Evaluating Korea’s Art and Culture Education Instructor Certification: Centered Around the Development of the Certificates in a Fully Professionalized System

Abstract

This study conducts a comparative analysis of the old and new curricula of the Korean certification system for art and culture education instructors. Further, it identifies their features and the course programs of the designated educational institutions to evaluate Koreas art and cultures education certification process. Art and culture education instructors are professionals who plan, conduct, analyze, evaluate, and teach art and cultures education programs. A certification system for art and cultures education instructors was introduced in Korea in 2013 to increase the quality of art and cultures education, raise social awareness, and expand the scope of art and cultures activity. Since then, the system and its curriculum have been revised along with changes to institutional designations in 2016 and 2018. However, stakeholders have expressed concerns regarding the following: (1) the effectiveness in utilizing the art and culture education instructor’s certificate; (2) the designation and operation of educational institutions to train art and cultures education instructors; (3) the certification and proof of qualification; and (4) the curriculum of the current system and field-related problems. This study uses policy texts, curriculum materials, and related documents from the Korean Ministry to examine and assess these concerns and presents several recommendations to systematically develop professional art and cultures education instructors and improve the current system to make a new leap forward in art and cultures education.