The Process of Developing ICT-Enhanced Education in Korea

Abstract

ICT-enhanced education in Korea has shown remarkable growth over the past 40 years. The process of adopting ICT for use in Korean education began in the 1970s, with computer-literacy education. Gradually, it evolved into ICT-supported education, e-learning, ubiquitous learning (u-learning), and smart education. The current focus on innovative teaching/learning is based on a stabilized physical ICT environment. This chapter reviews various educational informatization projects promoted by the Korean government, summarizing them briefly using a framework consisting of five stages (Development, Takeoff, Expansion, Establishment, and Transformation), as well as seven domains (policy, infrastructure, educational content, standardization, curricula and methods, human resources development, and educational information services). The Korean master plan, Adopting ICT in Education, has gone through several versions, taking into consideration current technological development trends. Its policies are designed to consistently strengthen infrastructure, educational content, standardization, curricula and methods, and human resources. Korea has also promoted educational information services to publicize and share the achievements of educational informatization projects. The present study proposes a project-initiative model for ICT-enhanced education, based on the Korean initiatives. The Korean experience presented in this chapter can be used as a reference by future project initiators.