Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sigmundsmith]

I can only talk about my observations at my University but I my interpretation is that the students are just dragging themselves to classes not really enthusiastic about learning. I am not talking about English class but their respective majors.

I know this is a generalization but it just seems they are going through the motions of showing up.

Is this indicative of other universities?

[UknowsI]

I have taken around 10 courses at my Korean uni. From my experience they pay attention to good lecturers and fall asleep with bad ones. Overall I think they pay more attention than back home, but the classes I've been taking are rather small. I'm sure more people fall asleep in the large undergrad courses. One big difference from back home is that attendance counts for some of the grade, which would make more people come to class against their will. I'm sure the story would be different at a not top-level Korean uni though and that more people fall asleep at other unis.

[Goku]

University in Korea (like Japan) is largely a joke.

Even pre-med students don't take class seriously. Uni for Korean students (by majority) is for dating, drinking, and sleeping in class.

I know more than several Korean uni professors, they can complain for hours about how much their students suck.

They only pay attention if the teacher is wearing a mini-skirt (for the guys) or Paragamon shoes (for the girls)

[andrewchon]

I'd agree that they are just going through the motions.
I mean, when have they ever known the pleasure of learning?

Then again, I went through the motions, too.
Real learning happens in libraries, and bars.
I got most of my assignments done at bars.
So, to this day, I can't get any book-ish work done when I'm sober.

[Lunar Groove Gardener]

The bar is set very low for Korean university students.
Show up and you'll very likely pass.
Effectively, they are not required to actually learn much.
Thus, overall they seem to apply themselves accordingly.
How this affects professional excellence in their careers
seems worthy of study.

[sigmundsmith]

So it just doesn't seem to be the students at the university I work at.

I find it amazing that when it comes to my students I stress what they should do to get A's, B's etc and their are still students who think they can just relax and show up.

The Dean of our department has stressed the importance of improving English education but if the students have that attitude with their majors it is going to be an uphill battle for the English part of their education.

[fermentation]

Korean universities are a joke for the most part.

I passed a class at Yonsei and I missed almost half the classes, did almost none of the readings, and half-assed through my papers (the ones I bothered writing). My classes at yonsei were really easy (some of my freshmen classes in the US were harder) despite being upper level classes. Some of the bigger classes had you swipe your student ID card at machine near the door to prove you attended. Many of the students would just swipe their cards and leave, or have their friend swipe it for them.

[Miles Long]

Interestingly enough, some of the Korean students I have taught at the university I teach at have a crappy attitude as well.

Our curriculum is based around a communicative approach, and any Korean students are aghast when they find out that a large portion of my role in the classroom is that of facilitator and not just lecturer.

The "little prince or princess" syndrome is not just endemic to South Korea; they export it like kimchi and Hyundai.

This is by no means a blanket statement: some of the best students I have taught have been Korean. However, some of the biggest pains I have taught have also been Korean.

The ones that put in the work and graduate from our program go on to do well at the university level; the slackers and complainers have a much more difficult time when they realize that there won't be anyone to hold their hand throughout their university career in Canada.

[cdninkorea]

A friend of mine did graduate level economics courses at a university in Seoul and said they were easier than his undergrad classes back home.

[Miles Long]

[pkang0202]

Middle and High School was hell for these students. University is the time to relax. Its the time to get drunk, meet members of the opposite sex, and not have the parents on your butt every 5 seconds to study.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

[air76]

Most of my students are reasonably enthusiastic...many aren't, but for the most part I am happy with their level of participation and desire to learn.

What does blow my mind is the lack of responsibility...for example when a writing assignment is due, invariably 80% of the students in the class come without their assignment. It is usually finished but on their USB drive or on their computer in the dorm. They look at me puzzled when I stop class and send them all out to go print it out and turn it in. I am not sure if they expect me to plug the USB drive into my brain or just guess what they wrote, or what?

Plus...I am amazed at how often the students come to my office to tell me that they have a headache and want to be excused from class. At any given point in time 5% of the student body at my school is at the hospital.