Column

Having the privilege to take part in Korean Culture education for textbook specialist from Bulgaria in South Korea in May 27 -June 2 2018 I will present my “understanding” Korea Project as a Geography textbook author and a Geography Teacher Trainer thinking over the possible answers of the following three questions: 1. Why South Korea is interesting and important at Secondary Geography education and at postgraduate Geography teacher training in Bulgaria at the beginning of the XXI century? 2. What valid information is necessary for understanding South Korea and would already created e-sources be proper for Secondary education and postgraduate training in Bulgaria? 3. What are the possible effective ways to spread the information about South Korea?

1. Why South Korea is interesting and important at Secondary Geography education and at postgraduate Geography teacher training in Bulgaria at the beginning of the XXI century?

On the one hand for the textbook authors the reason is connected with “the need for teaching materials for the 6th, the 9th, the 11th and the 12th grades that reflect accurate extensive knowledge for Korea”. Such sources are the seventh books from the series Understanding Korea On the other hand for the teachers at the postgraduate teacher training would be useful the teaching models as those from the drawing and music lessons at the Primary school in Seoul we visit which integrate teaching of the ancient culture and the concrete school subjects.

2. What valid information - facts, statistics, investigations, analysis, news - is necessary for understanding South Korea and would already created e-sources be proper for Secondary education and postgraduate training in Bulgaria?

The lectures: Korean Economy: past and Present; The History of Inter-Korean Relations; The Culture and History of Korea and the seminar materials about Korea in the Bulgarian textbooks and materials for Korea are in fact a productive starting point for searching, choosing and presenting facts, statistics, investigations, analysis, news for Korea. Examples of useful information presented in attractive way could be found in the Korea official site: Gateway to Korea and the “resources from Website Directory”: the photos from the visitseoul.net; the animated info about a successful example of complete energy solutions (from generation and storage to efficient consumption). Which facts could be better evidence of the global competitiveness than the one mentioned in News Focus for Policies, Business, Sci/Tech: “… Three major Korean phone and data carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ -- will jointly launch the world’s first 5G services in March 2019. This move is in response to the Moon administration’s goal to make Korea the first country in the world to actualize 5G technologies…“In order to make Korea the first country to commercialize 5G technology and to dominate the global market, suppliers should avoid competition to be first,” said Minister Yoo. “I urge your three companies to cooperate with each other on this….”

3. What are the possible effective ways to spread the information about South Korea?

One of them is creating a complex of information: textbooks - student´s workbooks - teacher´s books (or guidelines for teaching)
Another way to spread the information for South Korea is through a model for “travelling school” – by using different e-sources to choose routes and to learn and to understand the Korean culture. The virtual trip of ”the travelling school” throughout South Korea may include the precisely chosen objects from the wonderful route which we followed in May 27 - June 2 2018: from the splendid base of the AKStudies, in the hearth of the Korea’s world cultural heritage sites designated by UNESCO such as Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, and Daereungwon Ancient Tombs, through the industry of the new XXI century´s in POSCO where can be seen the wisdom decisions for contemporary high-technological development and of course the capital Seoul – where the history of thousands years is in perfect harmony with the skyscrapers, the modern finances and the performances from the third wave of contemporary culture. A third possibility to summarize the opportunities to provoke curiosity and to present some results of the growing interest to the nature and the people of South Korea – the country increasingly strengthening its relevance in contemporary global development countries, is the annual autumn science-educational forum at the Department of In-service Teacher Training of Sofia University. In November 2018 the theme of the 8th forum will be“The interaction between Secondary and University Education as factor for Better Education Quality”.
The optimal effect of the seminar of course is due to the perfect planning, precise organization and correct realization of the program.