In today’s world, artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence coexist, and no field is free from the impact of AI. At present, education cannot be discussed without mentioning AI, which has an omnidirectional impact on all its areas, including the purpose, content, method, and evaluation system. This study aimed to explore the future direction of education by examining the current impact and predicting future impacts of AI. It also examined research trends and collaboration status by country through network analysis, topic modeling and global research trends in AI in education (AIED), by applying the Latent Dirichlet Allocation algorithm. Over the past 20 years, the number of papers on AIED has steadily increased, with a dramatic rise since 2015. The research can be broadly classified into eight topics, including “changes in the content of teaching and learning.” Using a linear regression model, three hot topics, two cold topics and trend changes for each research topic were identified. The study found that AIED research should be more thematically diversified and in-depth; this directly applies AI algorithms and technologies to education, which should be further promoted. This study provides a reference for exploring the direction of future AIED research.

Recently, there has been growing educational interest in competency. Global organizations, such as the United Nations (UN) and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which are leading the discourse on education reform, are undertaking the lead in spreading awareness regarding competency education. Since 2015, the number of published articles on competency education has been rapidly increasing. This paper aims to provide significant implications for creating a sustainable future of competency education. A topic modeling method was used to empirically analyze latent topics and international research trends in 26,532 articles published on competency-based education (CBE). As a result of the analysis, 15 topics were derived, including “approach to competency development.” In addition, five topics including “learning skills” and “teacher training” were found to be hot topics with the increasing article publication. The rapidly changing modern society is calling for a transformation in education. We hope that the results of this study paves the way for further research exploring new directions for education, such as competency education.

This paper examines the main issues regarding higher education in Korea—where college education experienced minimal interruptions—during the COVID-19 pandemic through a big data analysis of news articles. By analyzing policy responses from the government and colleges and examining prominent discourses on higher education, it provides a context for discussing the implications of COVID-19 on education policy and what the post-pandemic era would bring. To this end, we utilized BIgKinds, a big data research solution for news articles offered by the Korea Press Foundation, to select a total of 2636 media reports and conducted Topic Modelling based on LDA algorithms using NetMiner. The analyses are split into three distinct periods of COVID-19 spread in the country. Some notable topics from the first phase are remote class, tuition refund, returning Chinese international students, and normalization of college education. Preparations for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), contact and contactless classes, preparations for early admissions, and supporting job market candidates are extracted for the second phase. For the third phase, the extracted topics include CSAT and college-specific exams, quarantine on campus, social relations on campus, and support for job market candidates. The results confirmed widespread public attention to the relevant issues but also showed empirically that the measures taken by the government and college administrations to combat COVID-19 had limited visibility among media reports. It is important to note that timely and appropriate responses from the government and colleges have enabled continuation of higher education in some capacity during the pandemic. In addition to the media’s role in reporting issues of public interest, there is also a need for continued research and discussion on higher education amid COVID-19 to help effect actual results from various policy efforts.

Core competency-based liberal arts education is a mainstream at university these days. This paper hopes to expose as fully as possible some of the problems implemented by most universities in their pursuit of providing a core competency-based liberal arts education. This paper also hopes to course correct the direction that core competency-based liberals arts education is taking. Core competency-based education was adopted by the government’s financial support program for colleges. Following the ACE Project, the Ministry of Education now promotes competency-based education as a policy index upon the diagnosis of a college’s fundamental competency. But competency-based education derived from external goals has created some problems, including the use of certain slogans, catch phrases, match-ups, formalism, an ideology for blind quantitative measurement, etc. In order to improve core competency-based liberal arts education, it should first be internally justified; a 21st-century educational framework should be established by reflecting a core competency model; education and learning experiences on which Knowledge, Skills and Attitude are integrated, should be universalized, and finally; changes in the very being of a person should be pursued based on a deep understanding and mastery of the humanities. Core competency-based education should not be just another form of distortion that harms the identity of liberal arts education and disturbs its normalization.

This article explores the criteria of general education courses to clarify and solidify the identity of these courses. The study aims to derive the nature of general education courses by examining their formation and historical development, identifying distorting factors, and establishing criteria for them. General education courses have evolved from the liberal arts traditions of ancient Greece and Rome, forming a complex multilayered structure with four intertwining layers: liberal subjects, humanities subjects, general subjects, and core subjects. Originating from the comprehensive development of the liberal arts and shared experiences, general education courses, have possessed distinctive characteristics such as truth-seeking, personality development, universality, and core orientation since their inception. To preserve and enhance the essential nature of general education courses, it is crucial to eliminate distortions such as narrow specialization, superficial practicality, frivolous convenience, and overall irresponsibility. Overcoming persistent distortions and restoring the fundamental nature of general education courses requires establishing criteria. The starting point for this is acknowledging the premise that there are certain courses suitable for general education. General education courses demonstrate their suitability through educational, purposive, civilizational, academic, and objective criteria. These courses serve as dynamic complexes that internalize universal human values while shaping one's unique personality. In the era of digital transformation, the authenticity of education must strive to create genuinely characteristic general education courses.

This study is an exploratory research project to establish an academic network or map for liberal arts education. It aims to build the status of liberal arts by exploring the conceptual system which explains the target of liberal arts using its unique language. The subject to be explored in liberal arts education was defined as the ‘liberal education phenomenon’ and the academic networks of liberal arts, basic studies and the department of education were examined. Liberal arts education was defined as an integrated study which pursues the intrinsic value attached in the concept of liberal arts at an ideological level, penetrates the achievement of basic studies in regards to its content, and adopts the methodology of pedagogy for practical uses. When regarded in such a light, liberal arts education is largely structured into purpose, content, and practice theories. The criteria for the suitability of courses within the liberal arts based on liberal arts education as an academic study are determined by universality, academical and educational aspects. Liberal education pursues an education integrated with humanism, intelligence, and competency education, which are based on the universality of human beings possessing a good conscience, a degree of intelligence, and various abilities. Collective efforts to create discussions to make liberal arts education an academical study, and to extend its prospects, are urgently needed.