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Gyeongju University
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Hank the Iconoclast



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

whiteshoes wrote:
Hank the Iconoclast wrote:


I do too. But, what does this have to do with Korea? I am just telling qualified folks to stay clear of this place. It has a lot of problems. Why would anyone want to work at a place that hires 60 teachers and then fires all but a few after a year?


The guy I know there likes it, he's just getting fired. Of course, his qualification was 1 year at a hagwon, and he knew he might not stay around that long. He has total freedom in his class, and gets to create his own classes all the time.


You have total freedom because they have no curriculum to speak of.
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whiteshoes



Joined: 14 Apr 2009

PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hank the Iconoclast wrote:


You have total freedom because they have no curriculum to speak of.


I can see how to a lot of people that sounds bad. To me it sounds like total freedom as a teacher. Something that you don't always get at uni jobs. Don't get me wrong, they are screwing my buddy BIG TIME. They've strung him along all year.
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drcrazy



Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Location: Pusan. Yes, that's right. Pusan NOT Busan. I ain't never been to no place called Busan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
drcrazy wrote:
There is a big difference between being fired and not having your contract renewed for another year. Were these teachers really fired, or were they just not renewed?

And why on Earth would they need 60 teachers. Even the largest uni in Korea would not have close to that many.


They were not renewed because the university is trying to avoid being shut down. If they can't turn it around, then everyone will get the axe.


There is a thread here about 2 unis that closed during the school year and the students were transferred to onther universities. But i imagine the native techers would have fond themselves jobless. If this place closed during the school year, OMG. Yes, I guess if wherever you are they want you to saty, stay. I would not take the risk.
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Hank the Iconoclast



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan

PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

whiteshoes wrote:
Hank the Iconoclast wrote:


You have total freedom because they have no curriculum to speak of.


I can see how to a lot of people that sounds bad. To me it sounds like total freedom as a teacher. Something that you don't always get at uni jobs. Don't get me wrong, they are screwing my buddy BIG TIME. They've strung him along all year.


It's okay if the course is a reading, listening or writing class. It's even okay if it's a class on presentations and debate. There are a lot of books out there that you can find as a base for teaching those. However, they would make up courses for Native English teachers to teach. The course titles basically came from buzz words like "Globalization" and "Cultural Awareness". Can't really remember the titles. Will ask my friend about it. If a university hired me and told me to teach something completely random and not EFL based, I would laugh and start looking for a job the next day. It takes at least a good couple weeks of planning to map out a syllabus for a new course.
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drcrazy



Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Location: Pusan. Yes, that's right. Pusan NOT Busan. I ain't never been to no place called Busan

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
waseige1 wrote:
Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
whiteshoes wrote:
I have a friend there, he said they are looking towards trying to get all MA's.

Word on the street is that the government is going to raise the requirements to work at unis. Some of the lower unis, like Gyeongju are at risk of being closed. Because of this threat, they are pushing hard to meet all requirements.

Now if someone knew the exact requirements, that'd be something I'd like to see.


Yes, this is true. I wouldn't advise people to work there though as they are trying to meet these requirements.




Confused Question That I do not understand....


Apologies. They are trying to change their university around so they can continue to get government subsidies. They were told to shape up or they would receive no money from the Korean government. That's why they are letting go most of their foreign staff and trying to hire teachers with a MA or a BA+3 years experience.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/09/113_94210.html


I have only been able to find one news article with names of the universities in question. However, it only names a few. It would be nice to have the complete list. Has anyone else been able to find a complete list of all 43?

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20110907-298165.html
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Kwangjuchicken



Joined: 01 Sep 2003
Location: I was abducted by aliens on my way to Korea and forced to be an EFL teacher on this crazy planet.

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

whiteshoes wrote:
I have a friend there, he said they are looking towards trying to get all MA's.

Word on the street is that the government is going to raise the requirements to work at unis. Some of the lower unis, like Gyeongju are at risk of being closed. Because of this threat, they are pushing hard to meet all requirements.

Now if someone knew the exact requirements, that'd be something I'd like to see.


Is it actually offical that a university's rankings would go up if their native speaking English professors had advanced degrees? I have never heard anything like that before?


Thanks,
Chicken
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Stout



Joined: 28 May 2011

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I was told by some office staff that is indeed the case.
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Julius



Joined: 27 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

waseige1 wrote:
I applaud it anytime Korea does anything to raise the standards..


But they don't correspondingly improve the system and conditions, so what's the point?

There is a massive amount they could do to improve the effectiveness and legitimacy of their teaching programs but they don't. Getting better qualified waegs will achieve zero unless they actually provide a proper work environment.
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whiteshoes



Joined: 14 Apr 2009

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kwangjuchicken wrote:


Is it actually offical that a university's rankings would go up if their native speaking English professors had advanced degrees? I have never heard anything like that before?


Thanks,
Chicken


I've never seen the document, so I can't say that it's "official."
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Hank the Iconoclast



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Julius wrote:
waseige1 wrote:
I applaud it anytime Korea does anything to raise the standards..


But they don't correspondingly improve the system and conditions, so what's the point?

There is a massive amount they could do to improve the effectiveness and legitimacy of their teaching programs but they don't. Getting better qualified waegs will achieve zero unless they actually provide a proper work environment.


This is what I was trying to say. Thank you.
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Hank the Iconoclast



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kwangjuchicken wrote:
whiteshoes wrote:
I have a friend there, he said they are looking towards trying to get all MA's.

Word on the street is that the government is going to raise the requirements to work at unis. Some of the lower unis, like Gyeongju are at risk of being closed. Because of this threat, they are pushing hard to meet all requirements.

Now if someone knew the exact requirements, that'd be something I'd like to see.


Is it actually offical that a university's rankings would go up if their native speaking English professors had advanced degrees? I have never heard anything like that before?


Thanks,
Chicken


Apparently, universities are being pressured to hire those with MAs. They got more money if they can.
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diddymao



Joined: 29 Sep 2011

PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
Kwangjuchicken wrote:
whiteshoes wrote:
I have a friend there, he said they are looking towards trying to get all MA's.

Word on the street is that the government is going to raise the requirements to work at unis. Some of the lower unis, like Gyeongju are at risk of being closed. Because of this threat, they are pushing hard to meet all requirements.

Now if someone knew the exact requirements, that'd be something I'd like to see.


Is it actually offical that a university's rankings would go up if their native speaking English professors had advanced degrees? I have never heard anything like that before?


Thanks,
Chicken


Apparently, universities are being pressured to hire those with MAs. They got more money if they can.


I find it hard to believe that this university would go bankrupt without the subsidy. And what you say is true then any person receiving a position with a Masters degree will have even more job security than they had before because their employment will be pegged to this subsidy. I also would guess that the few teachers you claim were retained were one's with Masters degrees. I'd even go further and venture a guess that your friends were not one of those retained because they didn't have a MA and this is why you started this thread in the first place.
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eat_yeot



Joined: 11 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

diddymao wrote:
I find it hard to believe that this university would go bankrupt without the subsidy.


Probably won't go under. The owner is rolling in dough. Well, actually he's in prison. But his wife has the dosh to keep it open. Although they're getting serious pressure from the Education Ministry.

Quote:
And what you say is true then any person receiving a position with a Masters degree will have even more job security than they had before because their employment will be pegged to this subsidy.


I wouldn't count on it. From talking to people I know, the admin has a serious case of schizophrenia. They hire and unhire groups on a whim. Several years ago they fired all the gyopos. This year they put them in admin roles. This year, most, if not all, got cut (technically not renewed, but that's just being semantic).

Quote:
I also would guess that the few teachers you claim were retained were one's with Masters degrees. I'd even go further and venture a guess that your friends were not one of those retained because they didn't have a MA and this is why you started this thread in the first place.


From what I've heard, I wouldn't work there. Fair warning for all. That's what this site (should) be for.
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PatrickGHBusan



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -

PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
waseige1 wrote:
Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
waseige1 wrote:
Hank the Iconoclast wrote:
whiteshoes wrote:
I have a friend there, he said they are looking towards trying to get all MA's.

Word on the street is that the government is going to raise the requirements to work at unis. Some of the lower unis, like Gyeongju are at risk of being closed. Because of this threat, they are pushing hard to meet all requirements.

Now if someone knew the exact requirements, that'd be something I'd like to see.


Yes, this is true. I wouldn't advise people to work there though as they are trying to meet these requirements.


Confused Question That I do not understand....


Apologies. They are trying to change their university around so they can continue to get government subsidies. They were told to shape up or they would receive no money from the Korean government. That's why they are letting go most of their foreign staff and trying to hire teachers with a MA or a BA+3 years experience.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/09/113_94210.html


I applaud it anytime Korea does anything to raise the standards. The more competitive and legitimate they make the English programs, the more valuable they make us that are qualified.


I do too. But, what does this have to do with Korea? I am just telling qualified folks to stay clear of this place. It has a lot of problems. Why would anyone want to work at a place that hires 60 teachers and then fires all but a few after a year?


They look like they are firing teachers in order to meet the standard that will allow them to keep getting funded...thats not hard to grasp...as no funding = closing the University.

Now, they are focusing on QUALIFIED and/or EXPERIENCED people so qualified folks as you said would do well to look at this university as they will stand a better chance of being hired no? Still, anyone who is qualified and experience can certainly sniff out any problems with this school before accepting the position. Heck, most experienced folks I know know enough people to find out what they need to find out about a job before accepting it.

Seriously this, if true (government raising the bar) is a good step.
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Shimokitazawa



Joined: 14 Dec 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PatrickGHBusan wrote:
Seriously this, if true (government raising the bar) is a good step.


In Taiwan, the government took the following action: They made it illegal for universities to hire any full time native speaking English instructors who did not hold a relevant master's degree. All foreign EFL teachers who held only a B.A. degree, or no degree at all, were slowly phased out of the system.

Now, after a Taiwanese university has hired a foreign English teacher, the universities have to apply to the Ministry of Education for a "Certificate of Lectureship" for the new instructor. This teaching license is later issued to the English teacher and permits them to legally teach at any college or university in Taiwan. There's no way of getting around it.

Taiwan, additionally, refuses to recognize any master's degrees obtained at distance or through online study. That would eliminate about 90% of the TEFL teachers in Korea with master's degrees since nearly everyone I know here has obtained his / her degree either online or through distance study.

So, the wonderful thing about such a system is that it completely eliminates *most* of the backpackers, short-term stayers and under-qualified TEFL'ers from the competition. I'd like to see the Korean government take the same measures and have more control over universities regarding the kinds of people they hire. This would benefit those who are truly qualified.

Although only anecdotal, I think it speaks to the changing hiring trends here at Korean universities. A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend who teaches at a university just outside of Seoul. He said a few teachers' contracts were not renewed for 2012. Not because they weren't doing their jobs or were unreliable, but because they only had B.A. degrees.

This is the situation now. If one doesn't have a master's, and a relevant degree at that, it's going to get a lot more difficult to find university teaching work and to keep it. So you do what you gotta do to stay competitive, because it won't get any easier to find or keep these jobs. Of course a University can still hire someone with a B.A. degree and no publications, and many do. However, with so many foreigner EFL teachers having the proper requirements and looking for work it`s much simpler now to hire those that are qualified.

It might even become more like Japan at some point where universities begin demanding a high degree of Korean language proficiency, a minimum of 3 publications and a doctorate. This is the standard at many Japanese universities these days and actually has been for a long time. Even for part-time university positions in Japan, foreigners are expected to have publications - usually a minimum of 3.

Here's an advert I saw recently for an English teaching position at a lower ranked university in Tokyo.

Contract: 1 year, renewable 4 times
Salary: ¥6 Million a year
Research Budget: ¥280, 000 a year
Koma: 10
Qualifications: (1) Sufficient Japanese proficiency for conversation, making administrative papers, and supervising entrance examinations, (2) Must have more than two published books and research papers on related field of study.

These are typical requirements for applicants now in Japan. Will Korean universities follow suit?
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