A Comparative Analysis of Objective Statements in Syllabi for English Teacher Education in Finland and South Korea

Abstract

This paper compared the curricula of English teacher education programs in Finland and Korea. The purpose of the study is two folds: to explore what the professional teacher competencies of both countries pursue and how they are reflected in course syllabi.Methods: Data are collected by analyzing course syllabi presented on web pages of each university where the researchers are teaching. Specifically, the study analyses course objective statements using the teacher competence framework, which consists of knowledge, skills, and dispositions.Results: The results show that the knowledge domain is more emphasized in Korean English teacher education courses, while skills prevail in the Finnish program. The different value each teacher education curriculum places on the teaching practicum might produce the result. The Finnish English teacher program integrates skill domains into extensive practice courses, while the practice is more modest in the Korean program. The domain of values and dispositions seems to have less importance in both countries' curricula, although dispositions are fundamental in teacher competencies. Conclusion: Both countries' teacher education needs to achieve a balance between knowledge, skills, and disposition, which are large categories of teacher competence, as well as among elements within each domain. In particular, it seems necessary to deviate from the general pedagogical knowledge-centered goal setting and have a balanced perspective with pedagogical content knowledge. Also, it is required to introduce a future-oriented perspective such as active integration of information and communication technologies.