• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-24
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in early childhood teachers' perceptions of the importance and institutional performance regarding young children's rights. Methods: 171 early childhood teachers responded to the questionnaires. The data were analyzed by using the paired sample t-test and the IPA graph to identify differences in the teachers' perceptions of the importance and performance of each right. Results: First, the teachers perceived the importance of children's rights to be high but low in institutional performance. The main effect of teaching years on the perception appeared significant only regarding performance of the rights of protection and participation. The main effect of teacher education experiences was significant in all areas except the importance of survival rights. The results from Two-Way ANOVA showed the two variables have no interaction. Second, the second quadrant of the IPA matrix displayed the items regarding initiative and autonomy of young children. Both inexperienced- and highly-experiencedteachers, when they had teacher education, recognized that the items related to participation rights should be further improved. Conclusion/Implications: We discussed the various ways in which children's rights should be improved and ways of improving teacher education according to teacher variables in order to promote young children's rights.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1-24
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• 2021

Objective: In this study, a department accreditation system was introduced as a specific way to improve the professionalism of childcare teachers, and evaluation indicators for department accreditation and the implementation system were derived to find a practical direction. Methods: According to the purpose of this study, related laws and websites were reviewed. In addition, in order to investigate opinions on the composition and implementation system of qualification indicators, a meeting was conducted with professors of the department of childcare teacher education and other qualification experts. Results: In order to introduce a department accreditation system for childcare teacher education, it is necessary to specify the relevant laws, and that the operation of an organization affiliated with a public institution is appropriate for the practical implementation of the system. In addition, an evaluation index plan composed of three indicators of educational conditions, curriculum, and performance areas was derived. Conclusion/Implications: In this study, a practical preparation plan, such as evaluation indicators and an implementation system, was presented for the introduction of a department accreditation childcare teacher education system. It is expected that this study will contribute to the successful establishment of the accreditation system of childcare teacher education.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.35-51
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early childhood teacher-led child-centered group play therapy on young children's sociability. The changes of sociability in the therapeutic process were also examined. Methods: The subjects of this study were 12 young children who were five years old and attended a child care center in Gangwon-do. Subjects were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received 15 early childhood teacher-led child-centered group play therapy sessions twice a week. The sociability scale was used for pre-post tests and the data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0. Every session was video-taped and recorded verbatim. Qualitative data were analyzed to examine changes in sociability. Results: Children who participated in the early childhood teacher-led child-centered group play therapy demonstrated significant improvement in sociability. During the therapy sessions, children's expressions and behaviors associated with sociability gradually increased. Conclusion/Implications: This study supports the use of early childhood teacher-led child-centered group play therapy as an effective intervention strategy for young children to improve their sociability.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.257-276
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between child care teachers' emotional intelligence, communicative competence, and job stress. Methods: Four hundred and fifty child care teachers answered questionnaires on three research variables. Data were analyzed by correlation analyses and regression analyses. Results: First, child care teachers' emotional intelligence, i.e. self-emotion appraisal, others' emotion appraisal, uses of emotion, and regulation of emotion, were negatively related to job stress. Second, child care teachers' emotional intelligence, i.e. self-emotion appraisal, others' emotion appraisal, uses of emotion, and regulation of emotion, were positively associated with communicative competence. Third, child care teachers' communicative competence was negatively linked to job stress. Lastly, child care teachers' communicative competence partially mediated the relationship between self-emotion appraisal, others' emotion appraisal, regulation of emotion, and job stress, and child care teachers' communicative competence fully mediated the relationship between uses of emotion and job stress. Conclusion/Implications: This study suggests that high emotional intelligence and effective communication are important in order to reduce child care teachers' job stress.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.91-106
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the moderating role of childcare teachers' sense of humor in the relationship between their job stress and happiness Methods: Participants were 294 childcare teachers working at 83 childcare centers located in Busan and Gyeongnam. Teachers completed a rating scale in order to examine their demographic variables, job stress, sense of humor, and happiness. The collected data were analyzed using product-moment correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: Childcare teachers' job stress was negatively correlated with their happiness. And childcare teachers' sense of humor had a positive relationship with their happiness. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the interaction of childcare teachers' job stress and sense of humor predicted their happiness. Childcare teachers' job stress was significantly associated with their happiness among those who demonstrated the lowest level of sense of humor. Childcare teachers' job stress had no relationship with their happiness, especially for those with the highest level of sense of humor Conclusion/Implications: We suggested that having a sense of humor might be valuable for childcare teachers in order to buffer the link between their job stress and happiness.

• Journal of Child Welfare and Development
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.67-85
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to analyze the trends in the studies on safety education of infant-early childhood teachers in order to provide basic data for a variety of studies in the field of child education. We consulted a total of 59 dissertations and journals articles on the safety education of infant-early childhood teachers published from 2008 to 2018. Our results were as follows: First, we found that the largest number of studies concerned safety awareness, followed by status and awareness, safety actions, safety education analysis, safety accidents and countermeasures, emergencies, development of programs, and teacher education. Second, we found that the most popular targets were child-care of teachers, followed by teacher-trainees, and center directors. Third, among the types of studies, we found that investigative quantitative studies were the most prevalent, followed by correlational studies, qualitative studies, and experimental studies. In terms of methods of gathering data, we found that questionnaires were the most commonly used, followed by qualitative studies, literature reviews, qualitative/quantitative studies, and quantitative literature reviews.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-37
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effect of the national preschool curriculum on children's development in Korea, focusing on teachers' daily practice. By comparing the effect of the teachers' curriculum practice to that of quantitatively measured free play, it tried to add practical implications beyond the statistical significance. Methods: Participants were 512 three-year-old children who participated in the Panel Study of Korean Children and their teachers. National curriculum practice and free play time at the age of three was put in the hierarchical linear regression models to discover children's developmental outcomes at the age of four, in domains of language, cognitive development, and social development. Results: Results demonstrated the significant positive influence of national curriculum practice on every domain of developmental outcomes. However, no facilitative influence of free play time was observed. Conclusion/Implications: The importance of teachers' practice of the national curriculum was emphasized. It was implied that the quantity of free play time itself did not assure the sound development of children. Policy implications were discussed regarding teacher practice and education.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.53-72
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to reveal early childhood teachers' perceptions of teacher competency for ESD using concept mapping and demonstrating its importance. Methods: 16 early childhood teachers in charge of 3-5 year olds conducted statement writing, and then the importance of selected statements were rated by 160 early childhood teachers in charge of 3-5 year olds. Selected statements were analyzed through multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. Results: Early childhood teachers perceived teacher competency for ESD in early childhood as concept mapping with two-dimensions and six clusters. The following six clusters were established (1) ethics for sustainable development, (2) willingness to participate in ESD, (3) development and operation of a sustainable development curriculum, (4) recognition and practice of environmental issues, (5) realization of value for sustainable development, and (6) practical thinking for ESD. And then among the six clusters, the most important cluster was recognized as 'ethics for sustainable development', and among the statements 'having an open mind to understand multiculturalism and the disabled' was considered relatively important Conclusion/Implications: Based on these results, we discussed the importance of teacher competency for ESD in early childhood, development of teacher competency scale, and preparation of a teacher education plans for each competency.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.19-38
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• 2022

Objective: The goal of this study is to develop an instrument for measuring the quality of teacher support for children's play (age 3-5) based on the Play Practice Resources for Teachers presented in the 2019 revised Nuri Curriculum. Methods: The subjects of this study were 333 early childhood educators. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as correlation analysis were all performed to confirm construct validity and concurrent validity. The reliability of each factor was verified using Cronbach's alpha. Results: The Preschool Teacher Play Support Scale (PTPSS) was finalized with 25 items, which included the following four sub-factors: interaction, play materials, play space, and play safety. The concurrent validity was also confirmed through significant correlations between the existing measures such as the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale, the Teaching Efficacy Scale for Play, and the Teacher-Toddler Interaction Scale. The reliability of each factor was also desirable. Conclusion/Implications: The PTPSS was verified as a sound measure quantifying the play support behavior of teachers who respect the autonomy and initiative of young children which is being pursued by the 2019 revised Nuri Curriculum.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.39-56
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of perceived supervisor's servant leadership and teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships on work engagement using the path model. Methods: The subjects were 210 teachers working at childcare centers in Daegu and Gyeongbuk Province. Questionnaires were used to investigate perceived supervisor's servant leadership, teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships, and work engagement. The collected data were analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling(SEM), Bootstrapping, Pearson Correlation, AMOS 20.0, and SPSS 21.0. Results: First, supervisor's servant leadership had a positive influence on teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships. Second, teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships had a positive influence on work engagement. Third, supervisor's servant leadership had a positive influence on teacher's work engagement. Fourth, supervisor's servant leadership had an indirec effect on teacher's work engagement by teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships. Conclusion/Implications: The results mean teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships had more influence on teacher's work engagement. Therefore, it is more useful to promote teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationships in order to strengthen teacher's work engagement.