The purpose of this research is to analyze women related descriptions from the Korean history textbook that can be perceived as the basics of history lectures in the 7th national curriculum and also to show how women can be reflected in the history c...
The purpose of this research is to analyze women related descriptions from the Korean history textbook that can be perceived as the basics of history lectures in the 7th national curriculum and also to show how women can be reflected in the history curriculum. In the case of South Korea, the dependency of textbooks is high in relation to other countries. Therefore, it is important to analyze the current history textbook to find adequate solutions to improve history education.
Since the 21st is an era governed by the 3F's(Female, Feeling, Fiction)the education of future generations incorporating a balanced view of women in history is essential and therefore an unavoidable issue that must be addressed. Also, for the fun and interest of students this is needed. Nevertheless, Korean history has been concentrated on describing male centered politics and social, economic structures. Although women have taken up half of mankind and have served as active, capable figures, women have existed ‘outside history’ and thought of as ‘marginal’ figures throughout the development of history. This is also the case in the 7th national curriculum.
The abstracts of research on women related texts from the high school Korean history textbook are as follows.
First, women related texts are still poor in substance. The conservative disposition of the academic world and male centered views of the current high school textbook displays only eight female figures. Even these eight figures are women from the royal family with only their time period stated without any of their specific activities explained.
Second, subjects based upon stereotypes of gender and expressions that show sexual discrimination are still used.
Third, the layout of the textbooks marginalizes women for examples, Texts that have to do with women are not printed as main passages but in the margin labeling them as added info. This implants the wrong view that the works of women and their roles are not significant.
However, if history education has the purpose of bringing up students with subjective recognition of history in the changing society, it is now time to put more focus on women in the curriculum. For students and especially for female students, it is important to lead them to recognize true history and perception of society through history education. Also, educating the cause and effect of history will teach logical thinking. Learning diverse women characters and taking them for role models will give pride to female students since they will get to know that women were not just an object but a subject in history. In other words, this is the way for women, present and future to become the main roles of society in dignity. Also, not only is this for the lives of present and future women but for a social foundation in which women and men can together lead the future on equal terms.
The amended textbook should overcome the state and ethnic centered history and put focus on multidimensional and diverse relationships that make up human life. In short, generalizing history through the eyes of both sexes, acknowledging women and men as different social groups, and choosing text that considers both sexes is needed. Furthermore, the academic world of women's history should work to put more context of women history in the textbooks. One reason that the 7th national curriculum has failed to educate about women is because the academic world engaged in women's history have not actively criticized the male centered curriculum.
The amended textbook should actively reflect the changing views and interests on women to educate all students of sexual equality and allow them to become subjective independents.