This blog post introduces how to naturally weave your interest in digital technology into your motivation for applying to Media Engineering. Connect your interest to a compelling strength.
Writing about Academic Experience and Reflections
Academic Experience and Growth Story at an Online High School
I attended an online high school located in Chungcheongnam-do, majoring in Internet Commerce. Initially, my middle school grades fell short of expectations, leading me to enroll in an online high school with relatively lower entrance exam requirements instead of a traditional high school. Looking back now, that choice actually became a turning point that opened a new direction in my life. Encountering major-related courses in commerce sparked my interest, and I realized that following aptitude and passion to carve out a career path is more important than academic achievement. This led me to resolve to forge my own path proactively, rather than being bound by grades.
The school offered a curriculum systematically teaching both theory and practice in e-commerce. Through this program, I diligently worked to grow into a skilled professional capable of adeptly handling online commerce. I developed practical, hands-on competencies by completing diverse courses such as Computerized Accounting Practice, Network Construction Practice, E-commerce Practice, Internet Shopping Mall Management, and Marketing and Advertising. Among these, the network construction class required frequent hands-on computer work and long hours in the PC lab, which naturally improved my computer skills. While I possessed basic computer skills comparable to my peers, I had to learn practical skills like website creation and management, Excel document creation, and presentation design entirely from scratch. Through repeated practice, I gradually gained confidence, and my practical abilities noticeably improved.
While the Marketing and Advertising course was somewhat removed from direct internet practice, I recall finding it particularly interesting because it was closely related to internet commerce in terms of utilizing various media and platforms. This course helped me develop a broader perspective, enabling me to consider not just simple techniques but also market trends and consumer perspectives. By my sophomore year of high school, my understanding of my major deepened, and I decided to pursue relevant certifications to objectively prove my skills. I first personally obtained the Internet Commerce Operator certification. Subsequently, I formed a study group with friends, aiming to acquire the E-Commerce Manager and Information Equipment Operator certifications. Studying with friends who shared my interest in network engineering particularly helped me grasp the importance of collaboration and the value of information sharing.
Additionally, I earned the Information Retrieval Specialist and Information Processing Technician certifications through school-run preparation courses. As a result, I had the honor of receiving an exemplary student award as the student with the most certifications in my grade.
This entire journey held significance beyond mere certification; I believe it laid the foundation for my growth into a well-rounded professional equipped with practical skills, specialized knowledge, and a collaborative mindset. My academic experience at Internet High School was not merely about overcoming academic challenges; it was a valuable journey that helped me discover a truly suitable career path and build confidence in that direction.
Moving forward, I aim to build upon this experience to further develop expertise in my major and become a professional capable of actively responding to the rapidly changing digital commerce market. Though my start was small, I am proud of where I am now, taking each step forward on the path I chose for myself, believing in my potential and future.
Major School Activities and Reflections
Three-Stage Learning Experience and Growth in the Information Technology Club
While studying in the E-Commerce Department, I naturally became involved in academic club activities. Our department scheduled the last two periods every Friday for club activities, making participation in major-related clubs mandatory. I joined the Information Technology Club among the five available clubs and experienced meaningful growth through its systematic three-stage learning process.
The Information Technology Club was structured to enable step-by-step learning, from theory to practice and content creation, centered around network-related technologies. During my first year, the focus was on building fundamental IT competencies. The club was led by our Information and Computer Science teacher, who conducted the classes directly. Senior members participated as needed to guide and demonstrate practical assignments. We formed groups with our peers and attended classes together, concentrating on mastering work skills like document processing, databases, spreadsheets, and presentations. The group-centered learning approach meant we could immediately ask nearby friends about anything we didn’t understand, fostering a cooperative atmosphere where we helped each other throughout the lessons. In particular, group-based competitive assignments allowed us to showcase our individual strengths while fostering teamwork. Completing these tasks also helped us develop the ability to coordinate opinions and find common ground.
Over the course of the year, I was able to improve my fundamental network management skills and my proficiency in databases and programming languages in a well-rounded manner. Upon entering my second year, I completed the second phase, the ‘Information Culture Ethics School Program’. This course provided an in-depth study of digital ethics, essential for anyone navigating the information age. The knowledge gained here was particularly meaningful as it was directly applied in the subsequent content creation phase, prompting me to focus intensely and participate earnestly in the classes. We covered diverse topics: encounters and relationships in cyberspace, distinguishing virtual and real selves, ethical issues in a ubiquitous society, the background and impact of the game shutdown system, online privacy protection and human rights issues, the cultural diffusion effect through cyberspace, the importance of proper e-commerce use, and the necessity of preventing cybercrimes like hacking. Through this, I learned the values and attitudes required of a citizen in a digital society.
Starting in the second semester of second year, we entered the third phase: practical training where we directly planned and developed educational content on information ethics based on materials provided by the Smart Information Culture Portal. This process was run as a competition, and since outstanding works were officially adopted as content on the portal and awarded prizes, everyone approached it seriously. Our group found ‘Cyber Human Rights Violations and Personal Information Protection’ among the topics we had learned most impactful, so we centered our planning around this content. We created a short ad-style UCC using JavaScript and Flash, striving to express the learning content creatively. Although our work was not ultimately selected, we deeply felt the importance of teamwork during the content creation process. The experience of completing a single deliverable through collaboration was a valuable achievement in itself. Above all, we felt a deep sense of fulfillment from creating a tangible result based on the skills and knowledge we had learned.
Thus, activities in the IT club were a valuable experience that went beyond simple extracurricular activities, helping to cultivate practical skills, ethical values, collaboration abilities, and creative thinking. Through the systematic learning and practice across three stages, I was able to further enhance my interest and capabilities in the network field. I believe this experience will serve as a strong foundation, no matter which field I choose to pursue in the future.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
During my high school years, our school had about eight classes, six of which were all-male, reflecting a high male student ratio. The competitive spirit among the boys was particularly pronounced in physical education activities, and the rivalry between classes naturally manifested during PE classes and sports festivals. We often competed against each other in ball games during regular PE classes, and the atmosphere grew even more intense as the sports festival approached. The festival events consisted of soccer, baseball, and basketball, with the final ranking determined by the total points earned across all events. Naturally, our class aimed for first place and gave our all in every event.
However, the journey wasn’t entirely smooth. Our class excelled at soccer and basketball, but baseball was relatively weak. With many tall or shooting-proficient friends, forming lineups for basketball and soccer was easy. Baseball, however, required batting and base-running skills, and we lacked suitable players. Being tall and well-built, I served as captain in basketball and goalkeeper in soccer, encouraging teammates and striving to elevate our performance in both sports. But we were eliminated in the baseball preliminaries, which soon led to conflict.
After the preliminary round loss, disappointment and blame-shifting spread throughout the class. An atmosphere formed where everyone blamed each other, saying things like “It’s because of so-and-so that we lost” or “So-and-so should have done better,” and the emotional rift deepened. Arguments that started over minor remarks grew larger, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense. I stepped in to mediate the situation. I calmed my friends by saying, “What matters most is giving your best effort; let’s not get overly fixated on winning at the sports festival.” I persuaded them that since we couldn’t win first place in every event, we should approach baseball with a mindset of enjoyment and aim for better results in other events.
Whether it was because I, as the class representative, personally mediated the conflict, soothed my friends’ feelings, and tried to steady the mood, the team members gradually calmed their emotions and rallied together again. Putting aside their disappointment about baseball, they focused more intensely on soccer and basketball, and we actually achieved good results. Of course, we couldn’t completely eliminate conflict, but the attitude of trying to understand and care for each other clearly had a positive impact on the entire class.
Through this experience, I realized there is something more important than simply winning or losing. It was the cooperation, consideration, and willingness to share responsibility among the people working together. At the time, taking the lead to stabilize the class atmosphere felt somewhat burdensome, but looking back, I believe that process was a significant opportunity for my growth. The experience gained from resolving conflicts within the team continues to serve as an important foundation for working and communicating with others today.
