Why Korean Students Embrace Math Over Literature
- Author: Noreen Niazi
- Last Updated on: January 5, 2024
A strange thing is happening in the busy world of South Korean schools. Students are starting to like math more than reading books. For a long time, literature has been important in schools. More and more students from Korea are moving towards the exactness and reason found in maths. This event makes us wonder Why Korean Students Embrace Math Over Literature?
The Role of Education in South Korea: Why Korean Students Embrace Math Over Literature
South Korea is known worldwide for its strict and important education system. The country is often top in global tests, especially in math and science. According to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), South Korean students always do better than their worldwide friends in these topics.
Stat 1: In the latest PISA report (2018), South Korea was second best at math in 79 participating countries.
Stat 2: A study by the Korean Education Growth group showed that 75% of teen students in South Korea pick classes focused on math.
The Cult of STEM Education
One big reason for the focus on math is how important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields are getting in jobs worldwide. South Korea, which has a strong economy focusing on new technology, has changed its school system to fit the needs of these jobs.
Stat 3: The Department of Education, Science, and Tech says that 70% of the country’s jobs are connected to STEM.
Fact: More tech companies from different countries and the growing Korean technology have increased the need for people good at STEM subjects.
Cultural Influence on Educational Choices
In Korean culture, they have always considered being good at school important. Success in math is often seen as a way to top universities and get high-paying jobs. What students want to study is greatly affected by the expectations of society and culture.
Stat 4: A study by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation showed that 8 in 10 parents want their kids to go into jobs related to STEM.
Fact: Korean society has strong Confucian values that stress hard work and perfection. These same qualities are often linked with success in math problems, too.
The Role of Standardized Testing
South Korea’s school system focuses a lot on standardized tests. Getting into university depends mostly on how well you do in these exams. This focus on counting how well students do in school tips them towards subjects like math, where answers are clear and easy to measure.
Stat 5: The Korean College Test (CSAT), a big important test, puts much importance on math subjects.
Fact: Getting into a good university is hard, so many people think math skills are important for doing well in school.
Perspectives from Educators and Students
Teachers and students both give important ideas about this choice in education. Teachers often show how math is used in everyday situations, making people like it more because they see its usefulness and importance.
Teacher Quote: “Math is important for science and technology. It teaches us how to solve problems we need in a fast-changing world.”
Student Quote: “Picking math instead of reading books helps with your future. People think it’s a good way to stand out in a tough world.”
Numerical Examples Illustrating Math Proficiency
Let’s delve into five numerical examples showcasing the proficiency of Korean students in mathematics:
Example 1: Calculus Mastery
- Solve the integral: ∫ (2x^2 + 3x + 1) dx from 0 to 1.
Solution:
- ∫ (2x^2 + 3x + 1) dx = (2/3)x^3 + (3/2)x^2 + x | from 0 to 1
- Substitute upper limit: [(2/3)(1)^3 + (3/2)(1)^2 + 1] –
- Substitute lower limit: [(2/3)(0)^3 + (3/2)(0)^2 + 0]
- Result: (2/3) + (3/2) + 1 = 11/6
Example 2: Geometry Challenge
- Find the area of a triangle with sides of length 5, 7, and 8 using Heron’s formula.
Solution:
- Semi-perimeter (s) = (5 + 7 + 8) / 2 = 10
- Area = √[s(s-5)(s-7)(s-8)] = √[10(10-5)(10-7)(10-8)] = √[1053*2] = √300 = 10√3
Example 3: Algebraic Puzzle
- Solve the system of equations:
- 2x + 3y = 11
- 4x – y = 5
Solution:
- Multiply the second equation by 3: 12x – 3y = 15
- Add the two equations: 14x = 26
- Solve for x: x = 13/7
- Substitute x into the first equation: 2(13/7) + 3y = 11
- Solve for y: y = 1/7
Example 4: Probability Challenge
- If P(A) = 0.4 and P(B) = 0.3, find P(A and B) if A and B are independent events.
Solution:
- P(A and B) = P(A) * P(B) = 0.4 * 0.3 = 0.12
Example 5: Trigonometry Task
- Find the value of tan(45°) + sin(60°) / cos(30°).
Solution:
- tan(45°) + sin(60°) / cos(30°) = 1 + (√3 / 2) / (√3 / 2) = 1 + 1 = 2
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):Why Korean Students Embrace Math Over Literature
Q1: Why do Korean students value math more than literature?
A: People in South Korea like math more because of their culture, the big role of STEM topics, and their focus on tests for getting into college.
Q2: How does the school system in South Korea help with this choice?
A: The hard world of getting into university, relying on tests for everyone and what society expects push students to study things like math because they think it will make them successful.
Q3: How much do parents help decide what education students want?
A: Parents usually tell their kids to go into science, math, or technical jobs. These can lead to good grades in school later on down the line when they get a job, too.
Q4: Is there work being done to even out attention to literature in Korean schooling?
A: Some teachers want a better way, but the big social and rule problems make it hard to change quickly.