A Semantic Network Analysis of Student Assessment Methods in the Revised National Curriculum 2022 of Vocational High Schools

This study aimed to identify key features of student assessment in the revised national curriculum 2022 of vocational high schools in Korea. Semantic networks were analyzed with 1,170 paragraphs retrieved from the national curriculum text of 216 vocational high school core subjects, which delineated the methods of student assessment matched with the national standards. Among various assessment methods, presentation, paper/report, experiment/hands-on activities, portfolio, and discussion were frequently identified in the curriculum. Assessment methods were mostly aligned with action verbs of the corresponding standards; however, some were not associated with the standards, mainly when the standards contained higher-order thinking skills such as problem-solving or critical analysis. While digitalized student assessments have been increasingly highlighted in Korea, their utility has barely been confined to supporting student learning activities, such as office tools or information searches. However, the application of digitalized assessments has not yet fully extended to personalized or customized learning, as envisioned in the revised curriculum objectives.