I believe that, for most Koreans, the challenge would come in giving a feedback. And when giving a feedback, our greatest challenge, I believe, would be when we try to translate our thoughts/feedbacks into english while keeping in grammatically correct. Generally, we have a problem with communicating in the english language, more so when we try to translate our thoughts into it. I don't even know that many koreans who can speak the language. That is one of the reasons why there're a lot of us who move out of our own country to learn it.
The influence of culture in which we have been reared on us is so strong that we interpret others and our behavior is interpreted accordingly. I could say Korea has a collectivistic culture, which means people avoid being the nail that sticks out. Explicit expression is not valued because people in this culture tend to understand others without words in context. We tend to avoid picking up mistakes/giving direct feedback because it could be too explicit to express. It could give impression of personal attack or we assume that they may already know what we would like to say. Since our education has been more westernized constantly and the professors educated in the West are teaching students now, we are getting used to constructive criticism/feedback and feel more comfortable with them, not misunderstanding as a personal attack.
In Korea, we do not like to express our feelings or our own opinions to people directly? We believe it is not polite. Even though we do not agree with someone about something, we usually hide our honesty and pretend there is nothing wrong with it.If somebody expresses his/her own ideas directly, the person who receives feedback tends to get offended. I do believe there is a concept difference about feedback between the western culture and our own. In the western culture, giving feedback seems to have a meaning of "giving help". In Korea, giving feedback seems to be shown like somebody is picking on me or somebody is pointing out a mistake directly. They usually get offended.
I bet it is very difficult and bothersome for Korean students to give and receive feedback in itself since they are not used to getting feedback and asking for it. Usually they just wait until they get grades. Also they think giving feedback is not good because they're afraid that they can hurt the other's feeling. I think the public education on giving and receiving feedback is a must to be done soon.
Korean students feel uncomfortable for feedback. It gives them a sort of pressure and they usually feel that they should be changed and they are wrong. As one of Korean students, I have always received one-way evaluation and scores for my performances. I didn’t have any opportunity to change or develop them. However, I think giving or receiving feedback is not the biggest challenge because it is just unfamiliar, not harmful. In this module, I experienced revision stage. It was very fresh and helpful for me. Once students would be able to know that feedback is giving the opportunity for you to revise your performance and make yourself better. This procedure is useful for students because they can know what is their shortcomings and can find there is room for development.
Above all, since Korean students are usually shy about sharing their thoughts and opinions especially with teachers, it is not easy for teachers to give and receive feedback with students. In order to succeed in giving and receiving feedback, teachers should develop a reliable relationship with them. Also there are too many students for one teacher to give and receive feedback in Korea. It can make teachers get exhausted.
Feedback, especially in written form and when it is publicized or shared by others, is probably the most sensitive area for both the teacher and the students. Being corrected or getting advice is often misunderstood as personal attack or some humiliation by students. I have often witnessed students get hurt by the feedback from the teachers. In sum, tact is essential for teachers who are to give feedback to students in Korea.
I believe that, for most Koreans, the challenge would come in giving a feedback. And when giving a feedback, our greatest challenge, I believe, would be when we try to translate our thoughts/feedbacks into english while keeping in grammatically correct. Generally, we have a problem with communicating in the english language, more so when we try to translate our thoughts into it. I don't even know that many koreans who can speak the language. That is one of the reasons why there're a lot of us who move out of our own country to learn it.
ReplyDeleteThe influence of culture in which we have been reared on us is so strong that we interpret others and our behavior is interpreted accordingly. I could say Korea has a collectivistic culture, which means people avoid being the nail that sticks out. Explicit expression is not valued because people in this culture tend to understand others without words in context. We tend to avoid picking up mistakes/giving direct feedback because it could be too explicit to express. It could give impression of personal attack or we assume that they may already know what we would like to say. Since our education has been more westernized constantly and the professors educated in the West are teaching students now, we are getting used to constructive criticism/feedback and feel more comfortable with them, not misunderstanding as a personal attack.
ReplyDeleteIn Korea, we do not like to express our feelings or our own opinions to people directly? We believe it is not polite. Even though we do not agree with someone about something, we usually hide our honesty and pretend there is nothing wrong with it.If somebody expresses his/her own ideas directly, the person who receives feedback tends to get offended. I do believe there is a concept difference about feedback between the western culture and our own. In the western culture, giving feedback seems to have a meaning of "giving help". In Korea, giving feedback seems to be shown like somebody is picking on me or somebody is pointing out a mistake directly. They usually get offended.
ReplyDeleteI bet it is very difficult and bothersome for Korean students to give and receive feedback in itself since they are not used to getting feedback and asking for it. Usually they just wait until they get grades. Also they think giving feedback is not good because they're afraid that they can hurt the other's feeling. I think the public education on giving and receiving feedback is a must to be done soon.
ReplyDeleteKorean students feel uncomfortable for feedback. It gives them a sort of pressure and they usually feel that they should be changed and they are wrong. As one of Korean students, I have always received one-way evaluation and scores for my performances. I didn’t have any opportunity to change or develop them. However, I think giving or receiving feedback is not the biggest challenge because it is just unfamiliar, not harmful. In this module, I experienced revision stage. It was very fresh and helpful for me. Once students would be able to know that feedback is giving the opportunity for you to revise your performance and make yourself better. This procedure is useful for students because they can know what is their shortcomings and can find there is room for development.
ReplyDeleteAbove all, since Korean students are usually shy about sharing their thoughts and opinions especially with teachers, it is not easy for teachers to give and receive feedback with students. In order to succeed in giving and receiving feedback, teachers should develop a reliable relationship with them. Also there are too many students for one teacher to give and receive feedback in Korea. It can make teachers get exhausted.
ReplyDeleteFeedback, especially in written form and when it is publicized or shared by others, is probably the most sensitive area for both the teacher and the students. Being corrected or getting advice is often misunderstood as personal attack or some humiliation by students. I have often witnessed students get hurt by the feedback from the teachers. In sum, tact is essential for teachers who are to give feedback to students in Korea.
ReplyDelete