The current study examined the effects of early social support of first-time mothers on the home environment for their preschool-aged children via the mediation of mothers' depression. The study sample included 755 first-time mothers participating in the Panel Study on Korean Children(PSKC). Using Structural Equation Modeling(SEM), the longitudinal structure from mothers' social support when the child is one year old to the quality of the home environment when the child is 4 years old was examined. The results revealed that mothers' social support at age 1 predicted social support at age 3, which in turn predicted higher quality of the home environment for their children at age 4. The mediation of depression was also significant. Mothers' social support predicted lower levels of depression at both phases and mothers' depression was significantly associated with the quality of the home environment.

The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the differences in job stress, teacher efficacy, emotion-focused coping strategies and depression of teachers in early childhood education and care according to their demographic backgrounds, 2) to investigate the influences of these variables on depression. 586 teachers in ECEC answered the questionnaires and the collected data were analyzed through frequence, percentages, Pearson's correlations, One-Way ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test, and stepwise regression using SPSS 21.0. The findings are as follows. First, job stress was significantly different according to ECEC teachers' ages and types of centers they were employed at teacher efficacy was significantly different according to their ages and education levels, emotion-focused coping strategies and depression were respectively significantly different according to ages, types of centers and education levels. Second, ECEC teachers' depression was influenced by undercontrolled expressionof emotion-focused coping strategies, home connection and promotion of positive learning environment of teacher efficacy, undercontrolled thinkingof emotion-focused coping strategies and work overload and job stress in order. These results imply that a support system and a policy should be established for ECEC teachers to express and understand their emotions in a positive way and related information should be provided to them through workshops.

The purpose of this study is to promote the use of cultural facilities of North Korean refugee mothers with young children by finding out their past experience of cultural facility use. The subjects of this study were 183 North Korean refugee mothers with young children and a total of four research participants. A survey and in-depth interviews were used to draw reliable research results. The research results are as follows: First, as to uses of cultural facilities, North Korean refugee mothers with young children got information about cultural facilities through the Internet community such as Internet cafes and blogs. Their considerations for using cultural facilities were diversity of activity programs and subdivision of performances and arts activities. Over 50% of mothers responded that cultural facilities were needed to enhance the creativity of their children. Second, concerning difficulties of cultural facility use, the most difficulty was high costs, and the second most difficulty was absence of cultural facilities nearby their residence. Third, as to the needs of cultural facility use, a children's library was needed the most for children's development. They responded that the most necessary policy for cultural facility use was to increase cultural vouchers for low-income households and to expand recipients of these vouchers.

In this study, authors investigated the attachment of toddlers to their mothers and teachers and overall development based on their gender differences. The subjects of the study are 80 toddlers who are 25~36 months, their mothers, and teachers. We analyzed our data using t-test and two way ANOVA, and the results are as follows. First, the groups categorized by the types of the attachment between the toddlers and the mothers and the gender difference demonstrated the developmental distinctions, respectively. The interactional effects of the two factors emerged in communication and basic living. Second, the groups categorized by the types of the attachment between the toddlers and the teachers and the gender difference demonstrated the developmental distinctions, respectively. The interactional effects of the two factors emerged in gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and cognition. Third, with respect to the types of multiple attachments to mothers and teachers, toddler development brought meaningful differences. We discussed the importances of the attachment of the toddlers and the role of teachers based on the results of our research and proposed future projects and suggestions.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of toddler's temperament and toddler-teacher relationship on their peer interaction, focusing on gender differences. A total of 221 toddlers(122 boys and 99 girls) attending 16 child care centers in South Korea participated in this study. Each toddler was observed during a free-play period in the classroom over 4 sessions of 5 minutes, so a total of 20 minutes was measured. Two observers scored recorded observation scenes with two peer interaction criteria, including interaction initiation and interaction participation level. The main results of this study are as follows: First, there was a signigicant gender difference in peer interaction and toddler's temperament and toddler-teacher relationship. Second, the factor of toddler-teacher relationship significantly predicted the boys' peer interaction, while for the girls, the significant predictor was intentional control of temperamental factors. Further, implications for different approaches according to the gender difference of the affecting factor on toddlers' peer interaction have been discussed.

This study examined the reliability and validity evidence of the Korean version of Wechsler Primary & Preschool Scale for Intelligence(K-WPPSI-IV), which was standardized recently. Following the stratified sampling for Korean population in terms of region and maternal education level, 1,700 children aged 2.6~7.7 years were recruited for Korean norm development. The split-half reliability (N=1,700) was high(Fisher's z(.75-.89)) and test-retest reliability(N=100) was satisfactory ranging from .95 to .68. The inter-rater reliability(N=110) was very high(.96-1.0). Discriminant and convergent validities were revealed by correlational patterns among subtests and indices. Future studies are needed to extend both reliability and validity of K-WPPSI-IV by collecting data with a various sample group and a variety of instruments.

Teacher's practical knowledge is potentially relevant to the teaching practice in his/her classroom. The research explored early childhood teachers' practical knowledge of 'curriculum' via conceptual metaphors. The participants (N=348) completed a prompt, "Curriculum is like A because B" and then the metaphors were analyzed according to the procedure proposed by Moser (2000). The analysis found that 8 themes (i.e. 'educational basis', 'learning opportunity', 'educational material', 'difficulty', 'change', 'pre-determination', 'discordance', and 'reconstruction') were the underlying conceptions signified in those metaphors. The implications regarding early childhood teachers' practical knowledge were discussed on the perspective of post-modern curriculum. Moreover, it recommended the practical knowledge based approach for early childhood teacher education, and transformation of current policy for program evaluation relevant to curriculum conceptualization.

This study examined professional development systems in America, England, and Australia, and devised ways to enhance early childhood teachers' professional development in Korea. To suggest effective ways to improve current professional development system and its operation, this research aimed to investigate first, advanced professional development systems and policies in three countries, America, England, and Australia, second, the process of teacher qualification and requirements for acquiring teacher credential and its maintenance, and lastly, the effort of quality control for professional development, its operation, and evaluation systems in three countries. Based on the analysis of the three country's systems, five solutions for effective professional development are suggested. First, it is necessary to differentiate requirements for teachers by the level of teacher credentials. Second, an incessant training process for professional development is required. Third, an individualized professional development plan should be set for an individual teacher for the best outcomes in professional competence. Fourth, instructors for professional development trainings are needed to ensure the quality of training. Lastly, individuals, organizations, and policy and its operation systems need to be considered holistically as a whole in the perspective of convergence in policy making and its operation for effective professional development.