A Study on the Concept of Liberal Arts and the Continuity of Liberal Arts Education in Secondary and Higher Education Curricula : Focusing on the Secondary Korean Language Curriculum

This study diagnoses the conceptual differences in “liberal arts” between secondary and higher education curricula and identifies specific problems arising from a review of actual subject clusters. The examination of liberal arts concepts and subject groups across these educational stages yields the following implications: First, while the secondary curriculum encompasses diverse education from academic fundamentals, the concept of liberal arts remains abstract, and the identity and direction of its subject clusters are ambiguous. It is necessary to emphasize the cultivation of mindset and attitude as fundamental qualities of a cultivated person in secondary education. Second, the conceptual disparity between secondary and higher education regarding liberal arts can influence learners' attitudes, purposes, methods, and outcomes during the course of study. Considering the learner's developmental stage and level, the content must be deepened at each educational phase, and the implications of liberal arts within specific domains need to be elaborated in detail. Third, the distinctions in level and content between secondary and higher liberal arts education must be acknowledged and strategically linked to deepen the curriculum. The goal of a “happy and dignified life” in secondary education serves as an accessible interpretation of the “living as a free person (Liber)” pursued in higher education. Therefore, the continuity of liberal arts education should be secured by reorganizing the curricula to align with the specific developmental stages of secondary and higher education.