A Study of A Multicultural Education Program for South Korean Youth Using a High School Mentor- Small Group Elementary School Mentees Model Pubblico

Park, So Bae (2014)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/02870w522?locale=it
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Abstract

This research project focuses on the design and implementation of a summer multicultural mentoring program in an elementary school in Maseog, South Korea. Utilizing a mixed-method research based on multiple data sources, the study seeks to understand if and how the mentoring program influenced participants' self-concept, multicultural understandings, interest for learning, and the degree of attachment to the school. The mentoring program brings together "native" Koreans and bicultural Koreans to help both groups learn to dialogue and bridge differences. Eighteen students participated in the program: thirteen elementary school student mentees and five high school student mentors. Thirteen mentees' pre- and post-survey were analyzed and the findings suggest the mentoring program positively influenced all bicultural Korean and moderately influenced native Korean students. Interviews with thirteen mentees, writing samples, informal dialogues, five mentors' journals, and field notes are used as data sources for the qualitative portion of the study. Findings from these data sources indicate that native Korean mentors became more flexible in understanding children with different cultures, and mentees improved in language skills, increased interest in learning and degree of attachment to school. The findings suggest that both native and bicultural Korean students can benefit from a group-mentoring program. Suggestions are made for the future implementation of the program.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: The Research Problem 1

Statement of the Problem 2

Purpose of the Study 3

Research Questions 4

Educational Significance 5

Definition of Terms 5

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature 6

Multicultural Education 6

The Multicultural Context of South Korea 8

Increasing ethnic and racial diversity. 8

Approaches to multicultural education in South Korea 10

Chapter 3: Methodology 11

Restatement of Purpose 11

Mixed Method Research Design 12

Descriptive statistics. 13

Case study. 13

Research setting and Participants 14

Data Collection and Analysis 15

Survey. 16

Semi-structured interviews. 16

Questions that Guided the Initial Dialogue. 17

Questions that guided the Semi-structured Interview for Mentees. 17

Writing Samples. 18

Mentors' journal. 18

Dialogues with a teacher. 19

Feedback and self-assessment from mentees. 19

Observations and field notes. 19

The Design of a Group Mentoring Program 20

Camp Hope and Dreams Group Mentoring Program. 20

The Implementation of the Mentoring Program 23

Translation issue. 26

Triangulation. 27

Profile of the Researcher 27

Protection of Human Subjects 29

Chapter 4: Findings 29

Quantitative Findings 30

Qualitative Findings 31

How the program influenced mentees' view of themselves and school. 31

How the program influenced mentors' multicultural understanding. 35

The successes and challenges of the program. 37

Chapter 5: Discussion 43

Recommendations For Future Research 44

Suggestions to teachers 45

Conclusion 45

References 47

Figure 1. Increase in international marriages in South Korea. (%, year) 50

Appendix A: Coded Themes 51

Appendix B: Program Design Sample 52

Appendix C: 5-point Likert-type Scale Survey Questions 53

Appendix D: Translation of writing samples 55

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