Column
Ways to promote development of materials for helping Ecuador increase understanding of Korea
Raúl Leonidas Yépez Vásconez
CEN, Chief Editor
Alternatives should be presented in order for Ecuadorian youth to improve their knowledge of Korea.
In February 2020, the Guatemala government announced that it would include information about Korea in textbooks from that semester. Textbooks distributed through private and public educational institutions from March will contain information on Korea. Elementary school students will study the Spanish version of the story of "Heungbu and Nolbu," and middle school textbooks will include general information about Korea, including culture, food, and economic development process.
Textbooks have only dealt with the1950 Korean War and the post-war Korea, but under the new agreement, students in Guatemala and other American countries will be able to learn more about Korea. Through these innovative cases and the important relationship with the educational systems of many Latin American countries, Korea contributes to progress and shares with them its culture, democracy and how it achieved economic success.
In Ecuador's case, it does not have many books on Korea. Education authorities design national curriculums and ensure mandatory application of those curriculums in private and public schools. Therefore, publishers or companies that make textbooks for the Ecuadorian education system cannot include their own contents other than the preset curriculums. What can publishing houses do to improve knowledge of Korea under these circumstances?
Two aspects are very important. One is method and the other is to carefully identify the characteristics of "social" learning guidance, starting with similarities.
In the case of Guatemala, textbooks published prior to 2020 dealt with the confrontation between communism and capitalism, starting with the description of the Korean War in 1950 as an extensive "Cold War".
In February 2020, the Guatemala government announced that it would include information about Korea in textbooks from that semester. Textbooks distributed through private and public educational institutions from March will contain information on Korea. Elementary school students will study the Spanish version of the story of "Heungbu and Nolbu," and middle school textbooks will include general information about Korea, including culture, food, and economic development process.
Textbooks have only dealt with the1950 Korean War and the post-war Korea, but under the new agreement, students in Guatemala and other American countries will be able to learn more about Korea. Through these innovative cases and the important relationship with the educational systems of many Latin American countries, Korea contributes to progress and shares with them its culture, democracy and how it achieved economic success.
In Ecuador's case, it does not have many books on Korea. Education authorities design national curriculums and ensure mandatory application of those curriculums in private and public schools. Therefore, publishers or companies that make textbooks for the Ecuadorian education system cannot include their own contents other than the preset curriculums. What can publishing houses do to improve knowledge of Korea under these circumstances?
Two aspects are very important. One is method and the other is to carefully identify the characteristics of "social" learning guidance, starting with similarities.
In the case of Guatemala, textbooks published prior to 2020 dealt with the confrontation between communism and capitalism, starting with the description of the Korean War in 1950 as an extensive "Cold War".
Suggestions and implementation method
The systematic method of scientific analysis does not offer ways to deal with topics from various aspects of social knowledge. We must understand social studies in the same way as learning guidance on the reality of society as a whole and continuous interaction, and political, economic, social, cultural, and mental elements.
Effective application in terms of teaching methods provides us with a way to improve our knowledge of Korea.
Effective application in terms of teaching methods provides us with a way to get a better knowledge of Korea, and propose a supplementary project (textbook) to study and increase knowledge through the systematic development of topics and subtopics.
Ecuador's interest in Korea is increasing at a time when Korea's economy is being internationalized rapidly. If we want to leave the underdeveloped situation behind, we should emphasize culture and language relations that fit well with diplomacy between Korea and Ecuador.
Coordination of cultural activities and encouragement of those mentioned in the above will benefit all Spanish-speaking diplomatic missions stationed in Korea and open the way for the conclusion of mutual cooperation agreements.
Coordination of cultural activities and encouragement of those mentioned in the above will benefit all Spanish-speaking diplomatic missions stationed in Korea and open the way for the conclusion of mutual cooperation agreements.
