The aim of this research is to analyze high school teachers who work in Ulsan Metropolitan City and have an experience of departmentalized classroom system(DCS). As I was a research associate at KEDI(Korean Educational Development Institute), and memb...
The aim of this research is to analyze high school teachers who work in Ulsan Metropolitan City and have an experience of departmentalized classroom system(DCS). As I was a research associate at KEDI(Korean Educational Development Institute), and member of the DCS team, I could sense a difference between DCS policy note and teacher’s experience of DCS back then. In order to identify a remaining question, I aim to examine the teacher’s experience on DCS and identify how did a system had any effect on being part of the school. As DCS faces 10th year since after the introduction of the policy, it can be meaningful research if it helps in re-examining the policy status. As a researcher, here are my guiding research questions. First, how does geographical background and characteristics affect the management of departmentalized classroom system? Second, what are some of the educational implications on high school teacher’s experience in departmentalized classroom system?
I used a qualitative case study method in order to answer these research questions. In order to naturally presents their experience, six teachers in total, three from city-central schools and other three from farming-area schools have participated in the research. With six of the participants, a researcher carried out a focus group interview and used DCS Management Plan and alternative written primary sources to strengthen the description and analysis of the case. After a thoughtful examination of the research finding, here is my conclusion. My research finding starts with how Dongseo High School and Yangwon High School felt the necessity of running DCS into their system Then, I delved into teachers experience’ on DCS with a think description, and analysis by focusing on schools’ situational context. Then, I concluded this research by identifying the meaning of experience and policy implications, here are the results.
First, participants believed DCS as a way for student and themselves to coexist under the name of an educational system. Through DCS, schools were able to remodel classroom building, continue to train and market the people’s awareness of this policy. Having said that, the ultimate objective of running DCS in both schools were, for the purpose of improvement of quality of the class. In respective schools, the teachers implemented various learning strategies like 100% discussion, activity class, flipped learning (or flipped classroom), Havruta class to create a coexisting atmosphere among students and teachers. Due to DCS, teachers were able to identify smile on student’s faces and see their satisfaction on the level of class they were experiencing.
Second, as regards to the policy implications of teachers’ experience, it noted that DCS should become an alternative for High School Credit System(HSCS) until it fully spreads out to all the schools. As of HSCS to be fully adopted by a high school in Korea, it can be expected to take a good three to four years. Having said that, by implementing DCS into the school that is planning to adopt HSCS in coming years, the DCS policy can give a strong advantage to those schools in terms of restructuring their classrooms and other required spaces. Moreover, by implementing DCS prior to HSCS, teachers themselves can be expected to empower their educational qualities and strengthen their professionalism as high school teachers specialize in their subject. In addition, if a school can establish their own DCS management plan by adopting their students’ college entrance strategy, then a school can become a center of fulfilling the learner’s needs.