Final Essay

[cgao]

Please post your reflective essay here.

 

 

[Billie Johnson]

This seminar has provided me with a wealth of information that I already have incorporated into my classroom. We have been able to have conversations and research additional information to add to the conversation.  I also have topics galore to choose from as well. The best part of all is that I am a more informed resource for my students. I have many students who are aware of what is going on in the world and Korea has come up more than once. Topics that have been brought up are traveling to North Korea, World War II, and the North Korea missile testing in relation to the United States in current day. This course has helped me reflect on my own bias based on western propaganda and I also heard that bias from my students. Reflecting on my own bias has helped me in being more aware of how information is presented to my students. I am making a concerted effort to talk about Korea with facts and not so much with my opinions built in. The website review that we completed at the culmination of the seminar was helpful in finding great resources to incorporate into instruction. Also, Professor Kim said she would visit my class to speak to students which would be amazing. The information of greatest relevance to my Communications class is talking about the relationships between Korea and the US. I’m excited to share some of the movies with this class and much of the economic power of South Korea and the potential of North Korea. The lesson that I have planned for this seminar is also something that I will implement in my classroom. I want my students to see Korea in a different light and discuss the arts, Korean cinema, and K-Pop. All of these activities can be done in a virtual collaborative space with an activity demonstrating their understanding of the lesson.

[Len Krieger]

Billie,

I agree with the self reflection on Western bias about NK especially, that you eluded to in this post. I was misinformed and misled by most media outlets some of which factual but most information was not the whole truth. It made me ponder what other things in Asian society do I have a bias towards or am I misinformed about? This course really helped me realize that Western bias I had towards NK and the overall misconceptions that I had as a whole about both Koreas. I am glad I now have a new persepctive on both Koreas and I am still eager and willing to learn more about North Korea now that this seminar is coming to an end.

[Len Krieger]

During my time in “The Two Koreas” seminar, I gained an abundant amount of background knowledge about both countries. The knowledge I gained from the required readings and live zoom sessions, has helped me change my perceptions about both countries, especially North Korea. I now view North Korea in a more positive fashion, than I once did, after I educated myself as to why I had the perceptions and misconceptions I once had. As I reflect, some of the concepts I’d like to teach in my own class are: the sunshine policy, western aid provided to both countries, the idea of a communist monarchy, nuclear states and powers, and the perception of North Korea by outsiders. The thing I liked most about taking this course is, my students and the students of my team members, will benefit. We all now will have the option of looking at amazing resources on the Koreas and Asia in general and reading more in depth about the Koreas and other Asian countries that we can use during civilization units. In World History in Texas, we mainly talk about Korea around May or April of the spring semester, and a movie like “Ode to my Father” will be an amazing ice breaker and hook/engage resource I would’ve never known about had I not taken this seminar. I am confident I can now find other ways to introduce concepts I learned in this seminar in other World History units like but not limited to:  Asian civilizations, culture, systems of government, Columbian exchange, and not just in the cold war. I was thankful to have a professor like Dr. Jennifer Jung-Kim whose extensive knowledge on the two Koreas was second to none. The approach she took in teaching positively about the countries and by going into detail in the required readings and power point lectures really opened my eyes to how significant both countries are to the global landscapes grand scheme of things.

[Maria Blake]

        

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