The career development competencies score of middle-school students who participated in the Free Semester program was 3.96 out of 5, higher than the score of students who did not take part (3.87). Specifically, the participants in the program scored significantly higher in the "career understanding" and "career exploration" fields of the career development competencies.
The program participants showed a higher cognitive level (3.78) with regard to the general tasks, functions and responsibilities of their desired job than the non-participants (3.56).
The program participants showed higher levels of satisfaction with regard to school career activities and career-experience programs than the non-participants.
To enhance the students' sociality and understanding of themselves during Free Semesters and to help their career-related decision-making, as well as to help schools to plan and implement relevant curriculum and Free Semester activities, it is necessary to ensure autonomy in implementing each school's curriculum and to establish an institutional environment where the resulting outcomes can be analyzed and evaluated.
*The full-text is available in Korean only.