Adjusting to University Life and the Challenges of KAC

Don’t panic. We did this too!

AcademicsHigh School University

Highly structured classes and schedules

More flexible schedules and less structured classes

Teachers often responsible for students’ success

Students are responsible for their own success or failure

Teachers tell students what and how to study, what will be on the test

It is up to each student to read and understand assigned material

Teachers will "re-teach" areas that students have trouble with.

Class moves on with or without you

BehaviorHigh School University

Do as you’re told. 빨리 , 빨리 !

Act as an independent adult. Make responsible choices.

Students who break the rules will be punished or corrected.

Students who can’t manage their behavior may be academically dismissed.

Students remain in school regardless of grades or behavior.

Professors may fail students. Continuation is not guaranteed.

EffortHigh School University

Effort is very important – hard work alone may get you an “A”

Your best effort is expected. However, effort alone is not a guarantee of success.

It is rare for a student that actually tries to fail.

Students are expected to demonstrate higher levels of understanding and apply learning to a variety of new situations.

ResponsibilitiesHigh School University

Parents or guardians make most decisions.

Students make more decisions related to school, social life, time management, or money.

Teachers ask if you need help Students must monitor their own progress and seek professors' assistance when necessary.

Teachers continually remind you of homework, test dates, etc.

Professors expect you to know and follow the syllabus.

Which of these students is in college?

• Kim Bop asks, "Are you going to curve this?  It was too hard."

• Sam Getung asks, "How did everybody else do?  What was the average?"

• Shik Heh asks, "What can I do to prepare better for next time?"

Lower-level Thinking• Knowledge: memorizing words, answering words using

exact phrases from a text• Comprehension: explaining ideas from a text in your own

words, putting different pieces of information together• Application: using new information in a setting outside

the classroom or in another class

Critical Thinking • Evaluation: giving your opinion; critical thinking,

supporting your opinion• Synthesis: Creating something new with the information

you have learned• Analysis: taking information and ideas apart and closely

studying them

University subjects are hard.The professor will sometimes make

mistakes.

He or she is a human being.

Sometimes he or she doesn’t know. And sometimes no one knows the answer to complex

or abstract questions.

Cultural Differences

• Do western and eastern people think differently? Why?

• What are the intellectual inheritances of western and eastern cultures?

The Geography of Thought

• The Syllogism and the Tao– More than a billion people worldwide claim

intellectual inheritance from Ancient Greece– More than 2 billion people are heirs of ancient

Chinese traditions of thought

Ancient Greece• Tradition of debate

– Every kind of decision determined through debate

– Emphasis on logical reasoning• Focus on identifying characteristics of

individual objects and classifying them– Characteristics are stable despite contexts– Deemphasize context– Isolate variables in order to test

Ancient China• Harmony over agency

– The goals of the group are more important than the goals of the individual; strong emphasis on maintaining relationships.

• Focus on relationships rather than objects– Early Confucians: characteristics determined

by environment – not stable– Studying contexts essential for understanding

What does the picture depict? What is the function? How would the culture or climate

you come from affect your answer?

Western Model of Academics• Professors will expect high levels of involvement in

class. • Professors may employ the Socratic Method of

instruction; using questions to guide students to new ideas and learning– Professors may ask for volunteers, or they may call

on students randomly.– “Correct” answers are not as important as answers

that lead to better understanding– Professors generally like to be challenged with

opposing opinions if it is done respectfully and demonstrates reasoning skills

Western Model of Academics• Most academic disciplines follow a model of

scientific experimentation:

Question Theory Test Revision

• Every theory must be tested before it is accepted

• Challenging ideas and testing them is the basis for intellectual development.

• Ideas are improved through rigorous debate.

• Your foreign professors are working from a different set of social rules than you may be used to.

• You may not like some of the things we do or say, but learning to resolve cultural conflicts will be an important part of your education. It does not mean you must always agree with us.

• They will probably not be persuaded by personal appeals – – “Please, Professor, I need an ‘A’ to keep my scholarship.”– “I know I missed 8 classes, but couldn’t you just let me pass the

class anyway this one time? You are my favorite professor. I promise I will do better next time (sniffle)…please…I’m begging…”