A Study on research trends in general education in Korea's junior colleges

Objectives This study aims to investigate the current trends in research on general education within South Korean junior colleges. Methods From 2014 to 2023, a total of 806 studies related to general education were identified through academic search platforms. Following a screening process based on journal registration status and content-based criteria, 52 studies were selected for detailed analysis. These studies were categorized according to a framework derived from prior research and were subsequently analyzed using cross-tabulation and word cloud analysis. Results The summarized results of the analysis are as follows. First, based on publication year, 17 studies were published between 2014 and 2018, and 35 studies between 2019 and 2023. Regarding research methodology, 21 studies employed quantitative methods, 19 used qualitative methods, and 12 applied mixed-method approaches. In terms of research topics, the studies were categorized into broader research domains and more specific subtopics. Based on the research domains, 28 studies focused on content and methods, 25 on ideology and systems, and 21 on support and administration. As for the subtopics, 20 studies addressed foundational education, while 19 explored teaching-learning processes and quality assurance. Lastly, a keyword analysis revealed that terms such as general education, junior college, National Competency Standards(NCS) and basic vocational competencies appeared with high frequency. Conclusions Building upon the primary outcomes of this study, several directions for future research on general education in junior colleges are proposed.