A Study of Korean Teachers' Needs in In-Service Teacher Training and Variables Related to Their Needs: A Case of University Korean Language Education Centers in Korea

교원 재교육 프로그램에 대한 한국어 교원의 요구와 관련 변인 연구 -국내 대학 부설 한국어교육기관을 중심으로-

The purpose of this study is to examine Korean teachers' needs in in-service teacher training and variables related to their needs. This study was conducted with teachers from Korean language centers in Korean universities. The following three research questions were investigated: (1) What are the teachers' experiences of Korean language teaching and in-service teacher training? (2) What are the teachers' needs and expectations for the content and components of in-service education programs? Are there any disparity between teachers' needs and institutional needs? (3) What are the variables to be considered in designing an effective in-service teacher education program? In order to answer the research questions, a survey was developed and distributed to university Korean language institutions and Korean language teachers. The results indicated that both institutions and teachers are highly aware of the importance of the need for in-service teacher training. The results also suggested that a more teacher-centered, bottom-up approach should be implemented for successful outcomes of teacher education programs. Based on the results, this study offers a summary of the need for in-service teacher training and variables (both individual teacher variables and environmental variables) to be considered in designing the content and components of a teacher education program.