1. Introduction
The combination of a decreasing number of high school graduates and an increasing number of secondary educational organizations has led to a drastic reduction in the number of students entering college. As a result, the basic learning competencies of junior college students have decreased significantly, so much in fact that it has become difficult for many to complete the regular curriculums.
In order to resolve these problems, an attempt to understand the present state of the basic learning competencies of junior college students was made by analyzing successful cases of basic learning competencies at the junior college level, and suggesting measures to improve the basic learning competencies that junior colleges can offer.
This research consisted of an analysis of related literature and materials, three consultations with specialists, interviews with those who are responsible for the basic learning competencies of junior colleges, the introduction of successful cases of improving the basic learning competencies of junior college students, and the holding of seminars.
2. Results of the research
Basic learning competencies refer to the lowest level of academic ability required in order for junior college students to complete their majors and seek employment after graduation. These basic learning competencies can be broken down into communication skills, computation, and the ability to process information.
With regards to the cultivation of basic learning competencies, Korean and foreign language courses are widely regarded as the cultural subjects through which students can improve their communication skills. Meanwhile, mathematics is seen as the best subject through which to improve computation skills while science and computer related curriculums are seen as the best subjects through which to improve the ability to process information. When the scores achieved on the 2002 University Entrance Exam are brought to light, which are directly related to the basic learning competencies of junior college students, it becomes clear, as many junior college professors have argued, that a large number of students will find it difficult to complete the junior college education curriculums.
The following is a list of measures that have been used by some junior colleges to improve the basic learning competencies of students:
① Development and management of educational curriculums: Improvement of educational curriculums to heighten the basic learning competencies of junior college students Woosong Technical College
② Teaching-learningmethods:Self-directedteaching-learning models Andong Science College
③ Learning communities:Teaching models based on the usage of learningcommunitiestoimproveforeignlanguagelearningcompetencies Suwon Womans College
④ Special activitiesoutside of regular educational programs: Competency-based curriculums and improvement of computation skills Doowon Technical College
Based on the results of this research, the following strategies and support measures to improve the basic learning competencies of junior college students were presented:
1) Educational strategy to improve basic learning competencies
① To improve the educational curriculums based on students academic abilities, independent cultural subjects, or subjects integrated with individual majors should be developed in order to obtain the communication, computation, and information processing skills needed in the actual job market.
② To improve teaching-learning methods, various methods; such as, those involving the resolution of problems; project related discussions, and individual-based learning methods should be employed.
③ Learning communities should be organized through cooperative ventures between the students themselves, as well as between students and professors, in order to heighten the learning effects by coordinating a variety of independently managed subjects and reorganizing the curriculums in a manner conducive to students learning.
④ Special activities, such as club activities, should be invigorated, supplementary lectures offered as part of developmental education offered, discussions and symposiums drawing students interest organized, and clubs through which students can learn foreign languages formed.
2) Support measures to improve basic learning competencies
① Junior colleges should reorganize the educational curriculums in accordance with their own special circumstances. Moreover, a teaching- learning center should be established in order to help develop and distribute teaching-learning methods. To invigorate extra-curricular educational activities, incentives should be offered to participating professors, while participating students receive credit for their efforts. Additionally, in order to improve the education programs and teaching-learning methods carried out by professors, the training programs for college professors should be further strengthened. New professors should be required to complete these training programs before they are employed. In addition, cooperation systems should be established between individual junior colleges.
② The government should help establish a teaching-learning support center at the national level in order to support the regional and junior college teaching-learning centers. In addition, the government should institutionalize the provision of administrative and financial support for projects related to basic learning competencies, and assure that professors have completed the necessary teaching subjects before allowing them to seek employment.