Overseas Agenda

 

Summary of Key Activities:

  • 28-day stay in South Korea
  • Total hours of language lessons: 40 hours (Average 10 hours/week)
  • Number of academic seminars/lectures: 7 (Themes: Korea’s history and society, education, global trade/economy, environmentalism)
  • Field trips to over 30 sites (i.e., museums, archeological sites, historical villages, festival/performances, government or research agencies, schools)
  • Weekly reflection will be held throughout the trip.
  • Cultural immersion experiences are integrated throughout the stay as indicated below.
  • The intended Group Projects Abroad locations are shown on a map of South Korea.

Proposed Daily Itinerary (2014)
This is a tentative schedule.

Day

Date

City

Activities

Theme

Leave NJ

Mo. 7/7

New Jersey

Leave for Seoul, South Korea

 

Day 1

 

Tu. 7/8

Seoul

-- Organizational meeting: Overview of the Agenda, Objectives, Safety Rules, Local Information. Overview of the City.

-- Language lessons

Site Orientation

Day 2

 

We. 7/9

Seoul

-- Language lessons

-- Visit Landmarks in the city (e.g., Gangnam district, Myeongdong, Yeoui-do National Assembly)

-- Evening Seminar (Program Directors)

Korea Today: An overview of South Korea’s geography, people, and contemporary social system.

Korea’s contemporary culture and society

Day 3

 

Th. 7/10

Seoul

(Bus trip to Daegu and Sejong City)

-- Visit the Korea Education & Research Information Service (KERIS) (Daegu) for a seminar and Chamsam School in Sejong city (SMART Education model school)

-- Language lessons

Educational Technology

Day 4

 

Fr. 7/11

Seoul

-- Visit the Korean Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) for a seminar

-- Visit Itaewon school for the SMART Education model school

-- Lecture: “The Characteristics and Challenges of Korean Education” by Dr.  Wongu Park

-- Language lessons

Korean educational system and the national curriculum standards

 

Education in Comparative Perspectives

Day 5

 

Sa. 7/12

Seoul

-- Language lessons

-- Guided Visit of The National Museum of Korea

--Visit to Korean families

Korean History

Korean culture (family and kinship norms)

Urban recycling.

Day 6

Su. 7/13

Seoul

Free Time (Sunday)

(Explore markets, food, parks of the city  Practice Korean)

Cultural Immersion

City revitalization projects

Day 7

Mo. 7/14

Seoul

-- Language lessons

-- Visit Gyeonbokgung Palace, Jongmyo, and Insadong

-- Lecture: “History of Joseon Period” by Dr. Jinoh Ju (Professor of History, Sangmyung University)

-- Reflection session

History (Joseon period and Confucian culture)

Day 8

Tu. 7/15

Seoul

(Bus trip to Demilitarized Zone)

-- Language lessons

-- Visit Imjingak and DMZ

-- Visit Ansan Multiculture/foreigner District

History (Modern Korea and the Korean War)

Contemporary Immigration to South Korea

Day 9

We. 7/16

Seoul

-- Language lessons

-- The Korean War Museum

-- Lecture: “Security, Peace, and Reunification in the Korean Peninsula” by Dr. Philo Kim (Professor, Institute for Peace and Reunification Studies at Seoul National University)

Security, Peace, Korea-US relations,

War and Human Rights

Day 10

Th. 7/17

Gyeongju

--Transport to Gyeongju (3.5 hours) via Andong. Guided visit of Confucian schools and landmark houses of aristocrats of the Joseon period (Dosan Seowon, Sosu Seowon, Gunja Maeul)

-- Cheomsung Observatory

Cultural Immersion

History (Confucianism, caste system of Joseon period)

History (Buddhism, science in Shilla period)

Day 11

Fri

7/18

Gyeongju

-- Visit The National Museum of Gyeongju, and royal tombs of the Shilla period

History (The culture and society of the united Shilla period)

Day 12

Sa. 7/19

Gyeongju

--- Visit Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple

Buddhist arts

Day 13

Su

7/20

Busan

-- Transport to Busan (1 ½ hour)

-- Nakdong River Estuary Eco Center/Park

Environmentalism (Conservation of wetland animals, river revitalization projects)

Day 14

Mo. 7/21

Busan

-- Visit traditional market, Gamcheon Culture-Village, Busan Modern History Museum, Haewondae APEC house

History (Colonization, trade/exchanges with Japan, the Korean War)

Day 15

Tu.

7/22

Seoul

-- Transport to Seoul (4 ½ hours)

-- Lecture: “Globalization and Korea” by Dr. Heungchong Kim (Director of Research Planning, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy)

-- Reflection session

Global economy and South Korea

Day 16

We.

7/23

Seoul

-- Language lessons

- Cultural Immersion (Traditional clothing, games, food)

-- Transport to Gongju (2.5 hours) via city of Cheonan

--Guided tour of Cheonan Independence Museum

Cultural Immersion

History (Japanese expansion and colonialism, independence movement,  World War II)

Day 17

Th. 7/24

Gongju

-- Language lessons

-- Visit Gongju Museum and royal tombs

-- Cultural immersion activities (archery, tea ceremony, traditional music)

History (Baekje period and Buddhist culture)

Day 18

Fr. 7/25

Gongju

-- Language lessons

-- Visit Gyeoryeong pottery village

-- Cultural immersion (pottery-making, cooking)

-- Local festivals or farmers’ markets

Cultural Immersion

 

Day 19

Sa. 7/26

Gongju

-- Language lessons

-- Visit Buyeo National Museum

-- Visit farming villages

History (Baekje period)

Cultural Immersion

Day 20

Su. 7/27

Gongju

- Free Time (Sunday)

-- Conversation with Korean in-service and pre-service teachers: “Teaching about Korea to the U.S. audience”

-- Reflection session

History

Cultural Immersion

Education (Teaching about Korea)

Day 21

Mo. 7/28

Gongju

-- Language lessons

-- Transport to Gwangju (2.5 hrs) via Jeonju and Koch’ang Dolmen site (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cultural Immersion (Archeology, architecture & food)

Day 22

Tu. 7/29

Gwangju

 

-- Language lsssons

-- Visit May 18th Memorial and May 18th Museum at Jeonnam University

-- Group discussion on Korea’s democratic movements, and student movements (Program directors)

-- Reflection session

History Democratization

Student Movement

Social Change

Day 23

We. 7/30

Gwangju

-- Language lessons

-- Visit to an organic farming village

-- Conversations with NGO members and local activists. “Environmentalism in South Korea”

Environmentalism. Sustainable and organic farming movement

Day 24

Th. 7/31

Haenam

-- Transport to Haenam (2.5 hours) via Gangjin Celadon Festival

--Temple stay program (Tea ceremony, meditation, temple food, Buddhist arts)

-- Language practice

Cultural immersion Temple stay

Day 25

Fr. 8/1

Haenam

-- Temple stay program (Tea ceremony, meditation, temple food, Buddhist arts)

-- Language practice

Cultural Immersion

Day 26

Sa. 8/2

Haenam

-- Nagan Traditional Village (living village)

--Transport to Seoul (3.5 hrs.)

History (Everyday life of peasants in Joseon period)

Cultural Immersion

Day 27

Su. 8/3

Seoul

-- Free Time (Sunday)

 (Visit bookstores and education supply store, shopping for souvenirs)

-- Home visits

-- Prepare to leave

 

Day 28

Mo. 8/4

Seoul

-- Morning Reflection Session

-- Departure for New Jersey, USA

 

NJ

Arrival

Tu. 8/5

New Jersey

-- Finalizing the trip and reviewing the post-trip activities