The purpose of this study is to analyze Korean adolescents\' perceptions and their educational
experiences. In this global society, they are required to understand themselves, consider other
people\'s feelings and take care of them, and moreover be proactive global leaders.
To achieve the research goal, we used the methods of literature review and survey. The
range of literature reviewed includes the concept and theories of leadership, and the meaning
of leadership education to adolescence. To conduct the survey, we selected 1,500 adolescents
attending junior high and high school in across the korean nation. The questionnaire was
composed of several contents, such as the concept of leadership, the leadership skills to be
stressed, role model of leader, the self concept as leader, the relationship between education
and leadership development, desirable leadership courses, and leadership skills to be learned.
We analyzed the data with the SPSS 12.0 program.
The research results are as follows. First, adolescents have had a restrictive perception of
leadership. They thought leaders need the servant mind mentality of all the people around
them. Second, adolescents used to find leaders from their current living conditions and people
around themselves. History education courses they have taken seem not to have been powerful.
Third, even though they agreed that all of the students should take leadership courses, they
thought leaders were naturally born. Fourth, they wanted to learn leadership skills, such as
proactive thinking power and the active energy of pursuing objectives through an experiential
learning method.
From the research results we suggest Korean adolescents are in need of leadership education
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which will enable them to have a bigger picture of leadership. It is also important to provide
opportunities for the adolescents to learn leadership by group activities and hands-on
experiences.