• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.175-200
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• 2008

The study aims to assess needs of administrative and financial support for effective performance of teacher professionalism of gifted. For this end, practicing teachers of gifted education were nationwide selected for survey questionnaires. The first survey of five-scale Likert item was conducted in July 2005 with 236 teachers and the second survey of open-ended item was done in November 2005 with 123 teachers. All the respondents provided their perceptions to current status of administrative and financial support for gifted education and needs for their effective performance of professionalism. Suggestions for improving conditions of administration and finance in terms of effective performance of teacher professionalism in gifted education were as follows: First, teachers should be assigned as full-time for gifted education. Otherwise, their teaching hours and other related jobs should be, reduced Second, the financial support for gifted education should be increased, in particular, more in provincial areas than metropolitan cities. Third, appropriate grouping and counseling according to diverse differences of students should be done. Fourth, understanding of principals and teachers in general education as well as parents and general public toward gifted education should be improved through inservice education program and other education programs. Further, teachers of gifted education should be provided with more frequent opportunities for participating inservice programs in quality, share knowledge and experiences among teachers through network systems, and be given appropriate incentives for better performance of professionalism.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.493-514
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• 2016

Since the Gifted and Talented Education Promotion Law was enacted 15 years ago, in Korea, gifted education in Korea has continued rapid and quantitative growth. The number of gifted classes or institutes for the gifted have increased, as well as the number of gifted education teachers increasing their participation in professional development training and educational activities. However after 2014, gifted education is somewhat shrinking. Due to the controversy of private education and expansion of social welfare in Korea, administrative and financial support for gifted education is being reduced. This study reviewed the gifted education policies promoted by successive governments and analyzed the relationship between politics and support for gifted education efforts by the government. In addition, the phenomenon of the recently shrinking gifted education in Korean society was analyzed in various aspects. These aspects include: decreasing quantitative growth due to the weakening of administrative and financial support from central and local governments on gifted education, regulations on suppressing private education, social inequality to gifted education access, and lack of solidarity in the gifted education scholastic community. Based on this analysis of gifted phenomenon, ways of developing the ideological and practical aspects of future-oriented gifted education were suggested. In the ideological dimension, it was emphasized that gifted education must move away from insularity and the adhesive perspective of Korean society on the concept of giftedness, the concept of intelligence and the recognition of the legitimacy of gifted education. On the other hand, in the practical dimension, the following points were identified: the collection of empirical data on the economic impact of gifted education, gifted education amendment of the statutes, adaptation of the gifted education program with gifted identification, diversification of gifted education service system, and actively promoting new research topics in relation to the Gifted and Talented Education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-45
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• 2012

Educational communities around the world have concentrated on integrative efforts among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEM) subjects. Korea has focused on integrative education among STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) school subjects to raise talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. The purpose of this study was to analyze secondary school science, technology, and mathematics teacher's perceptions and needs toward integrated education and integrative STEM education. A total of 251 secondary school teachers from all areas of the country who have taught science, mathematics, and technology were surveyed by using a self-reported instrument. The findings were as follows: First, teachers have used little integrated education in their classes due to insufficient time in the actual preparation of the integrated education and the lack of expertise, teaching experience, and teaching-learning materials for the integrated education, while they have positive thoughts about the need of integrated education. Second, they presented several needs to facilitate the integrated education: development of a variety of integrated programs, school administrative and financial support, and in-service teachers' training. Third, overall perception toward integrated STEM education was not sufficient, but most teachers perceived the need toward integrated STEM education due to students' development in their creativity, thinking skills, and adaptability. Fourth, they perceived that it was imperative to develop the various integrated STEM education programs, distribute the materials, and help STEM teachers' understanding toward integrated STEM education. Fifth, they perceived that the most relevant method to integrate STEM subjects was the problem solving approach. In addition, they appreciate that the integrated STEM education is highly efficient in not only developing integrated problem solving skills and STEM related literacy, but also in positively impacting the rise of talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. In order to increase the awareness of STEM-related secondary school teachers and vitalize the integrated STEM education, it is necessary to develop and spread a variety of programs, effective teaching and learning materials, and teachers' training programs.