Multicultural education for pre-service teachers in Korea using educational television docudramas

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the level of multicultural education awareness among Korean pre-service teachers (PSTs) and suggests a teaching and learning approach to enhance their multicultural competencies. This research utilized a South Korean educational television and radio network, Educational Broadcasting System (EBS), particularly, its programme called Multicultural biographies of a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law [다문화고부열전] as a diagnostic tool to assess PSTs’ recognition of multicultural education. The programme focuses on the challenges faced by married migrant women in Korea. The study used survey materials based on the EBS docudrama to investigate PSTs’ perceptions of multicultural education. The results showed that most PSTs understood the significance of teaching and learning about cultural diversity but had limited understanding beyond the dichotomies of the mainstream and minorities or Korean and immigrant students. The study recommends the use of docudramas as an effective tool for promoting multicultural education among PSTs in Korea