ABOUT
She has also contributed to the development and advancement of interdisciplinary education through professional publications, faculty development, and curriculum consulting. In addition, she serves as a professional instructor for the Korean Council for University Education and the Korean Council for College Education, providing university faculty with guidance on interdisciplinary curriculum design, team-teaching strategies, curriculum consulting, and practical cases.
She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Evaluation, with her doctoral research focusing on competency-based curriculum. Building on her extensive experience in curriculum development, she is now expanding her research into adult and older adult education. Her current work seeks to develop innovative curricula and teaching approaches that respond to the changing needs of older learners in an era of increased longevity and rapid digital transformation.
Dr. Jiwon Heo is an education and curriculum specialist whose current research focuses on educational program development and digital literacy for older adults. She is currently studying older adult education in diverse educational settings in the United States, including the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNC Wilmington. Her research focuses on developing curricula and teaching approaches that reflect the cognitive, social, and educational needs of older learners, with particular attention to digital exclusion in an increasingly digital society.
She brings nearly 20 years of experience in education, having worked across educational institutions, government-funded research institutes, and universities in South Korea. Her work has focused on educational policy, curriculum development, and educational innovation.
Since 2018, she has served as a university professor and as Director of a Center for Curriculum Innovation, where she led initiatives to transform higher education curricula. Her work included developing microdegree and nanodegree programs and designing industry-linked curricula to prepare students with interdisciplinary competencies for the future.
Digital Literacy
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Senior Education
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Curriculum Innovation
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Lifelong Learning
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Digital Literacy · Senior Education · Curriculum Innovation · Lifelong Learning ·
Research Focus
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Digital Literacy
Developing effective digital skills curricula for senior learners navigating an increasingly technology-driven world.
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Cognitive Aging
Exploring how aging affects learning and designing teaching methods optimized for older adult cognition.
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Curriculum Innovation
Creating flexible, competency-based educational programs from K-12 through higher education and beyond.
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Policy & Practice
Translating research into real-world educational policy, from alternative schools to nationwide dropout prevention.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Education is not just about transferring knowledge, it's about igniting curiosity and empowering learners to shape their own futures. Whether working with at-risk youth, university students, or older adults navigating the digital world, I believe every learner deserves curricula designed with intention, empathy, and respect for where they are in life's journey.
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