In students' academic achievement record, which is an outcome of Korea public education service, learning curriculum development status corresponds to a quantitative indicator that can evaluate students, and other students' life records are applicable...
In students' academic achievement record, which is an outcome of Korea public education service, learning curriculum development status corresponds to a quantitative indicator that can evaluate students, and other students' life records are applicable to qualitative indicators. Among the learning curriculum development status that corresponds to quantitative indicator are academic records from paper-based tests that students take twice a semester. Teachers print out report cards that include academic records through the ‘NEIS Program’ and distribute them to students, and these are the report cards to be dealt with in this study. The report card is not only a communication tool between educational subjects such as parents, students and teachers, but also the only touch point that can help the interaction between them. However, since the report card by the public education system only provides grades, percentage and standard scores, it cannot resolve the lack of communication between the educational subjects.
This report card straightforwardly shows the problem that Korean educational policy has. The Korean educational policy has been a part of the organization and function of the nation. Since the 1960s, it has been utilized as a supplier of human resources needed for rapid economic growth. In this process, the Korean public education has achieved the quantitative growth of higher education. In addition, it has served as a key passage for the movement of social hierarchy until recently by providing an equal opportunity of higher education. However, it also leads to the negative characteristics of public education, which are largely divided into three aspects. The first is excessive competition for college entrance. The second is the current rote teaching method and one-way communication. The third is a large portion of private expenditure for education. These characteristics have caused adverse functions such as reduced efficiency compared to the time required for study, risks in metal health of students. lack of communication and understanding between parents and their children, and insufficient physical and mental space for career search.
This study was conducted based on the previous study titled "report cards derived from the service design". High school students were selected as subjects for this study since they are educational subjects directly related to the college entrance examination, a key issue for education. Their recognition scheme on the report cards was analyzed using Q-methodology. And then, the communication details that can be presented through the report cards were obtained. The research methods are as follows.
First, more than 120 Q populations were collected through FGI of educational subjects. Among them, 38 Q samples were selected. A Q-sort was conducted on 30 high school students, who are appropriate for P samples. The Q-sort was performed for about two weeks in three places such as general high school, vocational high school and autonomous private high school. After the Q-sort was completed, an analysis of main causes was conducted using a QUANL PC program.
Second, a total of four types were derived from the Q result analysis. Each type is as follows: Life-reflecting type(the first type), aptitude reference type (the second type), stress type(the third type), comparison rejection type(the fourth type). The first type of students reacts sensitively when communicating with parents and teachers and tries to obtain information focused on college entrance exams. Therefore, the report cards should be created separately for students, parents and teachers, and they should include practical information related to the college entrance. In the case of the second type, those students have a deep interest in their characteristics and abilities unlike the first type. Accordingly, the report cards are required to have cumulative characteristic that includes previous grades and display teachers' opinions regarding students' overall school life and advice of career counselors. In the process, it is necessary to organize life-centered information into descriptive information. As with the first type, the third type of students is also sensitive to the communication, and therefore three types of report cards are needed depending on the educational subjects. In the report cards, practical information on the college entrance examination should be described, and a careful attention on how to deliver the information is required. Lastly, quantitative information other than the grades needs to be exposed to the fourth type of students, along with information on the grade evaluation system, thereby helping them to enhance understanding of the system.
Third, the report cards for each type were designed by utilizing graphic elements of service design report cards studied previously on the basis of design strategies and characteristics by type. First, in the first type of report card, semester and personal information can be entered on the top, and information related to the college entrance, including the department that students are interested in can also be recorded. The report card designs are made differently depending on educational subjects so that flexible communication can be induced, and the designs enable teachers to create information on the examinations for the college entrance. Second, the second type of report card includes visual materials about the changes in grades between pervious and corresponding semesters. Teachers can enter information on the characteristics and abilities of students in the report card, and teachers' opinions on the school life and advice from career counselors can also be entered in the report card. Thorough the report card, better communication between educational subjects can be expected. Third, in the case of the third type, changes in the grades can be compared and identified, and feedback on the grade changes is also displayed. The feedback is designed not only to inform the scores, but also to help students to prepare for the emotional impact and induce further study. In addition, information on the grade items to be reflected in the college entrance is inserted, and the details are to be entered by both teachers and students. Besides, more advanced communication can be promoted by informing students of methods on how to cope with changes in grades through the feedback. Fourth, the fourth type of report was designed to help the three-dimensional understanding on the overall school life based on the detailed information about homework, attendance, individual activities and volunteer activities other than the grades. In addition, teachers can enter the feedback on the school life and grades in the report cards. A guide on the grading system was also inserted to reduce objections to the current grading system and promote active thinking.
This study seeks to bring about meaningful changes in communication between educational subjects through the design of the student-centered report card as an important communication tool for educational services. It is hoped that the overall educational problems can be resolved through these changes. In addition, the findings of this study are expected to be baseline data as a practical tool for educational communication that can be actively utilized in the field to resolve the educational problems and configure student-centered educational services.