Comparative Study of Student Learning and Experiences of Japanese and South Korean Students

Abstract

Currently, gains in learning outcomes of college students also become the major theme for higher education institutions worldwide. This research explores to grasp the association of college experiences with degree of learning through the comparative research for student self-reported survey between Japan and Korea. This study uses a quantitative research design using data obtained from JCSS2012 and KCSS2012 designed for upper division students. The research framework, based on five research questions, is to examine the relationship between learning environment students’ experiences and learning outcomes between academic majors. We use the KCSS2012 which consists of a stratified random sample of junior and senior students attending four-year universities in South Korea. We finally use 4902 third-year students of private four-year institutions. JCSS2012 consists of samples of junior and senior students attending four-year universities in Japan. We finally use 2921 of both third- and fourth-year students of four-year institutions. Findings of the study suggest that there is a difference of gains of learning outcomes between Japanese and Korean students. Also, the findings suggest that student and faculty engagement variables appear to play important roles in acquisition of knowledge and skills such as globalized skills, interpersonal skills, and cognitive ability. Finally, the finding delineates while many Japanese students have less confidence in their skills and ability, Korean students relatively have more confidence but they have more negative experiences.

This chapter was originally published as the title of “comparative study of learning and student experiences of Japanese and Korean College Students” in Research in Higher Education, No. 47, 2015 pp. 169–184 in Japanese. The paper was revised for this book.