Poster Presentation 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

Critical Consciousness In The Context Of Positive Education In Korea (#630)

Tae Sun Kim 1 , Joo Yeon Shin 2
  1. Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, SEOUL, South Korea
  2. Graduate School of Education, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea

Critical consciousness (CC) refers to an ability to reflect critically on systemic inequities in society. CC is theorized to enhance sociopolitical development and serve as an antidote to oppression. Empirical research on CC with marginalized population in the U.S. showed that level of CC is positively related to positive career and academic outcomes such as engagement with one’s future career. Further CC was found to be related to individual positive emotions. Based upon this association between CC and positive individual outcomes it is worthy to discuss how CC would serve as an essential element of positive education. This is the case in Korean where academic disengagement and a low level of wellbeing among Korean students become serious. This is partially originated from Korean youth’s frustrations about systemic inequities in Korea. They think that they could not elevate their socioeconomic status even if they work hard. Although CC has been addressed heavily on critical pedagogy in Korea, it is rarely discussed in positive education context. Given the CC’s positive role for career and psychological wellbeing, we would like to discuss how we can promote CC as a promising construct for positive education in Korea.