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English Proficiency in Korea English Proficiency in Korea More than half of the world’s population have one of ten languages as their native tongue. English, with about 400 million native speakers, is the third, after Chinese (1.3 billion) and Spanish (485 million). However, if we include people who speak English as a second language, the estimates of English-speaking populations range from between 1.5 billion to 2.0 billion. This makes English the most spoken language worldwide. English is also the most influential language, dominating the fields of science, technology, medicine, business, art, etc. There are many reasons why English has become a universal language. The British empire, colonizing close to a quarter of the world’s population, had a significant role in spreading the English language, particularly in Asia and Africa. The emergence of the United States of America as a world power after World War II is another important reason. Technological and scientific development mostly originating in the US and some other English-speaking countries made English the dominant language of science and technology. This economic and technological power has also led to the spreading of English through news, entertainment, and social media. As a result, English language proficiency can substantially enhance people’s career prospects, academic pursuits, cultural experiences, access to information, and ability to connect with people globally. Since the economic development of countries increasingly relies on information and global presence, for the foreseeable future English will remain the dominant global “lingua franca” (a language used by people with different native languages to communicate with each other. The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) is the most common index used to rank countries for English proficiency It is produced annually by EF Education First, an international education company. The EF EPI 2023 edition was calculated using test data from 2.1 million test takers in 2022. The test takers were self-selected from 113 countries and territories. Countries’ English proficiencies are categorized as very high (12 countries), high (18 countries), moderate (33 countries), low (27 countries), and very low (23 countries). The report finds that per capita, gross national income and innovation all correlate positively with English proficiency. Overall, Europe has the highest proficiency in English while the Middle East averages the lowest. While people in Engineering and Information Technology rank highest, on the average most industries have levels of English lower than they would need to work optimally (Moderate Proficiency or higher). Men’s English proficiency has outpaced women’s for the first time this year in Asia, driven by India and Thailand, with gender gaps of 21 and 32 points respectively. Expectedly, adults in their 20’s and 30’s remain the best English speakers in Asia. The top five countries, with scores between 625 and 661, are Northern European countries, except for Singapore (ranked 2nd with a score of 642, after the Netherlands with a score of 661). With a score of 525 South Korea ranked in 49th place in this survey, which is considered moderate proficiency. This represents a 13-spot drop from the previous ranking of 36th place in 2022. China and Japan also experienced declines of 20 and 7 spots respectively, ranking 82nd and 87th. Korean learners of the English language face many challenges in acquiring the language on a proficient level, even though English is introduced to children at an early age and many private programs teach English as extracurricular programs. Unfortunately, however, only a minority master the language on a proficient conversational level. The reasons seem to stem from cultural and social differences, the significant differences between the two languages: Korean and English, and the Korean Educational System. The EF-EPI report makes several recommendations for government and educational authorities to improve English proficiency. They include: • Consider the hours available in the curriculum and the proficiency level achievable for each major educational milestone. • Ensure that English is taught only by people who speak the language well • Adjust entrance and exit exams so that they evaluate communicative English skills. • Include English in the training for all new teachers. • Re-train English teachers in communicative teaching methods if they were initially trained using other methods • Assess the English skills of all public servants and provide training as necessary • Provide English language instruction in job centers and unemployment reduction programs. • Give adults access to lifelong learning programs. • Ensure that government-funded adult language courses are long enough and intensive enough for learners to meet their goals. • Develop standardized micro-credentials that certify course quality and improve skill portability. • Allow TV shows and movies to be shown in their original language, with subtitles rather than dubbing. 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2024.03.18 Hits 1713
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper College Students’ Mental Health; a crisis Mental health of college students is a global problem that requires serious attention by university administrators. According to a 2022 survey by Best Colleges, in the United States more that 77% of college students experienced moderate to severe psychological distress. This included anxiety (35%), depression (27%) as well as trauma, eating disorder and bipolar and substance use disorders. Another 2020–2021 Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide found more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem. The situation in Korea is similar. A 2022 published study by Daejeon University conducted on 260 Korean Female College Students in 2018 (Pre-COVID-19) found that 51.9% experience light to sever depression. The rate increased to 69.1% in 2020 (Post-COVID-19). Overall in 2020, South Korea's suicide rate was 25.7 which is more than double the OECD average of 11 per 100,000 population. Although lower than the rate for the elderly (101.4 per 100,000 population) grade school and college students in Korea have a higher than average suicide rate. Factors that affect suicide and suicide ideation are combinations of individual, family, and school factors. University education in Korea is very competitive. Students are constantly worried about their academic performance, grades, class rankings, etc. School-related influencing factors includes stress related to finding a job. Several studies have suggested that critical communication by parents is an important family-related risk factor for suicidal ideation in Korean university students. Korean parents maintain a major influence on their children even after they are grown up. As a result, students who experience considerable critical communication from their parents that reduces their self-esteem, experience more suicidal ideation. Dealing with mental health issues on university campuses requires a multifaced approach which includes university administrators, professors, students and students’ families. Universities must ensure that students have access to high quality mental health care including psychological crisis intervention resources. The mental health care system in Korea can be hard to access and overwhelming for a student in crisis. A combination of on campus resources plus designated outside specialty clinics can help provide needed access. Designing and implementing realistic programs tailored to students' academic majors to enhance their self-esteem and provide practical knowledge in dealing with academic stress will help students obtain a healthier school life emotionally as well as academically. For young adults, college can offer self-discovery, lifelong friendships, and a better understanding of the world. However, college life may also bring enormous social and emotional pressures. Being away from family and friends, unfamiliar environments can cause intense levels of loneliness. Universities can help students navigate through these challenges by having programs that engages inspires and build friendly communities that students can feel safe and welcomed. Studies have also suggested that lack of physical exercise and adequate sleep are important factors for depression among students. Promoting a healthy life style should be an important part of student services programs. Faculty paly a significant role in addressing mental health issues on University campuses. Universities must make sure faculty are adequately trained on how to identify students in distress and how to respond and refer them to mental health professionals. A study by Boston University School of public Health found that only 51 % have a good idea of how to recognize a student is in mental distress, with a mortify (61%) support mandatory training for faculty. Finally, the role of families, particularly parents in student’s mental health is significant but more difficult to address by the universities. Education programs tailored to parents and families, such as brochures maybe effective methods for such communications. Click here to read the article
2023.06.12 Hits 1550
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper Academic Freedom in American Universitas In the United States, academic freedom is a recognized principle in the higher education. It is generally defined by the "1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure," jointly authored by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. These principles broadly state that "Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject." Academic freedom is based on the idea that to have a dynamic and safe environment for research, inquiry and education, faculty must have the right to engage in discipline-related teaching, learning, and research without outside interference. More specifically faculty must have the right to determine the universities’ curricula, teaching, students’ admission and evaluation criteria, research topics, publications, etc. The goal is to ensure that universities students and scholars can freely challenge the popular or conventional wisdom. The concept is closely related to principles of shared governance and tenure. Many other countries including South Korea have adopted similar principles in their higher education system, albeit with different degrees of strength. In 2021 Freedom House placed Japan and Taiwan in its top 10% ranking, scoring 4 out of 4 for academic freedom. South Korea’s ranking tied with that of the US at 3 out of 4. China and North Korea, were in the bottom 10%, with academic freedom for both assessed at 0 out of 4. Academic freedom however is not without limitations. The laws of society, including those concerning obscenity, pornography, and libel, apply to academic discourse and publication. Faculty also may not claim the privilege of discussing in their classroom controversial matter which has no relation to their subject. The above-mentioned 1940 statement also permits institutions to impose "limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims" In the US, discussions of race, gender and sexual orientation are among the most controversial related issues. Can a professor use racial epithets in teaching a course? Should a white supremacist professor argue for his belief? Should academic freedom protect those who make false and morally repugnant claims? In response to these questions , many universities have adopted policies aimed at limiting speech and writing that is deemed discriminatory , or offensive on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or physical disability. Whereas supporters of the measures, known as “speech codes,” defended them as necessary to protect vulnerable groups against discrimination and harassment, opponents contend that they amounted to the legal enforcement of “politically correct” ideas and expressions. In Korea, the atrocities committed by Japan during its occupation of Korea, and North Korea related topics are among the most controversial academic freedom issues. For example, academics have to tread carefully in accessing officially blocked North Korea state and media websites for their research in order to not violate the National Security Law passed in 1948. As another example, In 2018 a Sunchon University professor was dismissed, prosecuted, and imprisoned for six months for insulting former Korean comfort women during a lecture . Sejong University scholar Park Yu-ha was fined in 2017 for false defamation of comfort women in her book Comfort Women of the Empire. Retired Yonsei University scholar Lew Seok-choon was tried after complaints from civic groups that he had insulted comfort women during a class. Academic freedom is an active subject of controversy and debate. the universities are well advised to have an open dialog with their faculty and students on this topic with consideration of their university’s culture. While in the exercise of this freedom faculty members may, without limitation, discuss their own subject in the classroom, the principle of academic freedom shall be accompanied by a corresponding principle of social responsibility Click here to read the article
2023.02.13 Hits 1860
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper Academic Misconduct Among University Students Violation of academic integrity by students is a real concern to university administrators around the world. Cheating, plagiarism, having someone else do the work, or using prohibited resources are some of the more common modes of academic dishonesty among students. However, falsification of records for admission, and cases of falsified research have been more the subject of recent media attention. A comprehensive survey of academic dishonesty in the US was conducted by the International Center for Academic Integrity over 12 years (2002-2015) among 70,000 students. This study found that 17 % of graduate students and 39% of undergraduates admitted having cheated at least once on a test. More importantly, only 39% of the respondents said it is not acceptable to cheat on tests or homework. The situation in Korean universities is similar. In a study conducted by Konkuk University in 2009, 35% of the undergraduate students surveyed reported that they have copied from another student or used a “cheat sheet “during a test. Another study (2015) at two veterinary schools in Seoul reported plagiarism and falsification by students ranging from 32% to 71%. Many researchers have studied and identified various factors that influence cheating. For example, students in small elite colleges have much lower rates of cheating (15-20 %) compared to large public universities where the rate can be as high as 75%. Other factors include age, gender, and grade point average (GPA). Older students, females, and students with higher GPAs are less likely to cheat. Students with excessive extracurricular activities are more probable to cheat according to some studies. The above-mentioned Konkuk university research found that classes that are taught by foreign professors reported fewer incidents of cheating. This might be partly due to the types of assignments and assessment methods that foreign professors employ as well as more emphasis on the importance of academic integrity issues. Race, nationality, and religion show little correlation with cheating. However international students in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have a substantially higher rate of cheating. For example, A Wall Street Journal analysis of data from 14 public colleges in the United States during the 2014-2015 school year found that international students had five times more reports of cheating compared to their domestic counterparts. As online teaching becomes more prevalent, there is a perception among students and faculty that online teaching leads to more cheating. Working remotely may make it easier for students to use unauthorized resources such as cell phones, and the Internet or communicate with others during a test. The research on this topic is ongoing and somewhat inconclusive due to the availability of limited data for a comprehensive study. Addressing the problem of cheating in university classes requires a complex and multifaceted approach. First and foremost, the university administration has to take an active and decisive role. Studies indicate that having a clear code of conduct that is well communicated to students and enforced, is essential. The approach however has to go beyond enforcement and punishment. Faculty play an instrumental role in preventing cheating. For example, avoiding recycling exams and homework, developing the tests and their supervision by faculty, not delegating the task to t teaching assistants, assignments that require oral presentations, using subjective questions that require a written response, and using random questions in tests are among methods that can be used. Finally, creating a culture of integrity in the class by professors that includes, often talking about academic honesty, expecting high standards, being clear about expectations, and getting to know the students is paramount in order to educate responsible and ethical students. Click here to read the article
2022.10.24 Hits 1823