• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.93-97
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to suggest implications for early childhood SW·AI education considering the characteristics of early childhood education through a survey on SW·AI education in kindergartens. For this study, data were collected from 194 kindergartens through convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using frequency distribution, and it was found that 44% of kindergartens are conducting SW·AI education. 22% are conducting SW·AI education in the form of regular curriculum, and 70% are conducting SW·AI education in the form of special activities after school. SW·AI education was found to be conducted mainly by external instructors (97%) in the classroom (80%). For SW·AI education, block coding-based programs developed by companies such as Naver and the Clova were used, and all of these programs used programs and teaching aids in a package format, including teaching aids and materials developed by companies. 56% answered that they are not currently conducting SW/AI education, and lack of awareness on SW·AI education and lack of human/environmental infrastructure were the main factors. In order to realize SW·AI education considering the characteristics of early childhood education based on this survey, First, SW·AI education programs should be developed to develop play-centered computational thinking skills. Second, systematic teacher education at the national level should be conducted. Finally, the establishment of a department dedicated to early childhood SW·AI consisting of early childhood education experts and SW·AI education experts and financial support at the national level should be provided.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.71-76
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• 2022

The innovative development of the 4th industry and the COVID-19 pandemic caused a great change in the education, eventually requiring elementary, middle and high schools, including kindergartens, to implement artificial intelligence(AI) education. However, since early childhood AI education is conducted in the form of results-oriented and special activities, the need for research on what early childhood AI education is and how to apply it to the Nuri curriculum has been raised. Accordingly, this study defined early childhood AI education through literature research, identified the contents of AI education, and organized and operated it in the Nuri curriculum. As a results, AI education for children should be conducted for the purpose of cultivating digital capabilities based on computing thinking skills, and computers, the Internet, and programs were extracted as sub-elements of child AI education contents. Two approaches were proposed to incorporate this into the Nuri curriculum. The first is to set each of the three AI education contents as a life theme, select sub-factors accordingly, and plan and implement activities suitable for each sub-factors. The second is to develop and operate AI education contents at the level of sub-educational activities in accordance with the life theme of the existing Nuri curriculum. It is hoped that this study will consider the characteristics of early childhood education and be organized in the Nuri curriculum to realize the true meaning of early childhood AI education, and more research on AI play education programs according to the five areas of the Nuri curriculum.