Abstract
Research on Improving the Master Teacher System
Kim Jong-Hee
December 2011
Korea University College of Education
(Supervisor Hong Hu-Jo)
The master teacher system has been introduced to help enhance the professional qualities of all teach...
Abstract
Research on Improving the Master Teacher System
Kim Jong-Hee
December 2011
Korea University College of Education
(Supervisor Hong Hu-Jo)
The master teacher system has been introduced to help enhance the professional qualities of all teachers through selected teachers with expertise who would monitor and advise other teaching staff's teaching and develop and distribute effective teaching and learning methods. It was originally suggested by the Korean Educational Development Institute in 1981 in its research on ways to improve teachers' career development system. After the pilot program run by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for 4 years since 2008 and the enactment of relevant legislation in 2011, it will subsequently be rolled out nationwide in 2012. However, there are still some concerns raised about its implementation, in particular, those on the role and status of master teachers and support for their work as well as their capacities.
As an attempt to address some of these issues this research set the following research questions: (1) what are the achievements of the pilot program; (2) what problems have been identified through the pilot program; (3) what are the perceptions of school management staff, master teachers and other teachers concerning the system; (4) what are the factors that would facilitate the successful implementation of the system; and finally, (5) how could the system be improved. In order to answer these questions this research conducted a questionnaire survey with 542 primary and secondary school teachers and also interviews with 11 school management staff and master teachers. The findings from the research are as follows.
A major achievement of the pilot program is that it has tested the possibility of a two-way career development structure which would allow two pathways for teachers to progress, namely, either to senior teaching posts or management posts. And through this, it has prepared an initial environment where the previously unilateral teachers career progress structure could be transformed into the two-way structure. Other achievements include that the number of master teachers has continued to increase and the ways to support them have been introduced such as the reduction of their teaching hours by half and the provision of monthly 400,000 won as their research funds. Futhermore, while the inclusion of parents, academics and other master teachers in the selection committee to examine the candidates' abilities is a way to ensure the high standards of master teachers, the selection process consisting of two separate stages is to raise the process's fairness and rigor.
However, this research has also identified three weaknesses of the current master teacher system. Firstly, the clarification of roles is required to resolve conflicts between a master teacher and a school manager over their respective roles in a school. Secondly, both master teachers and other teachers anticipate to see an improved status and honour commensurate to a master teacher's expertise rather than financial support. Finally, staff development opportunities should be provided continually to help maintain master teachers' expertise.
With regard to the perceptions on the master teacher system, while school managers welcome it, for the reason that they are not sure of such teachers' capacities at this early stage, they do not want to leave the authority on improving schools' teaching activities and quality solely to master teachers and they wish to continue to be in the position to supervise master teachers. In comparison, while master teachers are being encouraged by the enactment of relevant legislation and the system's upcoming nationwide implementation, they indicated negative views on the limits of their tenure and benefits. While heads of subjects, teachers from schools currently with a master teacher and teachers with fewer years of experience tend to be positive of the master teacher system, most teachers appeared to have just watched its pilot program and would continue to do so its nationwide implementation and how it would develop in the future.
As a result, this research proposes the following recommendations to improve the master teacher system. Firstly, the status and role of a master teacher should be clarified. School managers should raise their understanding of master teachers' role and allow them to have the authority on the school's teaching activities. On the other hand, master teachers should approach other teachers not from a position of a school manager but from that which is appropriate to the original purpose of their role. For the better development of the master teacher system, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should enhance its responsibility and role to support local education offices. Finally, a rigorous selection procedure should be developed to ensure high standards for master teachers, their training system should be improved and enhanced, and proper benefits should be given to the master teachers with proven abilities.