고려대학교

Exploration of the Academic World I (Foreigners Class)

Overview and Objectives

<Exploration of the Academic World I (Foreigners Class)> is a General Studies Required course designed for international students to explore diverse general education topics that all university students are expected to understand, regardless of their individual majors.This course aims to foster interdisciplinary thinking and academic expression skills essential for becoming global talents in the context of a rapidly changing educational environment shaped by the transformation of a knowledge-based society and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Course Description

This course enables international students to creatively, critically, and integratively engage with a variety of topics across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, beyond the boundaries of nationality and academic discipline.

Through discussions and presentations, students are encouraged to express their ideas freely in Korean, develop an interdisciplinary lens and diverse linguistic expressions, and cultivate integrity and responsibility as university students.

By deeply exploring interdisciplinary themes across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, students enhance their capacity for independent problem-solving.

<Exploration of the Academic World I (Foreigners Class)> is offered every semester, featuring distinct curricula and teaching methods designed to cultivate analytical and exploratory skills through in-depth investigation of topics and analysis of problems..

• Undergraduate international students who admitted before 2023 are required to complete both <Exploration of the Academic World I & II> and are expected to take sections designed for international students.
• Starting from the 2024 academic year, <Exploration of the Academic World I> has remained a General Studies Required course, while <Exploration of the Academic World II> has become a General Studies Elective. International undergraduate students are still expected to take these courses in the sections offered explicitly for them.

<Exploration of the Academic World I> Curriculum System

Curriculum Features

• Learner-Centered Class Based on Team-Based Learning (TBL)
  • Students form small groups to explore topics and solve problems collaboratively. Through shared goals and active interaction among all members, the course facilitates more meaningful and engaging learning experiences.
• Presentation and Discussion-Based Class Using Flipped Learning (FL)
  • Students first engage in individual Pre-Class learning through online content. During In-Class sessions (offline), they participate in discussions and presentations based on their pre-learned materials. Further, students deepen their understanding through After-Class reflection journals and online quizzes.
• Interdisciplinary Sections Formed Through Self-Enrollment
  • Rather than assigning students to sections based on their departments, the course allows self-enrollment, resulting in mixed-major and multinational groupings. This encourages cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural communication beyond academic and language barriers.
• Language Proficiency-Based Sections Through Placement Tests
  • As the entire curriculum is conducted in Korean, students are placed into appropriate sections based on their proficiency in the Korean language through a placement test. This ensures the course content matches their language level.
• Standardized General Education Curriculum
  • The course operates under a standardized curriculum, which includes unified content, schedules, and evaluation criteria across all sections of Exploration of the Academic World.
• Four-Stage Curriculum with Structured Activities and Assignments
  
• Online Learning
  • Students independently study video lectures according to the course schedule via the LMS <Online Classroom>.
  • They are required to submit <Questions> related to the topic before the Q&A session.
• Q&A Participation
  • By sharing and reviewing questions submitted by peers, students deepen their understanding of the topic and identify key issues.
  • This process helps sharpen their critical thinking and prepares them for active engagement in upcoming discussions.
• Discussion Activities
  • Discussions are conducted based on specific debate topics.
  • Students participate in various collaborative formats, such as small group discussions, jigsaw discussions, and full-class debates.
• Presentation Activities
  • Each group selects a topic from their assigned unit, organizes key issues and questions, and conducts a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
• Reflection Journal
  • Students freely express their thoughts related to the topic and learning process, helping them internalize their learning outcomes.
• Online Quiz
  • To assess their understanding of each topic, students take online quizzes via LMS.