The curriculum of KNUE’s Residential Education Center (REC, below) was revised by the first semester of 2016. Basically, students should participate in all programs REC suggests in order to pass the course, while they could choose some programs they want and get points in the last semesters. The revised curriculum includes common residential area cleaning, community spirit education, Cheongram one person - one hobby, Cheongram reading (Seosamdok), mentoring (M.A.M.), and Safe Gyowon. The revised curriculum is applied to the first-semester freshmen. For sophomores, on the other hand, the existing ones are implemented except for KNUE’s Residential Education lecture which was replaced by ‘M.A.M.’, the mentoring program.

 The REC aims to provide students with whole-person education so that they can enhance proper qualities and attitudes in order to become a teacher by completing the academic programs for two years. However, students have showed negative reactions on the efficiency and effectiveness of the programs.

 As to ‘M.A.M.,’ for example, the REC arranges specific activities such as having a meal, and going around the campus with a designated partner colleague. About this, a freshman student said, “In my opinion, these are mere formal and time-consuming tasks because the partners, junior and senior students who have the same last four digits of a student number, have been getting along quite well without the perfunctory activities the REC suggested.” Another student in the second year gave a similar opinion and added, “It places a financial burden to sophomores. I think the education lecture which was abolished is better than the mentoring program. The REC should not have replaced it, but improve the lecture’s contents that drum up KNUE students' interest.”

 Another freshman pointed out the problem of such effectiveness as well. He chose Safe Gyowon as the least effective program. He claimed, “Security and safety education is crucial to students, particularly to pre-teachers; nevertheless, Safe Gyowon was not productive at all because it was a boring lecture. Most of the students who attended did not concentrate. Realistic simulations of dangerous situations or practical training such as first aid training and CPR training should be done.” 

 Students agree with the REC’s ultimate aim; training students to be competent teachers with practical and technical qualities. However, they doubt whether the courses actually contribute to their improvement, and they participate in the programs very passively. In fact, this is not the first claim but similar complaints have always existed. It seems obvious that the REC and students need COMMUNICATION. Students should voice their ideas and try to convey their opinions eloquently to the REC rather than just complain. The REC also needs to put more effort in listening to the students' voice and reflect their situations other than carrying out surveys at the end of the semester. Better programs will finally be designed when they make their move, keeping in mind that communication is the key to a satisfactory resolution for the two sides.