Keyword: Korea

ABSTRACT: This study proposes an integrated, evidence-based model to explain the transition from artificial intelligence (AI)-related anxiety to acceptance and learning engagement in the context of Education 4.0. Drawing on a secondary data synthesis of four nationally representative South Korean datasets—KISTEP (2024), NIA (2024), KEEP (2024), and Statistics Korea (2024)—and grounded in Keller’s (1987) ARCS motivational model and Davis’s (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study develops a multi-layered framework linking AI anxiety, AI literacy, AI acceptance, and learning engagement. The analysis tests four hypotheses using a pseudo-SEM approach. Because the study relies on secondary data, proxy indicators are employed to operationalize key constructs, with the Digital Competency Index (DCI) used as a proxy for AI literacy. The findings show that AI anxiety is significantly and negatively associated with AI acceptance, whereas AI literacy exerts a direct positive effect and also weakens the anxiety-acceptance relationship, functioning as a cognitive buffer (moderating effect, β = .23, p < .05). In turn, AI acceptance emerges as a strong predictor of learning engagement (R² = .34). Most notably, this study reframes AI literacy not merely as a technical skill, but as a resilience mechanism that helps reduce technology-related anxiety. The theoretical contribution has direct implications for instructional design and age-sensitive policy interventions. In addition, the pseudo-SEM approach offers a replicable framework for building macro-level theory from national administrative data.

ABSTRACT: This study examines the relationship between digital learning inclination and lifelong learning participation among Korean adults through generational and educational level analysis. Using data from the Korean Educational Development Institute's 2024 Individual Survey on Lifelong Learning (N = 30,829, ages 25-79), this research analyzed relationships between age, educational attainment, digital learning preferences, and participation rates through an ecological analysis approach using aggregated cross-sectional survey data. Digital learning inclination was operationalized using proxy indicators including learning media preferences, informal digital learning participation patterns, and information access pathways. Korea's overall lifelong learning participation rate was 33.1% in 2024, declining from 44.6% (ages 25-29) to 24.1% (ages 70-79). Educational attainment emerged as a critical moderating variable, with university graduates showing participation rates (40.4%) that were 17.8 percentage points higher than those with middle school education or less (22.6%). The Digital Learning Inclination Index revealed a five-fold difference between the youngest (81.2) and oldest (16.1) age groups, with age 50 emerging as a critical threshold. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between age and educational level (χ² = 1,847.3, p < .001) and moderate correlations between digital learning inclination and participation rates (r = .52, p < .001). The findings highlight the necessity for digital literacy support policies tailored to specific generational and educational characteristics. This study provides a replicable methodological framework for contexts where comprehensive digital competency assessments are unavailable, offering valuable insights for policymakers and educators in nations facing similar demographic transitions and digital transformation challenges in adult education systems.

ABSTRACT: This longitudinal study examines the volatility and crisis resilience of adult lifelong learning participation in South Korea over an 18-year period, elucidating complex dynamics that transcend simple linear growth patterns. Drawing on nationally representative data from the Korean Survey of Lifelong Learning Individual Participation (KEDI, 2007-2024) covering 99,327 adults, this study applied crisis-response analytical frameworks to elucidate participation fluctuations. Empirical analysis revealed significant volatility with participation rates fluctuating from 29.8% (2007) to 33.1% (2024), experiencing peaks of 41.7% (2019) and dramatic declines during the COVID-19 pandemic (40.0% to 28.5%, 2020-2022). While generational and regional disparities demonstrated convergence during stable periods, they exhibited expansion during crises, revealing differential vulnerability patterns. These findings challenge prevailing assumptions about linear progress in lifelong learning development and underscore the critical importance of building crisis-resilient adult education systems.