The study surveyed 2,349 fourth graders from 83 schools -- 73 in Korea and 10 in France, Japan and the U.K. According to the report released on Monday, 35 percent of Korean students said their classes are interesting, compared to 55 percent of French, 48 percent of British and 43 percent of Japanese students who said the same.

While 48 percent of British and 42 percent of French students said they enjoy studying, only 19 percent of Japanese and 18 percent of Korean students felt the same. And while 53 and 43 percent of French and British students said they are happy when studying in class, only 20.9 and 20.8 percent of Japanese and Korean students said the same.

A significant contrast was drawn by a question that asked if students think it is important to pay attention in class if they want to be smart. Some 72.6 percent of Korean students said yes, while just 1 percent of French, 0.9 percent of Japanese and 0.8 percent of British students agreed.

On the other hand, only 19.9 percent of Korean students said that they thoroughly understand what is taught in classes. To the same question, 41.7 Japanese students said they understand their classes well, and 34 and 32.3 percent of French and British students answered the same.

The researchers concluded that the differences between Korean students and their foreign counterparts are a result of the overwhelming workload placed on Korean students, and a lack of consideration for the different levels of students' capabilities in Korea.

Korea's teacher-led lecturing style, which inhibits voluntary participation and debate among students, and tests that rely heavily on multiple-choice and short answer questions were also suggested as factors that dull student interest in Korea.

In France, Japan, and the U.K., teachers tend to teach students according to their individual abilities, and academic evaluations are based on debate and essays.

(englishnews@chosun.com )