Coulston Elementary teacher selected to join global educators in Discover Korea Research Fellowship

The World History Digital Education Foundation is proud to announce that Jonathon Baldwin, an educator at Coulston Elementary School, was selected as one of only 30 teachers from nations that participated in the Korean War to take part in the 2025 Discover Korea Research Fellowship.

The fellowship, sponsored by the Korea Foundation, brings together exceptional educators from around the world for a yearlong program focused on Korea’s history, culture, economic growth, and democratic evolution.

As part of this prestigious fellowship, Baldwin joined fellow educators for a ten-day research visit to the Republic of Korea from June 30 to July 10. This immersive in-country experience provided participants with an opportunity to explore Korea’s transformation from the devastation of the Korean War to its current role as a global leader in technology, culture, and innovation.

Throughout the trip, fellows interacted with Korean scholars and teachers as well as a scholar from the United States, Dr. David Fields from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, through lectures, discussions, and interactive experiences.

Highlights of the fellowship included powerful visits to historically and culturally significant sites across South Korea. Fellows explored the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to better understand the geopolitical tensions and history of division on the Korean peninsula.

At the Jikji Museum, they engaged with the story of the world’s oldest metal movable type printing technology, developed in Korea nearly 70 years before Gutenberg’s press.

The group also toured POSCO, one of the world’s leading steelmakers, to witness firsthand Korea’s industrial rise, and they visited the LG Science Park Innovation Center, a hub for cutting-edge technological advancements.

A temple stay at Haeinsa Temple, home of the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Tripitaka Koreana, offered a deeply reflective experience into Korea’s spiritual and cultural traditions.

Participants were selected through a highly competitive process and completed months of preparatory research and coursework prior to travel. Upon their return, each fellow will develop a lesson plan rooted in their experience and present their research and reflections to local and professional audiences — ensuring that their learning continues to inspire students and educators in their home communities. Mr. Baldwin shared, 

"The trip was transformative for me as a classroom teacher. History lessons in fourth and fifth grade are often the first-time students encounter the 'darker' sides of history. Korea’s story is the clearest lesson of hope I can give my students: transformation is possible, even after devastation."

Dr. Jongwoo Han, President of the World History Digital Education Foundation and Founder of the Korean War Legacy Foundation, reflected on the importance of the program:

“It is always an honor to share the culture and history of Korea with teachers so that they can share it with their students.”

The Discover Korea Research Fellowship is more than a travel opportunity — it is a transformative global learning experience. Fellows become part of a growing international network of educators committed to teaching about Korea with depth, context, and relevance in today’s classrooms. 

This fellowship is made possible through the generous support of the Korea Foundation. In addition to this annual trip, the World History Digital Education Foundation creates innovative digital resources in world history to support educators in teaching about Korea.

For more information about educational materials and the Discover Korea Research Visit Fellowship, please visit www.worldhistoryde.org.

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