Colonial Korea in Historical Perspective

Don Yuhouse
Dr. Brenda Jordan
Colonial Korea in Historical Perspective
December 30, 2017
Colonial Korea a Historical Perspective curriculum created by SPICE at Stanford University is an excellent resource created in a 3 lesson format. Just reading this curriculum gives the educator a whole new perspective on teaching about East Asia or any country for that matter.
The perspective of the build up to war, the war, and the post 1945 era is condensed into the Korean perspective of the people involved is a very enlightening experience. To have been taught and to teach from only one side of history is a real eye opener.
I really liked the materials in the CD that was provided along with the handouts on vocabulary with their use of the sidebar for emphasis. This curriculum set could be taught in its entirety or segments pulled from it to supplement what may be currently “required” in the curriculum.

Amy Swartz
Grades 9-12
Courses: AP World History, AP US History, Global Issues, World Religions
Warrior Run High School, Turbotville, PA
Colonial Korea in Historical Perspective from the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) is a well-developed three-lesson curriculum for teachers of middle or high school students. The lessons address the complex relations between Japan and Korea from 1910-1945 utilizing images, text documents, and oral histories. The curriculum unit contains a 169-page manual, which includes background information for the teacher, lesson plans, student document readings, worksheets, discussion questions, and an extensive glossary. A CD-ROM containing handouts and other visual information to support the lessons is provided.
As with other SPICE materials I have used, this resource reflects quality research and background information, in addition to the development of relevant lessons for students to learn about this challenging period of Japanese-Korean relations. Students begin with background information on colonialism and imperialism in connection with Korea and Japan from the mid-19th century until 1910, an evaluation of their textbook’s presentation of Japan’s takeover of Korean in 1910 and use primary sources to consider multiple views of this event. Lesson two presents the causes, events, and impacts of Japanese colonial rule in Korea from various perspectives, using a variety of statistical information, oral histories, photographs, and other documents. The third lesson revisits various textbooks’ treatment of colonialism from South Korea and Japan. The curriculum guide contains unit goals, curriculum standards, materials and equipment needed, and suggested time and sequencing of activities. Many portions of these lessons can easily adapted to support students with learning difficulties. Teachers with limited time could adopt a portion of this curriculum unit to enhance other lessons on this topic.