As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation fundamentally reshape classroom environments, a scholarly forum has opened to investigate the structural changes and effects of digital education in South Korea based on data.
The Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS) held the 'First Digital Education Longitudinal Research Conference' on October 26 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The conference attracted a diverse group of experts, including university professors, researchers from national policy institutes, and teachers from the education field, who engaged in in-depth discussions on the current state of digital education and future policy directions.
This conference was organized to commemorate the release of the first-year data from KERIS's 'Digital Education Longitudinal Research,' which has been planned since 2024. Four leading educational associations in South Korea—the Korean Educational Association, the Korean Society for Computer Education, the Korean Society for Educational Technology, and the Korean Society for Educational Information Media—collaborated on this initiative.
During the event, a total of 82 papers were presented through nine oral presentation sessions (36 teams) and a poster session (46 teams), fostering rich academic exchanges.
Director Jeong Je-young: 'Data becomes a 'living policy' when it meets the awareness of field issues'
In his welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony, KERIS Director Jeong Je-young highlighted the significance of the conference. He expressed, 'It is very meaningful and exhilarating to be part of the inaugural conference that will serve as a new milestone for digital education in South Korea.' He thanked the teachers and researchers for translating the vivid experiences from the school field into academic insights, as well as the passionate young researchers and graduate students who have proven their hypotheses, and the professors dedicated to exploring the essence of education.
Director Jeong emphasized the importance of data-driven policy design, stating, 'Statistics and data remain mere numbers when isolated, but when combined with your warm perspectives and sharp awareness of issues in education, they transform into 'living policies' that foster student growth and support teachers.'
He added, 'The insights discovered in the 82 papers, ranging from addressing specific issues in schools to academic exploration and the application of the latest research methodologies, will be invaluable assets in advancing South Korea's digital education policies.'
Professors, researchers, and teachers collaboratively address multifaceted issues in digital education
Following the opening ceremony, the main event was divided into three tracks with a total of nine detailed sessions (digital competencies, digital utilization, school/home support, teacher types, student types, and convergence).
In the 'teacher types' session, systematic analyses from academia and national research institutions were highlighted. Park Eun-kyu, a senior researcher at the Korea Employment Information Service, analyzed the factors influencing teachers' digital literacy potential profiles and differences in digital teaching and learning competencies. Professor Kim Dong-jin from Kangwon National University explored types of teachers' digital competencies based on the DigCompEdu framework. Professor Gil Hye-ji from Chungbuk National University gained attention for scientifically identifying factors influencing middle school teachers' implementation competencies using machine learning techniques such as Elastic Net and Random Forest analysis.
Research from teachers and administrative practitioners on the front lines of education also drew interest. In the 'home support' session, Principal Kyu-jeong Gu from Bupyeong Girls' Middle School presented on the mediating effect of collaborative communication competencies in the relationship between digital literacy and academic achievement, adding insights from the field. Additionally, Oh Heung-il, an administrative officer at Juchun Middle School, discussed solutions to educational disparities based on regional and infrastructural differences through his analysis of the relationship between digital education environments and middle school students' educational gaps. Choi Jin-young from Ilshin High School received applause for analyzing the multifaceted relationships between home and school perceptions of digital literacy and their impact on youth.
Moreover, in the 'school support' and 'school/home' sessions, numerous macro-level studies connecting policy and practice were presented. Researcher Kim Jeong-ah from the Korea Educational Development Institute analyzed regional differences in digital utilization and the buffering effect of school digital support on educational disparities. Researcher Kim Ha-yeon from the World Bank proposed global perspectives on the utilization of digital devices under the theme 'From Deployment to Use.'
Professors Park Gyu-dong from Kwangwoon University and Jeong Yoon-sook from Gachon University presented analyses of the delivery chain of digital teacher policies and parallel pathways of home resources, as well as the multifaceted influences on middle school students' digital literacy, deriving comprehensive policy implications. Additionally, Professor Gam Ji-hye from Sungshin Women's University analyzed the process by which school digital resources translate into actual classroom instruction and student achievement, as experts gathered to outline a blueprint for the future of digital education in South Korea.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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