An Analysis of Group Differences and Determinants in Adults’ Education-Related Sentiment

This study investigated adults’ education-related sentiment(a composite index of positive and negative emotions toward teaching, learning, and testing), focusing on group differences and their determinants. Participants were 2,020 adults aged 19-59 who completed the 2024 Education Opinion Survey. Predictors were entered hierarchically (1) demographics (region, sex, age, income, and education), (2) preferred educational-philosophy orientation, (3) perceived severity of education problems and perceived impact of private-education-cost, and (4) problem-recognition and change-attitude typology. Group-mean comparisons using one-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in (a) teaching/testing emotions(positive and negative) and learning emotions(negative) across philosophy orientations, and (b) all three emotion domains across change-attitude types. Hierarchical regression showed that being in one’s 20s or 30s, earning less than KRW 1-3 million per month, holding at most a high-school diploma, and residing in Jeollabuk-do independently predicted more negative emotions. Beyond demographics, higher perceived private-education cost burdens, endorsement of a behaviorist philosophy, and a hands-on ‘action’ change attitude also exerted significant negative effects. The final model accounted for 5% of the variance. Findings indicate that adults’ education-related sentiment arise from an interplay of demographic position, philosophical beliefs, policy perceptions, and social-change orientations rather than from demographics alone. The study offers a multidimensional framework for sentiment research, highlights sentiment disparities by generation, income, and region, and suggests that education policies should incorporate citizens’ emotional responses—particularly for young and low-income groups—to bolster positive engagement with schooling.