| The Evolution of First Year Seminars - A Case Study of Yonsei University |
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Won Kyung Lee, Eun Jeong Kim, Jeong Eun Nah, Kyung Sun Doh |
| 1학년세미나의 발전방안 연구 |
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이원경, 김은정, 나정은, 도경선 |
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| Abstract |
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The purpose of this study is to develop an improved course design for first year seminars, based on the analysis of the effects of first year seminars at Yonsei University. First, this study reviews the background of developing first year seminars such as the demographic changes of college students and the changes of educational settings, and then categorizes various first year seminars into those with structured programs and with individual themes according to their characteristics and purposes.
The main section of this study analyzes the effects of Gateway to College (GTC), a structured first year seminar of University College, Yonsei University. This one credit seminar course was devised to help first year students make successful transition to college life and explore their majors and careers. To make it an efficient joint-advising program, GTC was designed as a team teaching course between academic advisors of University College and faculties of related majors. The typical contents of GTC consist of Yonsei spirit, study skills, college life planning, global leadership, and major/career exploration. A part of contents may vary depending on the major and college.
We conducted the evaluation surveys from students and instructors at the end of the semester. The results and several suggestions are as follows.
First, GTC was an effective course for freshmen to develop a sense of solidarity to Yonsei community, to increase knowledge about majors and careers, and to elevate their motivation for college life. It could be utilized as an efficient sphere of systematic academic advising for freshmen.
Second, for the improvement of a structured first year seminar course; themes of seminar courses should be coherent and concrete; the concerns of majors or colleges need to be reflected in the program ; class size needs to be maintained under 50 to achieve better educational outcome; collaborative system between academic advisors and major faculties should be established before the classes begin; peer leaders who had attended the same course could facilitate effective interactions between instructors and students, and also among the students. |
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