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Cedar
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Location: In front of my computer, again.
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 Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:10 am Post subject: Transform to a Knowledge Based Economy? |
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What would you say Korea would have to do in order to transform to a Knowledge Based Economy? Obviously they've done a good job getting computer skills throughout the country... but what about innovation, creativity, competitive design, independent research and development (that is not based on improving on models already produced by people in other countries).... There are also many changes that could be made in education in order to foster, well, a different type of Korean competitive innovation than we see today... ways of educating... and ways to attract more foreigners/foreign ideas in order to take advantage of the knowledge in the world... no need to reinvent the wheel...
Your thoughts please! |
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Len8
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Location: Kyungju
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| Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:44 am Post subject: |
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Was an article in the papers on Tues 23rd about the Physics Noble prize winner Jerome I. Friedman, and how he was originally an art student who after picking up a book called "Relativity" by Albert Einstein decided to change his major to Physics.
He said that without the flexibility of the U.S. educational system, he would have remained a painter. He dropped the idea of going to a fine arts school and went to the University of Chicago, where he completed basic science courses and advanced to the physics department.
The U.S. system is in sharp contrast to Korea's rigid approach. Korean high school students must select an arts or science-oriented programe and can only choose college majors that fit their curriculum. Someone with an art background is technically unable to veer into a university-level science program.
He went on to say that "Peoples intersts change. I think that the system should be flexible to encourage young people to change direction as they choose to. The worst thing in the world is that people end up with something he or she does not want to do" |
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ThePoet
Joined: 15 May 2004
Location: No longer in Korea - just lurking here
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| Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:46 am Post subject: Re: Transform to a Knowledge Based Economy? |
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| Cedar wrote: |
What would you say Korea would have to do in order to transform to a Knowledge Based Economy? no need to reinvent the wheel...
Your thoughts please! |
Cedar, There are four ways of developing the knowledge base you're talking about:
1. the best way to promote a knowledge base is through the use of competency based learning...and teaching. The problem with much of the educational system (here and in North America, and elsewhere for all I know) is that too much emphasis has been placed on theory and textual knowledge and very little has been placed on competency of knowledge (demonstrating how to practice what you know).
I'll use two examples to illustrate my point (and by using examples, I've actually given a third illustration):
a. Any goober can turn on a computer and access the internet or type a letter. It takes quite a larger cranial capacity to learn why a computer works, how to fix it if it doesn't (both software and hardware problems) and how to keep it lasting a long time. When I first started teaching computers back in Canada, one of the modules I designed was taking apart and putting together a computer, loading up DOS on it, and demonstrating skill at GBASIC (ok, its not a great programing language, but it was free). Luckily for me, the school had about 50 old IBM XT computers they were going to trash, so I acquired them for my program. The students learned many things about the computer as well as a history of computers, the Internet (ARPANET) and through that, I had them extrapolate on the future of computers and how computers would fit in our lives...but more importantly, how we would fit into the role of computers.
b. I am a HAM radio operator. In order to get my license, I had to know how to send/receive CW (Morse Code) at 12 wpm, and this took many months of training for proficiency, but at least I knew it inside and out. I also had to learn block diagrams and basic electronics as part of the understanding of how radios work, and why we use them. There were also "elmers" who took new licensees and showed them the practical nature of radios, how to use them, radio etiquette and how to apply the rules (see point number 2). Now operators can get their license in an hour through writing a simple 100 question multiple choice test, and scoring 60%. A couple years ago I had a new "HAM" come up to me and show me his brand-spanking-new handheld unit. I admired it a few minutes and then he said to me "Could you program in the channels for me?" First of all, they are freqencies in HAM, and second of all, how did this guy get a license when he didn't even know operating procedures of a simple radio?
2. Apprenticeships - These are slowly dying out in everything but trades, but they are invaluable as they teach an apprentice the hows and whys - not just the whats. People may not know that even doctors, lawyers, and bookmakers all used to perform some form of apprenticeship back 150 - 100 years ago. Its not the same as interning. Apprenticeship is actually shadowing one on one for hours and days and months until the master felt a level of competency had been reached.
3. Because of access to the internet becoming a worldwide, society changing, critical threshold, we need to re-evaluate teaching from a curriculum based educational system, to a learning-centred approach. The last great change in educational pedagogy took place when the moveable press standardized the printing of books and changed classrooms from rote memorization and copying of books, to synthesis. Because EVERYTHING is becoming so much more specialized (If a professional golfer wants to keep up with all of the information about his/her sport, he needs to read upward of 45 periodicals a month, and that is just for one sport and does not include the hours and hours of practice time he/she needs to take), we need to allow a greater amount of learning to be based around common threads at the upper levels, like High school, but at the lower levels, like elementary, we need to provide children with the skills to:
a. Understand how to access information that is relevant to their needs
b. Discern reliability of information (separate the wheat from the chaff)
c. Process the information into relevancy toward their growth
d. Use the information in a way that is practical to their needs.
At the high school level, these goals become more streamlined to application of potential career.
And not only are things becoming more and more specialized, they are changing more rapidly. I used to teach social studies that had the curriculum guide written in 1986 (this was in 1996), and so much of it was out of date...and yet, educational districts spend millions on updating these guides once every 10 years or so, and by the time they reach the teachers, the material is out of date. By switching to a "learning to learn" educational environment, we'll save money, better equip our younger generation for anticipating change, and equip them with a greater ability to be successful in any career they choose. which brings me, finally, to:
4. Lifelong learning. We cannot simply teach someone something until grade 12 or a bachelors degree and then let them think they can use that information for the next 45 years of their working life. There should be employer incentives to upgrade and take professional development at least once every 6 or 7 years, and probably that is too conservative. A person needs to stay on top of their skills by learning how to use new ones.
Finally, I have to comment on your statement "no need to reinvent the wheel" -- in my opinion, that is one of the greatest problems we all face. Nobody every delves into the roots of technology. They blithely and blindly carry on basing the current technology on the generation of technology before it without ever really going all the way back to first generation technology that everything was grounded on in the first place. Nobody ever revisits R&D notes from the original teams to see "why something was done that way". By doing that, they are missing an opportunity to see things from a different angle, potentially better.
This applies worldwide, and I know that you specifically said Korea, but I think it applies as much in Canada, the U.S., and almost everywhere. I hope it wasn't too long-winded for you, but its something I've done a lot of research on.
Poet |
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Cedar
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Location: In front of my computer, again.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:41 am Post subject: |
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| Wow, Poet, thanks for a really thought-provoking reply! |
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ThePoet
Joined: 15 May 2004
Location: No longer in Korea - just lurking here
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| Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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you're welcome, and if you want to talk about this more, you can email me anytime.
Poet |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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I think one way they could do this would be by taking a lot of emphasis off of standardized tests and giving people a larger choice with regards to what they want to study. If a child wants to study English that's fine, but if he wants to study Kazakh instead there should be a place where he or she can do that too. I think there is a big danger in trying to over-specialize in one certain area. Korea should have top-notch facilities for those who want to study English as well as top-notch facilities for just about anything else.
Another thing that is impossible now but perhaps later would be the removal of conscription. If there is peace with the North then each male Korean would have an extra two years and three months to do what he likes.
Korea should also change their outlook with regards to age, what age people study, get married, leave the house and so on. Apartments should be easier to rent and the minimum wage should go up so that people who want to live independantly can do so easier than they can now. Sometimes the only way for a girl to leave the house is by getting married, but it should be easier for women to live on their own without the financial aid of a significant other. |
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The King of Kwangju
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: Transform to a Knowledge Based Economy? |
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| ThePoet wrote: |
| ... and through that, I had them extrapolate on the future of computers and how computers would fit in our lives...but more importantly, how we would fit into the role of computers. |
That line made me spit out me Cola.
If you're going to teach them anything, it should be the former, not the latter. They are, after all, here to serve us, not the other way around. |
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ThePoet
Joined: 15 May 2004
Location: No longer in Korea - just lurking here
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| Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:47 am Post subject: Re: Transform to a Knowledge Based Economy? |
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| The King of Kwangju wrote: |
| ThePoet wrote: |
| ... and through that, I had them extrapolate on the future of computers and how computers would fit in our lives...but more importantly, how we would fit into the role of computers. |
That line made me spit out me Cola.
If you're going to teach them anything, it should be the former, not the latter. They are, after all, here to serve us, not the other way around. |
First of all, Im impressed you actually read everything I wrote right down to my dry sarcasm.
Second of all, I usually spit out Cola too, even if I am not reading something -- do you think there is a specific disease for that?
Although, I was writing slightly tongue in cheek when I wrote that, I am saddened to observe that although computers SHOULD be here to serve us, it is very often the other way around. How many times have you had to succumb to burocracy based on what the computer has in its database? How many times have you gone to a check-out counter (in Canada or the U.S.) and have them tell you that you have to have cash because their debit lines aren't working? How many times have you had to enter marks into a school based computer system because "thats the way its done"? We should have computers serve us, but from everything to car engines to airplane tickets to banking, we are learning to fit into the roles that are placed on us by computers. Not subversively (at least I am not that much of a conspiracy theorist) but because of the limitations on computers that cannot handle anything outside specified programmed perameters...so if we don't fit inside those perameters, we're forced into them.
Poet |
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The King of Kwangju
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Yes, I read it all. It was interesting. Although I admit I didn't realize part of it was sarcastic.
If humans are programming computers, and other humans are feeling hemmed in by computers, it's the fault of the programmers and designers of those systems, not the computers themselves. Computers only do what we tell them to do.
I'm of the belief that thoughtful, elegant design can alleviate these problems. Look at Google, for example. It's doing something incredibly complex, but you'd never know it. You just type in some words and go. This is probably why its so successful.
But getting back to the OP, I think Korea is well on its way and doing a pretty good job in being unique and innovative, at least where computers are concerned. You see quite a few ideas that are distictly Korean that no one else has thought of yet. They already surpass the west in many ways, and I'm pretty curious to see how it pans out. They take what they can use from the west and reuse it for their own purposes.
Most of the minds behind these projects are not products of the mainstream K educational system, however. I think it all boils down to that rotten testing system they have. In the end, they educate kids to take tests, not to learn how to come up with their own ideas. |
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