A Case Study on an Online Korean Discussion Class with Foreign Undergraduate Students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to suggest a flexible and differentiated way of managing online Korean discussion classes. For this study, an actual online Korean discussion class was selected. The class consisted of four phases: preparation, check, discussion, and reflection. Each of the phases was gone through online, either live or recorded, based on their nature. In preparation phase, video lectures were provided to have students ready for the discussion topic and familiar with related expressions. In check phase, knowledge and expressions relevant to the topic were checked as a quiz on LMS. In discussion phase, the students discussed the topic in a Zoom meeting room. The discussion was subdivided into groundwork, rehearsal, discussion, and presentation. After every three or four students had a discussion in a small Zoom meeting room, the moderator in each group gave a presentation about their discussion for five minutes. In reflection phase, the students by themselves wrote a reflection journal on LMS about their discussion.<br/> The implication of this case study is that online Korean discussion can enhance learning about the topic. With the small-grouping function in Zoom, the students were able to participate in the discussion actively and the teacher observed their discussions in detail. Also, due to the characteristics of online setting, the participants had less pressure on instant speech. On top of that, various functions built in LMS helped the teacher manage the class more dynamically than the offline one.