ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

Objectives The purposes of this study were to explore the role and function of directors of lifelong educational institutions in the change of educational environments. The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 cause sharp changes of lifelong educational environments. These changes push directors of lifelong educational institutions to reshape their role and function. Based on situation, this study would explore how they perceive and handle with these changes. Methods To achieve the purpose of this study, researchers adopted case study methods. Researchers conducted participatory observations and collected data with deep interviews with 7 selected directors and related documents. Also, researchers analyzed collected data with thematic analysis methods. Results This study found that the changing educational environments forced directors of lifelong educational institutions to develop leadership for making decisions about new emerged issues and managing staffs. Aslo, they experienced sharp change of ways of conducting proiects. Based on these experiences, they perceived the change of educational environment as ‘the starting point of changing ways of conducting projects’, ‘opportunities for reconsidering the philosophy and vision of institutions’, and ‘momentum for reform competitiveness of institutions’. They also pointed out the directions of institutions such as ‘recovery of community through lifelong education’, ‘endeavor for overcoming the educational gap’, and ‘seeking for new role and function beyond providing education programs’. Conclusions Based on these findings, this study suggested implications to the field of lifelong education. First, directors of lifelong educational institutions need to find and conduct new role and function in sharp social changes. Second, directors of lifelong educational institutions also need to change their leadership from management perspective to supportive perspective. Third, government needs to support directors of lifelong educational institutions and establish communication system between the government and lifelong educational institutions.

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