The Unit: An Unexpected Barrier
The Unit: An Unexpected Barrier
  • Reporter Park Tae-yoon
  • 승인 2013.02.15 21:25
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When Postechians registered for the next spring semester, freshmen and sophomores stuck it to POSTECH Leadership Center on Facebook. They would say, “we could not graduate on time because of ABC.” The Activity Based general education Curriculum (ABC) is implemented by POSTECH Leadership Center to provide whole-person education by complementing the existing major and HASS(Integrated Humanities and Social Science Program in POSTECH) in 2011.
The object of ABC is for Postechians to foster their abilities of liberal humanity, culture, and leadership. So, ABC has emphasized the positive participation of undergraduate. To correspond with its object, POSTECH has made students complete 10 units in order to graduate from 2011. Then, why will Postechians are concerned about graduation because of units?
As already mentioned, Postechians must take 10 units to graduate. They consist of three required units and seven elective units. After taking three required units in the first grade, students must earn seven elective units within six semesters. It does not seem too difficult. In the words of the old saying “The early bird catches the worm.” Actually, units would not be a problem for a few sophomores who comprehend the problem. They took three required units in 2011 and several elective units by taking Culture Colloquium, Social Service 1, Group Activity, and so on. However, it is not easy for majority students to get full units because POSTECH did not offer enough courses. What is worse, students can earn one unit through one course except Future Planning for College Life and Group Activity. In addition, students who did not take Badminton cannot take Advanced Badminton. Neither did Swimming. This is a serious problem.
The school authority realized the magnitude of the problems and is trying to solve these problems. One of the solutions is offering Continuance ABC courses. There are two courses; Special Topics, which is that students participate in special lectures and make a report, and Writing for Science and Technology. However, according to View Course Information of POVIS, just one student took Special Topics in 2012. Even though many students were concerned about their graduation, they were not concerned with ABC courses. In addition, not many students take these courses because it was not well promoted. Both of them were to blame.
Under the present circumstances, almost sophomores and freshmen are concerned about their graduation. In the words of the old saying, no pains no gains. However, students are not supposed to be obliged to take summer and winter session to gain units during vacation because of short units. That was two years after introduction of ABC courses. Every achievement requires trial and error. As the best solution can only be found by a process of trial and error, POSTECH Leadership Center should prepare proper measures as soon as possible.