Module 3 Unit 1 Activity 1
The Plan
·
Grade Level: ELL University Students
·
Age: 18-23 years old
·
Location: Bucheon University
·
How will you observe: My classroom observation (teacher observing
students)
·
How long will you observe: 4 hours (+ student interview time)
·
How will you capture the information: Notes, Pictures (if allowed)
·
Schedule:
1. Talk to head teacher for permission from the
school to do interview at 9 am.
2.
Interview some students before the class starts 12 pm Wed. and 10 am. Fri.
3. Class time
1pm-3pm Wednesday 18th June ‘14, 11am-1am Friday 20th June‘14
4. Give students
questionnaires 1pm Wednesday, 11am Friday before class.
*In case of problems getting permission: View a class in another
elementary
Academy called The English Learning Center
Tasks:
1. Prepare questionnaires
2.
Print them out
3.
Collect questionnaires
4.
Ask students for permission to take pictures while they are doing work
5.
Interview students after class
6.
Collect data
· Questions for teacher:
1.
What motivates them to learn?
2.
What are their concerns?
3.
What are their interests/ talents?
4.
Would they like to see more technology integrated in the classroom?
5.
What is their socio-economic background? Is this affecting their education?
6.
Does the issue with age affect their learning environment?
7.
Are there gender issues in the classroom that affects their education?
8.
Are there students with special needs?
Questions for student:
1.
What motivates you to learn?
2.
What kind of technology to you want integrated in the classroom?
3.
What are your interests?
4.
Do you mind being grouped with other people in your class?
5.
What kind of change would you like to see in your classes?
6.
What are your concerns inside and outside school?
Persona of a Korean
University Student in the Digital Age
Bucheon University is a private university located in
Bucheon, South Korea. This university has been established for 56 years and it
has recently gone from a two-year college to a four-year accredited university
with more than adequate funding to maintain and expand their institution.
Many students who attend Bucheon University are mostly either
acquiring some credits while waiting to take another round of the CSAT (a Korean
university entrance exam), or are transitioning into other universities, though
there are some that after a couple of years, decide to finish their
undergraduate studies at this university to obtain a degree as this
establishment is not very demanding. The students who attend Bucheon are not
very good at taking exams and others are not too concerned with academia, which
is why they are attending this university in the first place. For our classes, there is only a passing
grade (above 60 percent) or failing grade (below 60 percent) and many of our
ELL students just care about doing the bare minimum to pass. There are those
who try their best anyway, but these are the students who probably want to keep
practicing their English so they can move on to better universities.
For this activity I have only had time to observed one of
my own freshman English Conversation class as they are all in the middle of
their final exams. This year the majors are mixed up and I had a class of 29
students, with 8 male students and 21 female students and most of them started
my class right after graduating from high school.
Capabilities and
Limitations based on Age
My students age ranged from 19- 24 Korean age which can
range anywhere from 17-23 years old internationally, but the average freshman
student is 18. There are two male students who are 23 years of age because they
have just finished their military service, which is mandatory for all men in
Korea. Most of the male students choose to do their service, one or two years
after starting university.
Age is a very interesting factor in this country as it
also affects the students’ education when placed into groups. Often times the
first question one gets asked here is age, and from there, a hierarchy is set
right away. The older students will limit themselves wanting to work alone. The
rest of the class will be hesitant to work with these two students because they
are outsiders.
When asked if how they feel comfortable being grouped in
the class, most of them responded that they feel more comfortable when the
professor chooses. Within the same aged students’ groups, they will often place
themselves in different levels in order of age (even by a few months), and the
“older” student will delegate how the group project/activity will be managed,
unless they have a more passive personality, or assign someone else in the
group to do it. Also once the age is established, they speak to each other in
honorifics.
Social-Economic
Highlights and Cultural Influences
Image
is very important in this society and part of that image is to have, or appear
to have money. Most of my students have, or are wearing an item with a name
brand, some of them being very high-end name brands. Most of my students come
from a middle class, or appear that way and only three of my students said they
had part-time jobs.
One
hundred percent of my students are Korean and often times their culture affects
their education (as explained before with age).
The
one thing they would like to change about the class was graded participation.
This brings us to another issue that they have. Often times, they do not like
to raise their hand and participate, or answer a question if they suspect they
are wrong. It is engraved in them that it is better to not speak than to make a
mistake, and this makes it really hard for them to learn English. Usually they
are quiet and do not like to be called on.
Students Interests
and Talents
When
students enter university, it gives them a sense of freedom for the first time.
In high school, they wore uniforms, had the same hair style and studied so
rigorously (where coming home from studying after midnight is normal), that
when they get to university, it is a time for them to enjoy themselves. They
girls experiment with their hairstyles, make-up, clothing, and the males also
do so with fashion, and hairstyles (similar to K-pop bands’), and alcohol, and
often times they are sleeping during class after a big night out.
These
students are interested in finding a boyfriend/ girlfriend so unfortunately
often times during class, students are distracted with their cell phones as
their social life is very important.
They
are mostly into K-pop music, and on their free time, most of them watch dramas
or hang out with their friends. Also most of them play the piano, and ALL of them
had at least piano lessons at some point in their lives.
Most
of them are motivated to learn to get their degrees and hopefully land a good
paying job. Their main concerns outside class were making money and getting
married in the future.
Access to Technology
One hundred percent
of these freshmen own smartphones and a computer. The all have internet access
and when asked what app they use the most, almost all of them responded with Kakao Talk, which is an instant
messaging app. Four of them responded with a gaming app and Kakao Talk.
The
usage of cell phones is probably my number one problem with students as they
are constantly trying and use their phones.
Zero percent of these students bring a laptop
to school, but I find it strange, as their internet is very fast and they have
very good technology in the country. They would like to be able to use their
laptops in school more but they don’t know if it is really acceptable to bring
their computers if it is not a computer class.
Technology
is definitely a major part of the students’ lives but the only signs of this
are usually in using their smartphones.
Student Special Needs
During my seven years
working in this establishment, I have seen one student on a wheel chair but
other than that, I have never encountered any other student at Bucheon
University with a disability. The university’s layout is wheelchair friendly
with tactile pavings all around campus but unfortunately it is not being used frequently.
This may be because having a disability is still stigmatized in this country.
Being different is frowned upon and conformity is sought after. Needless to say
zero percent of my students are or have been disabled in all the years I have
worked at Bucheon.
Summary
In
summation, freshmen students at Bucheon University are all Korean, usually
middle class students who are very interested in Korean pop culture, hanging
out with friends, dating, and fashion. They are all part of the digital era and
all of them own a smart phone and computer though they mostly use their phones
for instant messaging. Their goals mostly have to do with finding the right
person, securing a good job and making a lot of money (based on the
questionnaire and interviews provided by my classes).
Reference:
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