Integrity and Christian Education

Education in extremely important in Korean society.  Parents will sacrifice enormously to ensure that their children have the best educational opportunities.  In many homes much of the traditional Korean carefree childhood is sacrificed in the endeavor to be admitted to the best schools.  Children start at very early ages to attend Hagwon private schools designed to supplement the education supplied in both private and public schools.  At the Hagwon the students will study English and other academic subjects at very early ages.  Finishing their normal school hours, many students study well into the night at the Hagwon schools.  As you might imagine, the pressure is enormous on students in Korea to excel and obtain admission to the best university possible.

I mention all this to explain that cheating is a serious problem in the Korean educational system.  For years I've heard that cheating is epidemic in the U.S. educational system.  That this problem existed in Korea surprised me since honesty is such a virtue over here.  Theft is only a minor problem in Korea, and usually found only in the largest cities.  A lost wallet or cell phone is usually returned to its owner with nothing missing at all.   My strong suspicion is that cheating is a product of the enormous pressure and competition in the educational system.

At Handong Global University, there is an honor code that is taken seriously by students and professors.  One of the major components of the honor code is unsupervised exams.  There are no professors or proctors in the classroom when students take exams.  It is not unheard of for a class to even have a take home exam.  Such an idea is virtually unheard of, even in Christian education, in the U.S.  I've read a bit about this practice at Handong Global University and spoken with other professors about it.   I wish I could report that there are no instances of cheating at Handong.  I can, however, report that cheating is uncommon.  The student government conducted a study in 2000 of the entire student body on compliance with the honor code.  They learned that 60% of the students reported that they had observed the honor code with a clear conscience before God.  20% of the students reported they had been tempted from time to time, but had not erred.  16% reported that they had failed several times, but had repented and were determined not to do it again.  4% reported that thy had violated the honor code before and would continue to do so in the future.

In my conversations with other professors I've learned that there are serious repercussions for violating the honor code - usually a failing grade in the course.  Now here is the really interesting benefit of the code.  I am told that HGU graduates are highly sought after by employers.  Their graduates tend to be more successful in the job market than those of the most prestigious universities in Korea.  The employers report that they are attracted to HGU graduates because they know they are students that didn't cheat in obtaining their degrees and would really know the skills they obtained through their education.  Students deeply appreciate the trust they receive under the honor code.  The honor code calls on all the students to uphold the code.  It is based on trust and respect.  If a student witnesses a violation of the honor code, they have a responsibility to go privately to the offending student, with respect, and encourage them to self report their violation to the professor.  If the offending student does not respond within 2-3 days, the other student must approach the professor and explain the circumstances.  This is undoubtedly difficult, but it is part of the culture of the school.

As a professor with an extensive background in the criminal justice system, I can't help but think that HGU is onto something important.  Integrity is a virtue that seems to have diminished greatly in my lifetime.  I like the idea that Christian education can reintroduce integrity to the classroom.  It seems to be working at Handong Global University.  I hope it spreads.

Ken Chinn