This study aims to select the items of living culture education that reflect the characteristics and demands of Korean majors in Chinese universities and set an example in establishing living culture education items, by recognizing the importance of c...
This study aims to select the items of living culture education that reflect the characteristics and demands of Korean majors in Chinese universities and set an example in establishing living culture education items, by recognizing the importance of cultural education and focusing on the living culture aspects of Korean culture. It also seeks to propose methods of education that allow Korean majors in Chinese universities to learn Korean living culture practiced in Korea.
Departments of the Korean language at four-year universities in China offer not only linguistics courses, but also courses on cultural functions and performance at work. Most third and fourth year university students studying the Korean language are indeed fluent in the language itself; however, many have relatively inadequate understanding of Korean culture despite the availability of these courses. This calls for more dedicated education on Korean culture. The lack of awareness and understanding of Korean living culture results in poor interpretation or translation of subtitles and dubbing for Korean dramas and movies. All these require more appropriate education on Korean living culture.
The goal of this study is to select appropriate items of living culture education for Korean language majors in Chinese universities who are not directly exposed to Korean culture. With the goal in mind, this study examined the contents of living culture education that must be taught to Korean majors in Chinese universities. The cultural education items of the International Standard Curriculum for the Korean Language were used as a reference, which is regarded as one of the most widely used method in Korean language education in both Korea and around the world. Furthermore, this study reviewed Korean culture textbooks that are actively used in school, analyzed contents related to living culture education and organized contents on cultural education in Korean language education. Subsequently, a survey was conducted on Korean majors and professors in Chinese universities to understand what they want in Korean living culture education, analyzing the difference in responses between Korean language learners and professors. Lastly, this study selected primary items of living culture education for Korean majors in Chinese universities by examining the current status of the standard curriculum and Korean culture textbooks, analyzing and reflecting the results of the survey on demands for items of living culture education from Korean language learners and professors. Five Korean language professors from Chinese universities were asked to evaluate, re-review and adjust selected items of living culture education to verify if they are applicable to education in Chinese universities. After the verification process, final items of living culture education were selected and methods for their utilization in Korean language education were proposed. This study is relevant in that it identified what Korean language majors in Chinese universities want in Korean living culture education. The study can also be used as basic materials in research on cultural education for Korean majors in Chinese universities in the future.