Special Report Yangpyeong, a City Where Learning Becomes Daily Life... Transforming the 'Lifelong Learning Paradigm'
[News S=Reporter Eom In-yong] Yangpyeong County is accelerating the construction of a regional education ecosystem by organically linking lifelong learning, educational welfare, and library policies with the goal of becoming 'a city where learning becomes daily life.'
The county is implementing multifaceted policies ranging from resident-participatory lifelong learning programs to support for educationally vulnerable groups, addressing educational disparities in the eastern region, and expanding student-centered educational welfare, thereby contributing not only to improving residents' quality of life but also to establishing a foundation for sustainable regional growth.
Particularly in the first half of this year, the rebranding of lifelong learning and expansion of demand-driven education programs have begun in earnest, with assessments indicating that a new virtuous cycle education ecosystem is taking root where learning transcends individual growth and extends to regional development.
■ Resident-Participatory Lifelong Learning Brand 'Yangpyeong Charm Campus' Commences Full Operation
The county has rebranded its flagship lifelong learning program as 'Yangpyeong Charm Campus' and initiated construction of a resident-centered participatory learning system.
'Yangpyeong Charm Campus' is characterized by its design similar to university undergraduate systems, with field-specific professional curricula enabling county residents to learn more systematically. In particular, the 'I Am Also an Instructor' program, where residents plan and operate lectures utilizing their own experiences and expertise, is garnering attention as a prime example of uncovering hidden human resources in the community and activating self-directed learning communities.
Additionally, 'Lifelong Learning Exciting Busking,' a community event combining learning circles and residents, is operated as a cultural complex event integrating performances, experiences, and flea markets, creating a virtuous cycle that returns learning outcomes to society.
The 'Water Light Exhibition Hall' established within Yangpyeong Library operates as a participatory space based on living arts where not only professional artists but also general residents and clubs can freely display their works, presenting a new lifelong learning model that harmonizes learning, creation, and sharing.
■ A Lifelong Learning City Where Anyone Can Learn... Expanding Customized and Inclusive Education
Various attempts to broaden opportunities for learning in daily life continue. The county is pursuing close-to-life lifelong learning policies enabling anyone to participate in learning without constraints of time and location.
'After Work, Come Here ON,' an outreach lifelong learning program for office workers, operates by utilizing unused spaces within workplaces to enable participation immediately after work. Through demand-driven programs including healing yoga, AI utilization education, and terrarium making, accessibility to learning for office workers is being enhanced.
The 'Lifelong Learning Support Project for Borderline Intellectual Functioning' implemented for the first time this year establishes a customized support system linking assessment, counseling, social and cognitive education, and guardian education, providing integrated services combining education, welfare, and care.
Additionally, the 'Mobile Library of Freshwater Fish in the City,' operated in cooperation with Gyeonggi Province Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute, is an outreach learning program combining actual freshwater fish exhibitions and ecological experiential education, expanding the role of libraries from reading-focused spaces to experiential learning spaces.
■ Customized Education by Life Cycle and Expanded Support for Eastern Region... Accelerating Resolution of Educational Disparities
Customized support to reduce learning blind spots is also being strengthened. The county is concentrating efforts on bridging educational disparities through life-cycle-specific educational support encompassing all generations and region-tailored educational policies.
The 'Coffee Barista Training Course' and 'Living Support Worker Certification Course' operated for middle-aged and older adults provide employment and social participation opportunities while supporting life planning for the second act after retirement. The 'Silver Reading Sharing Instructor Training Course' helps baby boomer generation members with social participation and reemployment, while operating the 'Adult Literacy Education Preparatory Middle School Curriculum' supports continued learning participation by elderly learners.
Career education targeting youth is also expanding. The 'Career Path (ON) Mentoring Project,' an EduTech-based learning support and university and professional linkage program, is being promoted with focus on the eastern region, broadening career exploration opportunities.
In particular, 'Yangdong Dream Hideout,' Korea's first library-based public learning space, is drawing attention as a complex education model combining arts and physical education, humanities reading, and learning coaching. It has secured both public and professional qualities through teachers' volunteer contributions and regional resource linkage, with currently over 100 students participating.
The county plans to use this as a first-phase hub model and expand the project to underserved regions including Danwol and Cheongun to gradually resolve educational disparities in the eastern region.
Furthermore, public libraries support customized learning by life cycle through programs such as 'Read Books and Level Up,' multicultural programs, and VR reading discussion programs, providing balanced learning opportunities and contributing to bridging educational gaps between regions.
■ Student-Centered Educational Welfare and Digital Learning Environment Innovation
Educational welfare policies for substantive improvement in students' educational conditions are also yielding results.
The high school commute bus 'Ajeoshing' operates to resolve long-distance commuting and insufficient public transportation issues and, through continuous route improvements, currently supports safe attendance and dismissal for students in 12 townships and myeons including pilot regions.
Additionally, through the 'Special Talent and Aptitude Early Discovery and Support Project,' the county reduces educational expenses for elementary school lower-grade students in arts and physical education fields, thereby expanding talent development opportunities and alleviating parents' educational expenses.
The lifelong learning portal was also completely overhauled to establish a digital-based learning environment. Currently 544 programs are integrated and approximately 11,000 county residents are participating. The system enhanced convenient application procedures and online learning linkage functions to improve user convenience, while simultaneously advancing environmental improvements to the lifelong learning center swimming pool and public and small libraries to create safe and pleasant learning spaces.
The county is concentrating on creating an education ecosystem by organically linking lifelong learning, educational welfare, and cultural policies so that learning transcends individual growth and becomes a regional competitive advantage.
County Governor Jeon Jin-seon stated, "Lifelong learning transcends simple education and is a core policy that enhances residents' quality of life and builds the region's future competitiveness," adding "We will expand innovative education models like Yangdong Dream Hideout to resolve educational disparities and create a lifelong learning city where anyone can enjoy learning opportunities."
He continued, "Henceforth, we will construct a sustainable education ecosystem where education, welfare, and culture are organically connected to realize Attractive Yangpyeong where learning does not stop at individual growth but extends to regional development."