[South Korean Education, Lost Its Way]⑩ "I Used to Be Afraid of Presenting"... 'Baccalaureate' Class Breaks Rote Learning [Report]

“There Is No Fixed Answer in Literature... Gaining Confidence in Presentations”
Teachers Designing Classes Feel Proud of Students’ Growth

"Because there was always a set answer, I used to be really afraid of presenting in class. I worried about being wrong..." "But after taking the Baccalaureate 'Language and Literature' class, I realized that there is no fixed answer in literature. Now, I can present with confidence."

Woo Hakyeong, an 18-year-old second-year student at the Affiliated High School of Kyungpook National University College of Education in Jung-gu, Daegu, said this in an interview with Asia Economy after the 'Language and Literature' presentation class on April 23. 'Language and Literature' is a subject rarely found in general high schools in Korea. It is one of the International Baccalaureate (IB) subjects, and classes have been offered since the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education introduced the IB program in Korea for the first time in 2018.

On April 23, a student is presenting at the open class of 'Language and Literature' held at the Affiliated High School of Kyungpook National University College of Education. Photo by Lee Hyunju

The IB, an internationally accredited school education program headquartered in Switzerland, has been adopted by 5,964 schools in 165 countries around the world. The program is run separately for elementary, middle, and high schools, and high school students take the Diploma Programme (DP) courses. There are six subjects in total: Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts.

The reporter observed a 'Language and Literature' class. Before the class began, most students looked cheerful. Many students had brought their own tablet PCs or laptops to prepare for the class. On this day, students gave group presentations on the topic "How global issues are presented in texts."

The novel 'Farewell', written by novelist Kim Youngha, was used as the presentation material. The students selected and introduced parts of the novel and connected them to 'global issues' in their presentations. Each group, consisting of about five or six students, presented their assignments using PowerPoint. Every student took turns presenting for two to three minutes each.

Woo was in Group 2 for the presentation. Her group identified 'power' as a keyword (global issue) from Kim Youngha's novel and then introduced the Japanese animated film 'Attack on Titan' as a related non-literary text. Another group found the issue of 'environmental pollution caused by artificial intelligence (AI)' in the novel and presented an image from a blog pointing out that a large amount of electricity is used every time generative AI is utilized.

After the group presentations, students freely participated in a Q&A session. They then wrote down what went well (Glow) and what could be improved (Grow) and posted them at the front of the classroom. Woo said, "It was great to analyze a movie I often enjoy watching ('Attack on Titan') in connection with a global issue (power). Since we can use things we like in class, everyone feels confident about presenting, and presentation time is fun."

Teacher Won Hyoseon, who prepared the class, said, "Students participating in IB classes are generally enthusiastic about school life and their studies. They enjoy discussions, debates, and studying, and the collaborative learning method is gradually becoming second nature to them." She also said, "The IB program is designed so that students can freely express their thoughts in every class and produce results by accepting others' ideas, which leads to high participation and concentration."

Teacher Won said that IB classes are very different from the traditional rote memorization-based classes. She evaluated that it is more effective in realizing the essence of education because it enables in-depth inquiry-based learning based on concepts. She said, "IB classes have set elements that need to be taught, but teachers design the specific lessons themselves. I have to think about how to lead each class every time." She added that students have the advantage of being able to discover what to study on their own and deepen their understanding through discussion, while teachers cannot neglect research for their classes.

Teacher Won said, "Each class feels like it is part of a larger project. Designing and conducting classes within a big framework allows teachers to take a leading role, which is a great advantage." She added, "I also feel that I am growing as a teacher."

According to teachers who conduct IB classes, most students taking these classes generally do not attend private academies. Woo, who spoke with the reporter, also said that except for English speaking and writing, she does not attend any other academies directly related to her subjects. Woo said, "I'm learning English because I personally want to improve, but for IB subjects, participating faithfully in class and studying is directly linked to good grades, so there is no need to rely on private education."

The IB program does not use the typical multiple-choice written tests or performance assessments. Instead, final grades are calculated by combining internal assessments (20-30%), mainly essays and orals, with external assessments (70-80%). To increase grading reliability, there is a chief examiner and a standardization process. Final grades are given on a scale of 1 to 7. With these grades, students can apply to domestic universities through the comprehensive student record screening process and can also pursue admission to overseas universities.

Ahn Seyoung, head of the Future Education Department at the Affiliated High School of Kyungpook National University College of Education, said, "To conduct IB classes, teachers have to give students direct feedback and prepare separate lessons, so the workload increases significantly. However, teachers feel that they are doing truly meaningful work, enjoy teaching, and feel proud to see students grow rapidly."

Interest in the IB program is rising nationwide. Some students are even moving to Daegu specifically to attend high schools offering these classes. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education are also expanding the designation of 'IB interest schools' and providing training for teachers.