SSENC Goes to Korea
In November 2024, SSENC members Rachel Collishaw and Diane Vautour travelled to Korea as invited guests of The Academy of Korean Studies Division of Understanding Korea Project of the Center for International Affairs’ Textbook Seminar for Educators of Canada. The Understanding Korea Project started in 2003 to address the world’s misunderstanding or lack of understanding of Korea.
Rachel delivered a presentation on curriculum across Canada and SSENC’s recent publication, “Canada’s Participation in the Korean War: Inquiry, Historical Thinking and Action” while Diane explained the possible ways Korean culture and history can be taught in Ontario’s senior social science and history courses.
The 2 day conference was more of an exchange between educators rather than a one-way presentation. We discussed some of the same challenges Korean educators experience as in Canada around competency based curriculum and increasing teacher agency in developing their own curriculum resources. We were fortunate to listen to Korean educators present lectures on “The Genealogy and Characteristics of the History of Korean Democracy” during which we learned about the long history of democratic civic action in Korea like the March First Movement in 1919 and the Candlelight Movement in 2016. Hyungah Jung of the Institute for Military History delivered a lecture on “Change in the Order of East Asia and Korea”, which provided a thorough overview of the relations between Korea, Japan and China through the modern period. We were then treated to a whirlwind tour of Korea through visits to the UNESCO-listed Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, Changdeokgung Palace, and major sites of Seoul, as well as the War Memorial and the National Museum of Korea. Visits to Imjingak, Dorasan Observatory, and the 3rd Tunnel (fascinating!) were once in a lifetime opportunities to understand the history of the division between North and South Korea. SSENC looks forward to continuing to strengthen its relationship with the Academy for Korean Studies to build on the learning and cultural appreciation started through this exchange.
