Contemporary Korean education, while adopting constructivist pedagogy in response to critiques of knowledge-centered education, remains anchored in a system that reinforces the authority of knowledge. This reflects Jacques Derrida’s concept of autoimmunity, where a system paradoxically undermines itself while trying to protect its core values. Autoimmunity shows how constructivism, despite efforts to move beyond knowledge-centered education, ends up reinforcing the authority of knowledge instead of dismantling it. However, Derrida argues that autoimmunity can also encourage critical reflection and allow systems to evolve beyond their limitations.

Building on this idea, this study applies Derrida’s concept of autoimmunity to education, investigating how constructivist pedagogy, which aims to decentralize the authority of knowledge, paradoxically reinforces it. Through a philosophical analysis, this research examines assessment systems in Korea and other Asian educational contexts. Although constructivism promotes the idea that students construct knowledge independently, assessments remain focused on measuring how well students have mastered predefined knowledge. This implicitly reinforces the idea that correct answers provided by authorities are paramount, maintaining the authority of knowledge. As a result, these practices misalign with the goals of constructivism, emphasizing knowledge acquisition over fostering independent thought and meaning-making.

By diagnosing this phenomenon through Derrida’s principle of autoimmunity, this study explores the original meaning of constructivism and critically reassesses the validity of current assessment systems. Through this reflection, the study proposes new directions for educational practices more aligned with the fundamental goals of constructivist pedagogy, fostering independent thought and meaningful learning experiences.

Authors:
Jihyun Bae, Pusan National University, South Korea
Soyoung Lee, Pusan National University, South Korea

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Jihyun Bae is a University Doctoral Student at Pusan National University in South Korea

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