How South Korean education is embracing thinking, creativity and digital literacy

For decades, education in South Korea has been driven by competition, high-stakes testing and fine margins. In this blog post, I wrote about the Suneung (수능), a high-stakes exam that Korean students take at the end of high school. In order to gain an academic edge, many students study after school at hagwons (학원, private academies). This intense approach has led to Korea developing world-leading industries, particularly in technology, manufacturing and engineering. Critics have pointed to the pressure this approach places on students and families and have questioned whether students engage in rote-learning over opportunities for questioning and creative problem solving.

Now, Korean education is undergoing a quiet revolution. Through new legislative mandates and curriculum reforms, South Korea is shifting its approach towards real-world AI literacy, computational thinking and software creativity in every classroom.

Korean education is responding to modern challenges and opportunities.

National Legislation and the 2022 Revised Curriculum

South Korea's transition towards education that equips students with the thinking and critical skills, along with understanding of digital tools and systems is established by Article 23 of the Framework Act on Education (교육기본법 제23조) and the 2022 Revised National Curriculum General Guidelines (2022 개정 초중등학교 교육과정).

Article 23 of the Framework Act on Education states that state and local governments shall establish and implement policies necessary for information education. This is stated to include education on legal and ethical standards and education on preventing hard to others' reputation, lives, bodies or property.

The 2022 Revised National Curriculum General Guidelines (English press release available here) set out the vision and requirements for equipping students in Korea with the required skills, knowledge and experience. As we will see, this includes, but also goes far beyond technical skills.

Under the 'Major Revisions in Curriculum' section, on page 7, the press release states,

"The overarching concept of in-depth learning, alignment of subjects, relevance of learning to real-life and reflection of learning process are all included in the revised curriculum."

As well as describing the depth of learning in interconnected subjects across the curriculum, the mention of 'reflection on learning process' means teaching Korean children metacognitive skills, thinking about their thinking. In the age of readily available information, these skills are vital to children making effective and informed choices about their learning.

Thinking and collaborative skills are further recognised, with the release starting on page 7,

"Critical questioning, discussion and debate in the classroom, and collaborative learning are all included in the revised curriculum to improve school education in a bid to help students hone their learning skills that match their own pace."

These critical thinking, questioning and communicative skills are again, vital to preparing Korean students to become effective and discerning users to technology, and members of a digital society.

Mathematics education also sees a shift towards more enquiry-based learning, with page 7 of the release stating,

"Students will be encouraged to raise their interest and confidence in mathematics with mathematical modelling and play- and game-based learning to make teaching/learning models more concrete and the use of engineering tools such as learning based on digital tools are more emphasised."

This approach points to deeper understanding of mathematical concepts through exploration and connections to the real world through concrete resources. Furthermore, Korean students are given the chance toa apply maths and digital skills through engineering and STEM-based activities.

Concerning social studies, page 9 of the release states,

"The often used expressions of 'to understand' and 'to explore' in the academic achievement standards outlined in the general guidelines will be more diversified so that rather than focusing on finding one answer, more emphasis will be put on the process of finding more than one answer in the classroom based on inquisitive and practice-based learning."

This approach is important in teaching Korean students to value the journey, as much as the destination. In an age of digital tools, students will become aware that while they could produce an outcome instantly, the process of exploring possibilities, arguments and alternatives is just as valued as the final outcome.

Regarding teaching of technology, or 'informatics', page 10 states,

"Informatics education will be restructured to incorporate AI and big data to raise student understanding based on current software education and its lesson hours will be expanded in elementary and middle schools."

Here, Korea is committing to helping students to understand the data systems around them through age-appropriate use of software and dedicated, specialist lessons.

Page 10 further states,

"Elementary school education will include activities of play and experiential learning, whereas middle school students will learn through simple computer programs on everyday problem solving to help students learn basic skills without having to feel stress."

This section describes the progression in exploring technology, which does not rush students to use specific tools, but emphasises exploration and problem solving.

Korean students apply their maths and computing skills through design and engineering projects.

Real-world digital literacy: The Muhan Sangsangsil Model

To enable Korean students to make connections between computing theory and real world application, the Ministry of Education partnered with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC 한국과학창의재단) to build digital maker spaces inside public schools.

These maker spaces are known as "Infinite Imagination Maker Rooms" (무한상상실), from "Muhan" (무한) = "infinite" and the verb, "Sangsang" (상상) = "to imagine". These spaces feature physical microcontrollers, 3D printers, laser cutters and internet of things (IoT) development tools.

The presence of these facilities mean that the goals of the 2022 Revised National Curriculum General Guidelines are enabled and enacted. Middle and high school students apply their knowledge of computer theory, working on projects that address everyday community challenges. Students use microcontrollers and ultrasonic sensors and digital displays to crate automated crossing and environmental sensors that track local noise and air quality around their school grounds.

Through engaging in the process of product design, students learn about the end-to-end digital product lifecycle. They engage on concept design, algorithm design, programming, debugging and 3D design, as well as analysing how their products affect local communities.

Students in Korean schools learn to use technology to affect their communities.

District initiatives and empirical success

At regional level, local education offices are pursuing the direction of the 2022 Revised National Curriculum General Guidelines, while utilising flexibility in its application to trial digital literacy programs. For example, Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education (대구광역시교육청) has integrated computational thinking, media literacy and software design modules into the Free Semester System (자유학기제), a period when exam pressure is paused, allowing students to explore hands-on projects, digital creation and career tracks.

Through district initiatives like these, students have the opportunity to explore real world application of technology, often linked to employment and industry. This gives Korean students vital time to take agency over their own learning and start making connections between academics and future career success.

Empirical data shows clear, measurable success for approaches such as these.

Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education (대구광역시교육청) Official Press Announcements and Academic Outcomes Reports on Korean Language IB Public Schools (link) reported that following the introduction of the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework into public, non-selective schools, over 85% of graduates secured university admission through Korea's comprehensive student-record track, Susi (수시모집).

The Susi-track evaluates student portfolios, inquiry-based research and teacher evaluations, rather than relying solely on the Suneung test scores, demonstrating that open inquiry and project-based assessment are able to translate into university entrance success in South Korea.

Daegu has integrated computational thinking, media literacy and software design into the curriculum through student-led projects.

Lessons from Korea's approach

South Korea's continuing transition from rote-learning toward widespread digital literacy and computational thinking offer valuable lessons for education systems around the world.

1. Lasting change in practice stems from policy. At policy level, Korea has laid out the importance of thinking, inquiry, metacognition and communication, as well as digital and technical skills. Schools have flexibility in how to apply this, but expectations and targets are clear.

2. The process is valued. Teaching students to value the process over the outcome helps them develop resilience, appreciation for the learning process and a growth mindset. It also prepares students for future assessment systems in a world where demonstrating process may be just as important as presenting a finished piece of work.

3. Paced exposure to technology. At all stages in Korea, thinking skills are valued alongside use of any particular technology. In fact, technology is seen as a vehicle for applying principles of thinking and engineering. Students are not pressured to succeed with any particular software or programming language.

4. Real-world contexts. Students develop real-world digital literacy through solving real and tangible problems, such as building sensors for their environment . This develops students' appreciation of how technology can be used for good, as well as developing technical skills.

South Korea has developed a unique approach to teaching digital literacy that the rest of the world should pay close attention to. By proving that academic rigor and creative innovation can co-exist, South Korea is preparing its students to lead and shape the digital future, both as confident and creative users of technology and as skillful and effective thinkers.

Referenced: Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea, Press Release on the 2022 Revised Curriculum (link)