國家 水準의 ‘漢字’ 基礎學力 評價 硏究는 중학교 3학년 재학생들이 必須的으로 갖추어야 할 한자의 기초학력, 즉 한자에 관한 知識과 機能을 얼마나 成就하고 있는가를 測定하기 위하여 시행된 것이다. 그러므로 이 연구는 중학교 학생들이 성취해야 할 기초적인 한자 능력과 그 수준을 파악하는 데 목적을 두었다. 이 연구를 위해 중학교 한문 敎育課程을 분석하는 한편, 전문가의 의견을 收斂하여 한자 기초학력 평가 영역을 크게 6영역으로 나누고, 각 영역별로 成就 基準과 評價基準을 개발하였으며, 이에 따라 평가문항을 제작하였다. 그리고 종래의 席次나 總點에 의한 분석을 止揚하고 大領域別 성취수준(등급) 체제, 즉 우수학력, 보통학력, 기초학력, 기초학력 미달로 나누어 분석하여 프로파일 형태로 제시함으로써 학교교육 현장의 평가 체제를 改善하는 데 寄與할 수 있도록 하였다.

The aim of this study was to measure the achievement levels of basic scholastic knowledge in the subject of Chinese Characters and Letters for middle school students as of June, 2000. The test for the study was administered on June 28, 2000 to 3,353 middle school students sampled from 88 middle schools respectively, which is equivalent to 0.5% of the middle school students in Korea. The study was focused on the proper evaluation of the knowledge of Chinese Characters and Letters on the minimum level expected by the general public. In this context, the study was carried out to define the normative and actual ranges of the basic scholastic knowledge of Chinese Characters and Letters for middle school students. For the study, an analysis of curriculum of Chinese education in middle schools was made, followed by the development of evaluative standards and items for the following 6 areas based on an opinion survey: Chinese characters in general, Chinese characters for practical purposes, Chinese characters for educational purposes, Chinese characters for understanding ancestral culture, Chinese characters for idiomatic phrases and Chinese letters. Also, a new and improved approach which evaluates students in terms of the subject and areas of Chinese education was used with the "performance assessment" - based on evaluative items accounting for over 30% of the test. The current 7th National Curriculum classifies Chinese Education as an optional subject for both middle schools. In view of the importance Chinese characters and letters in our daily speech, more emphasis is required to be placed on the education of Chinese characters and letters.