initially) ‘outside’ of cultures in what Braj Kachru calls the ‘Expanding Circle’. But this ignores the ways English has been culturally and historically constituted in countries where it is still a ‘foreign’ language. In South Korea, English education—as an institution—has been part of Korean life since the 1880s. During that time, English has acquired a variety of contradictory cultural meanings related to the colonial and postcolonial experiences of South Korean people. For example, although introduced as part of the late‐nineteenth century ‘enlightenment’ of Korean society, English became associated during the Korean War with conservatism and the US military government. More recent beliefs surrounding English suggest a combination of liberatory possibility and imperialism. Through an examination of historical sources, literature and ethnographic interviews undertaken from 1999 to 2001, I describe some of these shifting meanings as relevant not only for our understanding of English in South Korea but for world Englishes as a whole. ‘Global English’, I suggest, must be understood as both global and local.     

Creating the “International Mind”: The League of Nations Attempts to Reform History Teaching, 1920–1939

After the First World War, the League of Nations, through its International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, attempted to reshape the teaching of history in its member states. The League's supporters realized that its long‐term success depended in part on supportive public opinion and that this, in turn, had implications for education. Aware of the strength of national loyalties, the League sought not to abolish the teaching of national history but to suffuse it with the spirit of the “international mind.” To this end, the League promoted revision of history textbooks and curricula, retraining of teachers, and rethinking of teaching methods. National governments responded by including some study of the League in history curricula but ignored the League's broader plans. Nonetheless, the League's attempt to internationalize the teaching of history opened up a debate that continues today as schools seek to strike a balance between claims of national and global history.     

Korean early childhood educators' multi-dimensional teacher self-efficacy and ECE center climate and depression severity in teachers as contributing factors

This study investigated profiles of South Korean early childhood educators' teacher self-efficacy and contributing factors to teacher self-efficacy. The contributing factors were examined with a focus on early childhood education (ECE) center climate and depression severity in teachers as well as teacher and classroom characteristics. The results suggested that Korean early childhood educators' teacher self-efficacy was multi-dimensional, and each dimension had unique predictors. ECE center climate emerged as the most significant contributor to all teacher self-efficacy domains. Depression severity in teachers was associated with teacher self-efficacy but the facets of association were different according to the attributes of the efficacy domains. Instructional efficacy, which directly pertains to teaching professions, was not associated with depression in teachers. On the other hand, teacher self-efficacy domains containing affective aspects, such as creating positive social contexts and parental involvement and decision-making, were vulnerable to depression severity.     

Recruiting,Redefining, and Recommitting: The Quest to Increase Socioeconomic Diversity at Amherst College

While many selective and moderately selective schools have attempted to increase the numbers of low-income students and students of color in their student body, few have successfully done so. In this qualitative case study, I examine the efforts of an elite, private, liberal arts school, Amherst College, as it increased the socioeconomic diversity of its student body, and I highlight the College's comparative success in this endeavor. Using Bourdieu's social reproduction theory as an analytic frame, I argue that Amherst's success is a result of its historic commitment to diversity and equality as well as its contemporary initiatives and the combination of multiple efforts that transcend simple rhetoric. These initiatives include widening the applicant pool by intensifying recruitment efforts and broadening definitions of merit, hiring a dynamic president as the voice and leader of the diversity movement, and garnering widespread institutional support. This article also includes a survey of the status of low-income students and students of color in the nation's colleges and universities over time and a brief history of diversity trends in higher education since World War II.     

韩剧：关于女性、消费与文化认同

无论褒贬，韩剧在中国的流行已经成为一种文化现象。文章着重分析这流行背后的因素，探讨到底是怎样的力量让韩剧如此深入人心并有着广泛的影响。同时，在这种力量之中又有着怎样的文化和现实，在韩剧那些靓丽动人的形式和包装下，又有着怎样的实质和内核。文章与其说是在一种困惑下写下的文字，不如说是在一种好奇心驱使下的探寻，将从韩剧的女性编剧及其叙事面向模式、韩剧的收视群体与影像消费，以及韩剧背后的文化和心理感受等几个方面作出阐述。     

On the impact of early marriage on schooling outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa and South West Asia

This paper examines the effect of age of marriage on women's schooling outcomes for 36 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa and South West Asia. We employ an instrumental variable approach to account for the endogeneity of early marriage driven by socio-economic and cultural factors. Our results show that delaying early marriage by one year is associated with an increase of half a year of education in Sub-Saharan Africa and nearly one third of a year of education in South West Asia as well as a lower likelihood of dropping out from secondary school of 5.5% in South West Asia.     

The developmental history of labor education in South Korea from a sociopolitical and economic perspective

Although there is a considerable body of research regarding the relationships between the sociopolitical and economic transition and its implications for the education system in South Korea, there is little known about how sociopolitical and economic factors affect labor education practice in South Korea. The premise of the study is that the development of labor education is driven not only by workers’ needs but also by the state's policy to increase productivity while keeping the labor movement and political expression under control. Since many educators often overlook the importance of labor education by excluding it from adult education, very few studies have been conducted to identify the relationship between sociopolitical and economic factors and labor education in South Korea. The purpose of the study is thus to examine the effect of particular combinations of social, political, and economic forces on the development and expansion of labor education in South Korea during the period between the 1960s and the 1990s. The results of the study can be compared with studies of other countries that underwent a similar pattern of political and economic transformation.