Secondary school science teacher education and quality control in Korea based on the teacher qualifications and the teacher employment test in Korea

Youngsun Kwak

doi:10.1186/s41029-019-0040-0

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the quality management of the secondary school science teachers in Korea. To improve the quality of teachers, it takes a coherent policy effort over the entire teaching career including pre-service teacher training, a quality control of teacher employment, and in-service teachers’ professional development. The focus of this article is to explore ways to improve science teacher training and quality control, centering on the teacher employment test of secondary school teachers in Korea. In this context, the curriculum of the science teacher training colleges, which is based on the science teacher professional standards and knowledge base, and the specifics of the teacher employment test are examined. Science teacher education in Korea faces many challenges due to the inconsistency between the supply and demand of science teachers, the decrease in the number of students, the implementation of high school credit system, and so on. Based on the analysis results, ways to improve secondary science teacher education and quality control system are suggested Major suggestions include requirement of completion of basic subjects related to adjacent subjects in science subject areas to solve the out-of-field teaching, necessity of introducing multiple teacher certificates to cope with challenges of reduced class hours due to fewer students, and necessity of reinforcing practice-oriented education in teacher training process to bridge the gap between theory and practice for beginning teachers.

Highlights

The Republic of Korea1 has been famous for its students’ outstanding achievement of science and mathematics in international exams for the last two decades
This study focuses on teacher quality management in Korea of the big picture of the whole teacher policy, from the training of science teachers to the selection and placement of teachers as well as the ongoing professional development of in-service teachers
We have examined the curriculum of science teacher training programs

Summary

Introduction

The Republic of Korea has been famous for its students’ outstanding achievement of science and mathematics in international exams for the last two decades. High student achievement on international assessments in science and mathematics has been associated with excellence in teacher education and professional development (Ku et al 2017; Sang et al 2016). According to in-depth analyses of the relationship between teacher quality and Korean students’ performance on international tests like TIMSS and PISA, the higher the qualification level of science teachers and quality teacher readiness, the higher the student achievement (Chung et al 2014; Kim et al 2016; Kim and Kim 2015; Yi et al 2011). With a high level of teacher readiness and the screening process with the teacher employment test in Korea helps prospective teachers develop essential knowledge and teaching skills (KICE 2016). To improve the quality of teachers, it takes a coherent policy effort over the entire teaching career including pre-service teacher training programs, a quality control in teacher employment, teachers’ professional development, and so on

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion