South Korea is striving to be at the cutting edge in the competitive global educational movement, through the build up of information infrastructure in many sectors of its society, and through the construction of e-learning environments where the appropriate information infrastructure will support teaching and learning. The ultimate goal of this mission is to foster creative human resources in a knowledge-based society. In this article, we describe the current elearning environments in K-12 and higher education that exist in Korea, and the results of its efforts to adapt its educational systems to a knowledge-based society.Many countries in the world are making efforts to adapt their educational systems to information or knowledge-based society. Adaptation is the key to maintaining a competitive edge in a global community. South Korea is one of those countries that strives to be at the cutting edge in this competitive educational movement, first, through the build up of its information infrastructure in many sectors of its society, and then, through the construction of e-learning environments where the appropriate information infrastructure will support teaching and learning. The ultimate goal of such a mission is to foster creative human resources in a knowledge-based society. As a result of these efforts, elearning has become popular in many sectors of Korean society, and it is one of the fastest growing areas in the country's business market.Within the context of Korean education, elearning is operationally defined as a network of academic content and a series of processes by which to carry out the interaction between the students and information, and thus, promote learning. Supported by a national education policy, the Korean government has provided very strong leadership toward the advancement of information infrastructure and curriculum development, so that its citizens can benefit more from and make better use of the e-learning environments that are being established.In this article, we review the overall trends among e-learning systems in Korea, and specifically describe e-learning at different levels of its educational system: elementary, secondary, and higher education. We also review various policies and practices that are being put in place in Korea for e-learning and related fields. Construction of E-Learning Environments in Korea Information infrastructure for a knowledge-based societyGiven its strong policy and constant support for information technology, Korea has achieved a competitive edge globally and has attained a well-developed information infrastructure, which puts the country at the forefront of online education or e-learning.As of 2002, more than 11 million households (more than 70% of all households) had installed high-speed Internet network connections. According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) statistics, Korea is ranked as the first among the most Internet-wired countries in the world and it is also ranked first in subscription rates for highspeed Inter...

Theories are used in instructional design to produce instruction that is effective and efficient. Learners, however, may not be drawn into instruction because it lacks relevance and appeal. Motivational design theory is used in concert with instructional theory to produce instruction that is both appealing and effective.

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Among new technologies for enhancing classroom-based education are audience response systems (ARS), also known as ''clickers.'' These handheld devices record student responses to instructor questions and send them electronically to a receiver that tallies the responses. Summary results are then projected, usually as a graph. Instructors piloted the use of clickers in undergraduate social work research and practice courses. Instructor and student experiences with the clickers were examined by type of course, frequency of use, ease of use, perceived impact on learning, and use by students with disabilities. Instructors and students in both types of courses found the clickers beneficial. Minor differences by type of course were found. Some students with disabilities noted problems using the clickers. More use of clickers and research on their use in social work education is recommended along with continued attention to universal design in course preparation. INTRODUCTIONAmong relatively new technologies for enhancing classroom-based education are audience response systems (ARS), also known as classroom response systems (CRS) and, informally, as ''clickers.'' Clickers are handheld devices that, at minimum, allow all students in the classroom to electronically respond to questions posed by the instructor. Clicker responses are then tallied by a receiver and presented in graph form in tandem with any projected software (e.g., PowerPoint). This instant feedback allows the instructor to create an interactive learning environment by stimulating further discussion, providing clarification where necessary, or even reteaching concepts if clicker responses reflect poor understanding of the lesson. Opinion-based as well as factual questions can be posed.Clickers are made by several companies and have varying features beyond the tallying and display of student responses. Clickers have been available for several years and some universities or individual instructors mandate that students purchase clickers. However, other than a description of using one manufacturer's ARS system (Quinn, 2007) and a more recent study by Quinn (2010) on student evaluation of their clicker experience in a human behavior class, the social work literature lacks any reference to the use of and=or efficacy of ARS in social work education. As ARS are adopted by universities, it is important that their use be critically examined, especially in the typically smaller social work foundation courses versus larger science courses. This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that involved the pilot testing of two different models of clickers in undergraduate social work research and practice courses, courses with contrasting learning expectations. It will compare the acceptability and desirability of ARS from both student and instructor perspectives in these two courses. Findings from student surveys on how the clickers impacted their learning and their recommendations on further use of clickers will be presented. Findings will be compared by type of ...