A Phenomenological Study on the Realization of Educational Community Values in Jeju Dahondi Baeum Schools: Focusing on the Role of the Middle School Innovation Coordinator

The purpose of this study was to explore strategies for expanding the experiences of Jeju Dahondi Baeum Schools [JDBS] to general schools through a phenomenological study on middle school teachers’ experiences of realizing the values of the educational community. To achieve this, in-depth interviews were conducted with four department heads who had worked at JDBS. The data was analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method, resulting in the extraction of three categories: ‘United under the name of Dahondi Baeum School’, ‘A school curriculum reflecting the voices of all’, and ‘Tasks for realizing better educational community values’. The main findings of the study are as follows. First, the educational community values of JDBS were embodied through school autonomy, with the three main stakeholders of education participating together in educational activities. Through this process, the capacities of the members were strengthened. Second, the teachers at JDBS fostered outcomes such as revitalizing lesson sharing and restoring relationships through the utilization of professional learning communities. Third, the school administrators demonstrated democratic school governance by practicing horizontal and democratic leadership, fostering a culture of consultation where staff members listened to each other’s opinions. Fourth, based on their experiences of realizing educational community values, the members of JDBS engaged in collaborative reflections on education and developed a curriculum that reflected the voices of all stakeholders. Fifth, the teachers recognized the tensions between democracy and efficiency in implementing educational community values and proposed future tasks such as revising the Special Act on Jeju related to educational privileges and spreading the achievements of JDBS to general schools.