뉴스레터

Education program to strengthen Dokdo education for next generation ‘Dokdo School of KOREA’

The education program called ‘Dokdo School of KOREA’ is a project of NAHF that supports the activities of Dokdo-related clubs in elementary, middle and high schools in Korea. NAHF selects 120 schools nationwide every year to support the formation and experience of clubs to strengthen education on Dokdo. At Ulsan Hoyeon Elementary School, which I visited in October 2020, the teacher was teaching using ‘the Dokdo Making Set’ provided by NAHF for ‘Dokdo Day’. “We learned about the history and geography of Dokdo, and our interest in Dokdo has grown even more,” said An Ji-min and Jang Si-yeon. On the other side of the classroom, students participated in the 'Dokdo Golden Bell' program and were engaged in educational activities to enhance their knowledge and understanding of Dokdo. And by holding an exhibition, students were interested in Dokdo by exhibiting Dokdo bookmark, Dokdo pencil holder, and Dokdo folding fan.

Students participated in history education through various forms of experiential learning such as making, writing, and drawing.

Interview with Choi Young-mi

Q. I wonder how students have changed and grown through ‘Dokdo School of KOREA’ program.

A. I thought that it would be a great help to educate Dokdo and the East Sea by forming a club centered on students. So in 2018, I applied for Dokdo School of KOREA, and this year is the third year. It means that students find and learn information about Dokdo. Second, students started to plan and voluntarily participate and promote various activities related to Dokdo. They also learned why they should express and practice their love for Dokdo. The greatest achievement is that they have solidified their patriotism through Dokdo and the East Sea.

Q. What direction should the education on Dokdo be conducted in elementary education?

A. Within public education, Dokdo education should be strengthened. And we have to deal with the contents of Dokdo in various areas of the curriculum. I hope that education will be done in various ways such as integration of subjects, expansion of creative experiential activities, and activation of Dokdo clubs. In addition, I think that Dokdo education should be activated through the development of data that meets the eye level of each grade, the dissemination of the same educational materials, and the support of various experience programs.

Space for Territorial Sovereignty and Dokdo

Dokdo Museum Ulsan

NAHF is supporting the opening of the Dokdo Museum across the country to convey correct information and awareness of Dokdo to many children, adolescents and adults. Dokdo Museum Ulsan is a place planned and built by NAHF with the Ministry of Education and Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education. This is a total area of ​​136 square meters, which is designed to enable experience of nature and history of Dokdo and three-dimensional learning through video theater, quiz game, and search for hidden creatures. The opening ceremony of the Dokdo Museum Ulsan was held on November 3 at the Ulsan Educational and Cultural Center for Students. The ceremony was attended by the director of NAHF's Office of Education and Public Relations, and the Educational Training Team.

Dokdo Museum Ulsan is not a place to unilaterally convey Dokdo-related knowledge, but a combination of museums, experience centers, and textbooks. Real-time Dokdo images provided by KBSN are played, and interesting materials such as how to go to Dokdo are introduced. It is possible to learn about Dokdo's geography, creation, climate, biology, resources, history, etc. while experiencing Dokdo as a video, looking at the resources and marine ecosystems around Dokdo.

In addition, the Dokdo Museum Ulsan has a learning system that links offline and online. The textbook printed QR codes that enable data search, and inserted QR codes that connect to Northeast Asian History Network on the wall. Visitors can receive information about Dokdo by scanning the code with a smartphone or tablet PC. Ulsan citizens will be able to experience Dokdo by crossing on-line and off-line.

Protecting Dokdo is to make history right beyond protecting territory and territorial waters. I was able to observe Dokdo School of KOREA program and look around the Dokdo Museum Ulsan to check on learner-centered education. I hope that Dokdo education will be expanded in various forms in the future, and that all the people will have the right historical consciousness. And I look forward to NAHF playing a bigger role.