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Achieving Excellence in Teacher Workforce and Equity in Learning Opportunities in South Korea

NAM-HWA KANG is an assistant professor at Oregon State University, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, 239 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331; kangn{at}science.oregonstate.edu. Her research focuses on teacher professional learning and classroom teaching practices in relation to student learning.MIYOUNG HONG is a researcher at the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, Division of Curriculum and Textbook Research, 25-1 Samchung-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, Korea, 110–230; myhong{at}kice.re.kr. Her research focuses on science curriculum development and student assessment in science

Akiba, LeTendre, and Scribner (2007) identified two problems with mathematics education in the United States: (a) a shortage of qualified mathematics teachers and (b) unequal access to those teachers by students of high and low socioeconomic status. Akiba et al. called for further research on how South Korea and other countries have achieved excellence in their teacher workforces and equity in access to qualified teachers. They also called for research on what mediates the relationship between opportunity and achievement gaps. In response, the authors of this article describe pertinent South Korean educational contexts and policies. To ensure teacher quality in the United States, the authors propose establishing teaching as a professional occupation by offering competitive salaries, improving working conditions, and increasing teachers’ out-of-class time for planning and professional development. As a way to close the achievement gap, they recommend that accessible supplementary learning opportunities be provided for students who lack family and community resources.

Key Words: achievement gap • equity • South Korea • teacher quality • teacher recruitment • teacher retention • teacher workforce • TIMSS

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