South+Korea+Conclusion



=**Conclusion **=

Although the scope of this brief review is e-learning in secondary schools, its development and future cannot be viewed in isolation from the close partnership between government and commercial enterprise. New initiatives appear to be developing around technology ecosystems, ecosystems in which the deployment of hardware by Korean electronics companies, such as Samsung and LG, are a key consideration. As an employee at Eugene Investment & Securities noted, “There is the virtuous cycle of hardware leading to applications, and applications restructuring the content industry. Content, in turn, reinforce hardware,” (Yoon, 2011). However, the downside of this hardware driven approach is often a noticeable lack of suitable content, a situation that can quickly derail promising initiatives. Considering the massive financial resources allocated to developing and maintaining ICT infrastructures in support of e-learning, what are the potential conflicts of interest? Are funds being allocated solely on education merit, or, in the drive for technological supremacy, are economic and commercial considerations starting to cloud South Korea's educational vision?



