Ewha rises as threshold of Korean studies 2

On July 12, 2012, Ewha successfully sent the first special lecture Globalization & South Korean Chaebol by professor Kim Eun-mee (International Studies) to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand and the University of Hong Kong in China. In this trial lecture, 20 Ewha students and 20 Harvard University students who participated in the Ewha-Harvard Summer School were sitting in the classroom at Ewha, while students in Thailand and  Hong Kong were attending the lecture simultaneously via screen.
The students in Thailand and Hong Kong not only listened and watched the professor, but they also asked questions and presented their opinions during discussion via camera, which focused on them when they pressed a button on their desks.
In addition, on July 19, another special lecture Korean Traditional Music was held, where Ewha Korean Music students played traditional musical instruments such as the Gayageum, and oversea students learned Korean traditional rhythms.
After the two pilot trials, the Ewha-KF Global E-School established its courses officially in the fall semester of 2011. During the semester, three Korean studies courses including Understanding World Heritage in Korea by professor Kim Young-hoon (Korean Studies), and International Development Cooperation, by professor Kim Eun-mee (International Studies) were open for University of Hong Kong and Chulalongkorn University.
Since it was the first year of the project, there were a few hurdles E-School had to overcome, including technical glitches and language barriers.
“We have worked to fix the technical issues that appeared, which have shown positive results so far,” said  Kim Min-jeong, Korean Foundation (KF)’s Korean Studies Department Deputy Director. “Also, the difference in students’ understanding and background knowledge about Korea and the language barrier were even more problematic, and we keep seeking ways to minimize such difficulties.”
After stabilizing the system, the project was expanded in scale. Since it was launched, the number of classes provided through the E-School has increased from 35 to 135 this year. Also, this semester, a total of 2,700 students in 64 universities from 27 countries will take courses on Korean studies through the E-School along with off-line workshops and team projects.

* Reporters: Moon Bo-ra, Ahn In-kyeong

* Emails: boramoon@ewhain.net, iahn@ewhain.net