Scholastic Ability Research Articles

The Impact of Korea’s ‘Hagwon’ Culture on Academic Pressure Among High School Students

South Korea’s hagwon culture, characterized by private academies offering supplementary education, has become a cornerstone of its competitive academic system. While hagwon provide tailored support and intensive preparation for high-stakes exams like the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), their prevalence has led to heightened academic pressure, socio-economic disparities, and significant psychological and physical consequences for students. This paper explores the core features of hagwon culture, including its integration into daily life, financial demands, and its dual role in academic support and test preparation. Comparative analysis with similar systems in Japan and China highlights the unique aspects of Korea’s education landscape. Furthermore, the study examines parental motivations, societal expectations, and public attitudes toward the sustainability of hagwon. The paper concludes by proposing policy reforms, such as enhancing public education, promoting holistic learning approaches, and addressing socio-economic inequities, to reduce reliance on private academies and foster a more equitable and balanced education system.

생성형 인공지능의 수학적 성능 및 추론 과정 분석: 대학수학능력시험을 중심으로

This study analyzes the mathematical performance and reasoning processes of the generative AI model o1-preview to explore its potential application in mathematics education. In particular, this research uniquely delves into the reasoning processes of generative AI, identifying specific stages and characteristics that emerge during problem-solving. Using math problems from the Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (2022-2024), the study examined the model's response accuracy and the characteristics of its reasoning steps. The findings reveal that o1-preview demonstrated high accuracy in 2-point and 3-point questions and successfully solved some challenging 4-point questions. During the reasoning process, the model predominantly derived correct answers through the ‘analysis’ and ‘planning/execution’ stages, with particularly high accuracy observed when the ‘exploration’ and ‘verification’ stages were included. This study suggests that o1-preview could serve as a valuable computational tool in mathematics education, highlighting its potential for practical application. However, the study also identified limitations in the model's performance, particularly when ‘exploration’ and ‘verification’ stages were insufficiently executed. To address these issues, the importance of teacher guidance and well-designed prompts for utilizing generative AI in problem-solving is emphasized. This research evaluates the practical applicability of generative AI in real educational settings and aims to explore effective usage strategies for diverse educational environments in the future.

Comparison of academic achievement, graduation competency and academic sustainability of veterinary students based on college admission processes

A university’s admission policy is established to select applicants who can successfully complete the curriculum. Thus, it is important to develop optimal admissions processes for applicant selection. This study was conducted to infer the most suitable admission processes for veterinary school applicants by examining academic achievement, graduation competency and academic sustainability. It was conducted on students admitted from 2009 to 2018 at one of the veterinary colleges in Korea. The admission methods were divided into, first the regular admission (RA) process, primarily reflecting the results of the College Scholastic Ability Test, and second, the rolling admission processes. The rolling processes were further divided into admission officer-based (AO), high school grade point average-based (GA), essay test-based (ET), admission for the underprivileged (UP) and admission for overseas Koreans and foreigners (OKF). The final grade point average was observed to be higher in the order of the GA, AO and RA groups. The survey on the veterinary graduation competency did not reveal any difference between the regular and rolling admission processes. However, among the latter, AO-based admission showed a higher ratio of outstanding competency levels. In terms of academic sustainability, OKF admission demonstrated a higher rate of failure while RA showed a higher rate of expulsion and dropout. Summarizing the above results, the most successful veterinary applicants were selected through AO-based admission. These results are meaningful in providing the basic information required to establish admission policies for veterinary colleges in Korea.

Analysis of the current status of interview evaluations in Korean medical schools and professors' perceptions of the interview evaluations process.

This study aimed to investigate the overall operational status of medical school admission interview evaluations in South Korea and explore the operational experience of universities conducting interview evaluations. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Through a nationwide survey and data collection from 39 medical schools, the quantitative analysis explored interview evaluations procedures, the purpose of the interview evaluations, and the competencies expected of medical school freshmen. Concurrently, qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions with 12 professors from 10 medical schools, providing in-depth insights into the operational experiences and challenges faced during interview evaluations. In the quantitative data, interview evaluations were most prevalent in the "comprehensive school records screening" for rolling admissions (85.5%), but less common in regular admissions (18.6%). Private schools (64.2%) showed a statistically significant higher proportion of interview admissions than public schools (11.1%) in the "high school grades focused admission" (p<0.01). Metropolitan areas (50.0%) conducted interview evaluations more frequently than non-metropolitan areas (11.1%) in the "College Scholastic Ability Test-focused admissions" (p<0.05). In the qualitative data, professors recognize the dominant role of "negative selection" in filtering out unsuitable candidates. Challenges in maintaining a consistent evaluator pool and team-based question development were acknowledged. Strategies, such as seeking student feedback for question improvement and conducting study meetings for interviewer preparation are essential. This study illuminates the operation of admissions interview evaluations in South Korea, revealing variations across regions and admissions types. These findings offer insights for enhancing medical school admission processes, guiding future research and policy.

Systematic Literature Analysis of the on the Difficulty Policy of the English Language in the College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT): From 1993 to 2022, focusing on domestic journals

Systematic Literature Analysis of the on the Difficulty Policy of the English Language in the College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT): From 1993 to 2022, focusing on domestic journals

The Impact of Hagwon (Private Tutoring Centers) on High School Students’ Academic Performance in South Korea

This study investigates the impact of Hagwon (private tutoring centers) attendance on the academic performance, mental health, and social lives of high school students in South Korea. Hagwons have become an integral part of the South Korean education system, driven by the country’s highly competitive academic environment. The analysis reveals that Hagwon attendance significantly enhances students’ academic performance, particularly in standardized tests like the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). However, it also highlights substantial negative impacts on students’ mental health, including increased stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Furthermore, the demanding schedules associated with Hagwon attendance adversely affect students’ social lives and participation in extracurricular activities. The study underscores the socio-economic disparities in access to Hagwons, with wealthier families more likely to afford these services. Policy implications and recommendations are discussed, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to education that supports both academic excellence and students’ overall well-being.

한국 영어 듣기학습자를 위한 다양한 영어 실제(authentic) 자료 보통속도 연구

Objectives Normal English speed is a core factor of characteristics of authentic spoken language; thus, its study is essential for teaching English listening. The purpose of this study is two fold: 1) To investigate English normal speed(160~190 wpm), which was claimed by Primsleur, et. al. 45 years ago; and 2) To find out whether normal speed is utilized in teaching of listening in Korean high schools.
 Methods To find out current normal English speed, we investigated 42 YouTube materials from varied genres. In addition, a survey was conducted with 22 prospective English teachers.
 Results The research findings on the speech rate for various genres are: speeches (135 wpm), dramas (141 wpm), talk shows (174 wpm), and news (185 wpm). We found out that the normal speed has been maintained for 45 years under similar conditions as measured by the news announcers' speeches. The survey reveals that slower than normal speed is utilized in English listening classes, which makes Korean learners of English experience difficulties in authentic situations.
 Conclusions Utilizing the normal speed is recommended on the Korean Scholastic Ability Test listening items and in the English classroom alike, to solve the speed gap between the English classroom in Korea and authentic situations in English.

다중비교 인과포레스트를 활용한 대학입학전형에 따른 대학생활 성과 분석

Over the years, university admission types have primarily been the subject of social discussions on the
 dimension of fairness. However, considering the original purpose of university admissions system, it is also
 crucial to evaluate how well each type performs in selecting students who can successfully navigate academic
 life at each university. Accordingly, this study aimed to analyze the university life outcomes (sense of
 belonging, adaptability, intention to reselect the university, intention to reselect the major, GPA) according
 to different university admissions types: the admission officer(AO) system, high school grade-focused(HSG)
 selection system, and College Scholastic Ability Test-focused(CSAT) selection system, using the data from the
 Korea Education Longitudinal Study(KELS) 2013 collected in ’20~’21(N=2,011). Assuming the effects may
 vary according to the baseline characteristics, the study employs the Conditional Average Treatment Effects
 (CATE) perspective through the Multi-arm Causal Forest technique(Athey, Tibshirani, & Wager, 2019). The
 main findings are summarized as follows: First, on average, students admitted through AO system exhibit
 superior outcomes across all considered aspects of college life, with a notable emphasis on higher intentions
 to reselect both the university and major. Second, it appears that parental income and education, high
 school academic achievement levels and their university-level average were significant conditioning variables
 predicting heterogeneous treatment effects on college life outcomes. Last, the effect heterogeneity of CSAT
 system, depending on the values of major conditioning variables, was more prominent compared to that of
 AO system. Based on these findings, suggestions for interpreting the research results and directions for
 future studies were provided.

의사결정 나무 모형을 이용한 대학수학능력시험영어 영역 읽기 지문의 정답률 예측 요인 탐색

의사결정 나무 모형을 이용한 대학수학능력시험영어 영역 읽기 지문의 정답률 예측 요인 탐색

A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Blended Learning and Lecture Methods on Chemistry Students' Scholastic Ability in Delta State

A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Blended Learning and Lecture Methods on Chemistry Students' Scholastic Ability in Delta State

Vocabulary Coverage of the Basic English Vocabulary List from the Korean National Curriculum and the BNC in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)

Vocabulary Coverage of the Basic English Vocabulary List from the Korean National Curriculum and the BNC in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)

Maternal prenatal paracetamol ingestion and scholastic attainments of the offspring.

Background: Fetal exposure to paracetamol (acetaminophen) has been shown to be associated with asthma and other atopic disorders, as well as behavioural problems including hyperactivity, in childhood. However, there is little information on scholastic abilities among children exposed to paracetamol in pregnancy. Objectives: To determine whether there are any differences in scholastic abilities among the offspring of women who ingested paracetamol during pregnancy compared with non-exposed children. Methods: Mothers enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) had recorded the frequency with which they had taken the medication over two time periods during pregnancy: i) the first 18weeks and ii) 18-32weeks. The offspring have been followed up ever since. For this study we use as outcomes: a) 14 tests of ability at reading and 2 of spelling using the study's tests and the national education system test results; b) 6 of mathematical abilities including tests of arithmetic and mathematical reasoning, and c) 1 of scientific understanding. Multiple regression was used, adjusting for 15 different exposures including reasons for taking the medication as well as demographic features. Results: Almost all unadjusted and adjusted mean differences were negative (i.e., those exposed to maternal intake of paracetamol did less well), but negative associations for exposures between 18 and 32weeks of gestation were much more evident than for exposures earlier in pregnancy. Of the later exposures, after adjustment, 12 of the 23 scholastic tests were associated with prenatal exposure to paracetamol at p < 0.05. These negative effects were found in the girls (12 tests at p < 0.05) but not boys (0 tests at p < 0.05). Conclusion: Evidence from this longitudinal study suggests that maternal exposure to paracetamol is associated with disadvantages to the offspring in scholastic abilities such as mathematics and reading at secondary school ages. This raises the question as to whether there are longer-lasting effects on educational attainment from age 15years onwards, including at university level. Clearly these results should be tested in other settings, but meanwhile they add to a growing accumulation of known adverse effects of exposure to paracetamol in pregnancy.

Perfectionism, test anxiety, and neuroticism determines high academic performance: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAcademic performance is an important issue for Korean students. Various psychological factors contribute to academic performance. We aimed to evaluate the psychological factors that affect academic performance integratively.MethodsA total of 102 academic high achievers and 120 comparison participants were recruited. We evaluated psychological factors (test anxiety, perfectionism, personality traits, resilience, and self-efficacy) and measured academic performance using the College Scholastic Ability Test and the current college grade. We compared psychological factors and academic performance between the academic high achiever and comparison groups. Multiple linear regression was then conducted to identify the significant psychological factors for high academic performance. Further, we used cluster analysis to classify the comparison group by the significant psychological factors and compared them among clusters and academic high achievers to determine the psychological characteristics of academic high achievers.ResultsThe academic high achiever group showed lower test anxiety (p = .002), less neuroticism (p = .001), higher self-efficacy (p = .028), and less socially prescribed perfectionism (p < .001) than the comparison group. Multiple linear regression results (p = .020) clarified that neuroticism (p = .020), test anxiety level (p = .047), and perfectionism (p = .035) were important factors predicting better academic performance. Academic high achievers had moderate test anxiety and perfectionism levels, with the best performance on the College Scholastic Ability Test.ConclusionsNeuroticism, test anxiety levels, and perfectionism are important psychological factors for high academic performance. Interventions targeting these factors may help to improve academic accomplishments.

대학입시 공정성에 대한 미디어 담론 분석: 학생부종합전형을 중심으로

The purpose of this study was to reveal the discourses of fairness germane to the college admission systems. To do so, the study paid close attention to the comprehensive student record screening (the so-called Hakjong in Korean), a revised version of the college admissions officer system in South Korea. To analyze the varigated public opinion son fairness entwined deeply in the college admission systems, I conducted a critical discours eanalysis (CDA) of newspaper articles published in South Korea. In so doing, I illustrated three interrelated discourses: (a) the evaluations of students’ potentials, (b) the competitions for various qualifications (i.e., spec, a widely used term in South Korea) to get admissions from the highly selective colleges, and (c) the Hakjong (the comprehensive student record screening) versus the CSAT (the College Scholastic Ability Test). Furthermore, the order of discourses of fairness overarching these interrelated discourses is intimately attached to powerful ideologies (e.g., neoliberalism and meritocracy) in, but not limited to, Korean society/societies. Based upon CDA, this study articulates a crucial point: the order of discourses of fairness germane to the college admission systems serves crucial roles to (re)shape unequal relations of power that perpetuate social inequality in South Korea. This work, by doing so, offers insights to address various critical issues related to the fields of education as well as the college admission systems in South Korea.

Effect of Target Task Approach on Students’ Ability level and Retention in Senior Secondary Chemistry in Delta State, Nigeria

The study was aimed at using Target Task Approach to bridge the ability gaps of students in Secondary School Chemistry. It adopted a pretest, posttest, delayed quasi-experimental design with a sample size one hundred and seventeen students in both the experimental and control groups. Three research questions and hypotheses were raised and formulated to guide the study. The instruments for the study includes a Chemistry Achievement test (CAT) and Scholastic Ability Test. The instrument were validated and their reliabilities established. The reliability coefficient of both instrument using the Kudar-Richardson formulae 21 and Chromberg alfa were 0.89 and 0.72. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions while the independent t-test was used in testing the hypotheses. The result showed a no significant difference on achievement and retention of low and high ability students taught Chemistry using Target Task Approach.

왜 다시 EBS인가?

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, concerns about learning loss and the soaring expenses of private education have become prominent social issues. In light of these concerns, the government is actively exploring strategies to enhance the integration of EBS lectures into the College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT). While previous studies have primarily focused on the initial impact of the 2010 college entrance exam policy, there remains a lack of research on the dynamic effects of the policy over time. Firstly, in order to estimate the effect of EBS lectures on the reduction in private education expenses, we employ the Correlated Random Effects approach - Panel Tobit Model along with other panel data models, using data from high school students in the Seoul Education Longitudinal Study (SELS). Additionally, we evaluate the outcome of EBS lectures compared to other educational goods such as school achievement.&#x0D; The results indicate that, except for the early stages of policy implementation, EBS lectures have significantly reduced private education expenses and positively influenced academic achievement in math and English courses. However, a continuous decline in EBS lecture participation rates and the preference of top-performing students for private education seem to diminish the overall impact of the policy. Accordingly, policy responses addressing these issues should be considered to maximize the effectiveness of the EBS lecture policy.

Collaboration and socio-economic inequality: Estimating the effects of intra-school and inter-school inequality on collaborative problem-solving skills

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the world’s most extensive assessment of student scholastic abilities, included in its 2015 cycle a human-agent measure of collaborative problem-solving skills (CPS). To better understand the development of collaboration proficiency in youth, we assess the effects on CPS of several individual, mezzo, and national level variables, focusing on intra-school and inter-school wealth inequality. The results of the three-level hierarchical linear models on 46 countries show that both types of inequality have negative effects on CPS individual scores. In the case of intra-school inequality, the negative effect holds after controlling for individual differences in science performance. Generalized trust and political equality, measured at the national level, counteract these effects independently, reaffirming the importance of education to democratic citizenship and institutions.

Gender Heterogeneity and Inter-generational Transmission of Learning Ability in India

This article examines the role of gender heterogeneity in inter-generational transmission of learning efficiency, a proxy for scholastic ability. We use primary survey data of 1000 elementary students collected from 125 public schools in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. Efficiency scores calculated from data envelopment analysis by considering students’ academic test scores in various courses are used as a proxy for learning ability. First, we find strong evidence of inter-generational transmission of schooling of father, mother, and average parents to their children. Second, the study finds that a mother’s educational attainment in children’s learning efficiency is relatively more significant than that of the father. In addition, we observe the gender heterogeneous effect of parents’ education on children’s learning efficiency, where transmission effects in the case of girls show improvement if parents’ level of education increases. As a policy implication, the study highlights the importance of girls’ education, which not only narrows the gender gap in education but also facilitates the inter-generational transmission of learning, benefitting the family and society.

2022 개정 수학과 교육과정 적용에 따른 대학수학능력시험 수학 영역의 변화 방향 탐색

The purpose of this study is to predict changes in the mathematics area of the College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) following the introduction of the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum and to seek educational implications for mathematical evaluation. To this end, the contents of the 2022 and 2023 CSAT items, where the 2015 revised mathematics curriculum was applied, were analyzed based on the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum. The results of this study are as follows. First of all, in the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum, the number of elective subjects increased significantly compared to the 2015 revised mathematics curriculum, and the content area between subjects was reorganized and the achievement standards for each content area were changed. Second, changes in curriculum terms and preferences have been confirmed to cause changes in various details, such as changes in terms available in the CSAT, as well as changes in the content area, evaluation goals, and complexity of item calculation. Third, it was confirmed that some of the CSAT items under the 2015 revised mathematics curriculum may weaken the evaluation factors or limit the evaluation of mathematical thinking of related concepts due to changes in the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum. This study is significant in that it could be useful data for the 2028 CSAT by reviewing changes in the application of the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum and presenting factors to be considered in the evaluation of high school mathematics education.

대학수학능력시험 수학 영역 표준점수 산출 방식 이해도 제고를 위한 교사 연수 자료 개발 연구

The method of calculating and providing standard scores in the mathematics area of CSAT(college scholastic ability test) has undergone various changes since 1999. Recently, the standard score calculation method in a common+elective structure has been applied since the 2022 CSAT in accordance with the purpose of integrating liberal arts and natural sciences in the 2015 revised curriculum. However, apart from the purpose of this integration, many concerns have been raised due to low understanding of the calculation method. In this study, the relationship which is the core of the standard score calculation method in the common+elective structure, between ‘average and standard deviation of the raw score of the common subject’ and ‘average and standard deviation of the adjusted score of the elective subject’ was examined. In addition, using virtual data, the standard score calculation method in the mathematics area of the 2021 and 2022 CSAT was compared. Based on this, training materials that can enhance teachers' understanding of the standard score calculation method were developed, and the effectiveness was verified by conducting training for 10 high school teachers. Finally, the importance and implications of improving teachers' understanding of the standard score calculation method were discussed.