A Study of Learner Attitude Conceptual Words Trends for Core Values Education in National Curriculum

Objectives This study aimed to identify the connections and tendencies of learner attitude-related core conceptual words in each subject curriculum among the value-attitude areas newly introduced in the 2022 revised curriculum. Methods This study centered on nine attitude-related core conceptual words derived from the 2022 revised curriculum document by Yoo & Yang(2024) through text mining analysis. We aimed to analyze the connections that these keywords form in each curriculum. The NetworkX library of Python 3.6 was used to conduct the study, and the network analysis indicators of degree centrality, mediated centrality, proximity centrality, and eigenvector centrality were applied to conduct a comprehensive analysis. Results First, the frequency analysis confirmed that the core value attitude concept words emphasized by each course were different. Second, the contextual analysis revealed that the nine attitude-related core conceptual words are not organically integrated into the curriculum documents and are used sporadically. Third, the linkage network analysis of the nine core value conceptual words revealed that some value conceptual words were high in frequency but low in centrality, and others were low in frequency but high in centrality. Conclusions It was found that the current curriculum documents do not systematically and meaningfully address core values. Therefore, this study proposes a conceptual words system of core value education attitudes systematized in the direction of core value education, development of core questions for core value education practice in an integrated and convergent method, and application of various teaching and learning methods.