• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.65-91
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• 2017

Objective: This study aims to investigate early childhood teachers' perception of STEAM and suggest activation measures for STEAM according to teachers' background variables. Methods: The researchers conducted a pilot study, and then did survey research for 5 weeks. The participants of this study included 523 teachers of early childhood education institutions in Gwangju metropolitan city and Jeollanam-do Province. Results: The results of this study were as follows. First, early childhood teachers perceived the necessity of STEAM differently according to their age, experience, and academic background. The higher their age, experience, and academic background were, the more they wanted to participate in further teacher training and education. In particular, early childhood teachers' perception and activation measures were very different according to their workplace. These results come from the fact that the conditions in conducting STEAM are different according to their workplace. Conclusion/Implications: In order to activate STEAM, a teacher training program including practical contents and methods should be conducted. Also, it is necessary to carefully organize the content and structure of the teacher training program according to their workplace. This study is meaningful in terms of suggesting activation measures for STEAM by showing how early childhood teachers think about STEAM and what they demand.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.205-218
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore and analyze the way pre-service early childhood teachers think about teacher happiness through metaphor analysis. Methods: A total of 225 pre-service teachers were selected from 4-year universities in the Gyeongnam area and open questionnaires were distributed to the participants. A total of 207 out of the 225 questionnaires were selected for the study. Results: First, based on psychological well-being, positive interpersonal relationship, self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental control, and life purpose were derived. Pre-service early childhood teachers typified teacher happiness into five types: positive interpersonal relationships, self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental control, and life purpose. Second, pre-service early childhood teachers perceived teacher happiness as positive. Third, pre-service early childhood teachers perceived interpersonal relationships, self-acceptance, and purpose of life as positive, while environmental control and autonomy were perceived as negative. Conclusion/Implications: The results of this study suggest that it is necessary to improve the quality of teachers' education and to develop a program to raise positive awareness of future early childhood teachers. These study results can also be used as basic data for high quality teacher education.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.119-141
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate Pre-service early childhood teachers' perceptions and roles regarding young children's free play time. Methods: The study utilized the photovoice method and involved 21 pre-service early childhood teachers who expressed interest in participating. Participants were enrolled in an infants teaching methodology class in B city. The study involved four virtual meetings conducted via untact teams, and the automatic recordings of these meetings were transcribed for analysis. Results: The results revealed that pre-service early childhood teachers recognized young children's free play time as a period to enjoy full freedom, develop as the main agent of their lives, and express their imagination. Furthermore, pre-service early childhood teachers perceived their roles during young children's free play time as a specialist infant observer, a connector between play and learning, and a versatile supporter. Conclusion/Implications: The findings suggest the need for a systematic curriculum to provide pre-service early childhood teachers with a balanced perspective and awareness of the meaning of free play and teacher roles. The study highlights the importance of expanding pre-practice courses for observation of play and field-oriented curriculum for incumbent teachers.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.125-144
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of early childhood teachers' music attitude and emotional leadership on their music teaching efficacy in the music education. Methods: 301 early childhood teachers answered the music attitude scale, music teaching efficacy belief instrument, emotional leadership scale, and questionnaire for socio-demographic characteristics and music experiences. Data were analyzed by t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's productive correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: First, early childhood teachers had a higher music teaching efficacy in case of at least 10 years of teaching experiences period, having a post-graduate degree, having a music training experience, enjoying learning musical instruments and singing and listening to music during regular music lessons, and having a long music training experience. Similar results were derived from the subfactors of music teaching efficacy. Second, there were positive correlations(r=.172-.659, p < .001) in the total and subfactors scores among early childhood teachers' music attitude, emotional leadership, and music teaching efficacy. Lastly, early childhood teachers' music attitude and their emotional leadership were explained at 39~52 percent for their music teaching efficacy. Conclusion/Implications: This study suggests that it is important for early childhood teachers' perception of their belief, knowledge and feeling about music education.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.211-238
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• 2016

This study examines indicators and factors for identification of ASD(Autism Spectrum Disorder) characteristics of infants and toddlers and early screening of children with ASD by day care teachers. Focus group interviews were conducted with 11 teachers by a semi-structured questionnaire developed by the authors. The findings are: 1) key problems and indicators of behavioral characteristics of children with ASD included problems with social communication and interactions, restricted and unusual interests, outstanding ability in specific areas, insistence on sameness and ritualized patterns, problems with language development and communication, sensory abnormalities; 2) counseling with parents of children with ASD revealed a lack of recognition of parents, negative expressions of emotions and resistance, and difficulties in referral to and association with experts; 3) needs for ASD in the child care field included visiting by experts, provision of test scales, training of child care teachers and parents, and building cooperative systems; and 4) demands of development and execution of a Korean-style scale for early screening of children with ASD.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.59-73
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of early childhood teacher's constructivist educational beliefs and teaching efficacy on creative teaching behavior. Methods: The subjects of this study were 262 early childhood teachers working in daycare centers and kindergartens all over the country. A questionnaire was administered which assessed early childhood teacher's constructivist educational beliefs, teaching efficacy, and creative teaching behavior. SPSS 28.0 was used for data analysis. Results: First, the constructivist educational beliefs of early childhood teachers had a positive effect on teaching efficacy. Second, it was found that early childhood teachers' constructivist educational beliefs and teaching efficacy had a positive effect on creative teaching behavior, and at the same time, early childhood teachers' constructivist educational beliefs were partially mediated by teaching efficacy. Conclusion/Implications: This study revealed the mediating effects of teaching efficacy in constructivist educational beliefs and creative teaching behavior relationships. Therefore, in order to promote creative teaching behavior of early childhood teachers, efforts should be made to increase teaching efficacy based on constructivist educational beliefs.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.57-72
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teachers' vocational aptitude and sense of responsibility on their teaching efficacy in early childhood education and care. 259 teachers in ECEC were recruited from 19 daycare centers and the data were analyzed through frequency, percentage, Pearson's correlations, and stepwise regression using SPSS 18.0. The findings are as follows. First, teachers' teaching efficacy was significantly different according to their age, the number of years of teaching experiences, and education levels. Second, all degrees of teachers' vocational aptitude, sense of responsibility, and their teaching efficacy were higher than the median points. Second, teachers' efficacy relating with running class was affected most by the ability of safe management in vocational aptitude, and teaching methods in sense of responsibility. For teachers' efficacy relating to teaching, acceptability/sensitivity in vocational aptitude and motivation had the most impact. The implication was discussed in order to figure out the ways to increase teachers' efficacy.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.33-45
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• 2013

Thise study is designed to demonstrate the influence of socio-demographic variables(age, education, career history and marital Status), alexithymia, burnout, and adult attachment on child disciplinary styles; childcare teachers in charge of young children were studied. The purpose of the study is to provide information about the desirable disciplinary styles of a childcare teacher in order to strengthen the quality of childcare education. The data collected in this study showed the following results: First, the age, education, career history and marital status of a teacher produced good results statistically irrelevant to the their child disciplinary style. Second, a high level of negative correlation was found among alexithymia, burnout, adult attachment and the child disciplinary style of a childcare teacher. In other words, if a teacher shows a high level of alexithymia, burnout, and adult attachment, it is likely that the teacher's child disciplinary style is coercive and neglect, and the teacher tends to give an illogical explanation. Third, in contrast to the other variables, burnout and adult attachment have a greater effect on child disciplinary style than alexithymia.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.67-87
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to investigate childcare teacher's knowledge of child safety education. In this study, Novak and Gowin(1984)'s concept map was applied to investigate knowledge of safety instruction. Forty teachers working at child centers were completed the concept map. The results of this study were as follows: First, Teachers used 194 higher concepts. 'Safe action in dander situation'(77.8%) was most frequently used higher concept and followed by 'traffic safety('35%). Second, Teachers used 1,270 dependent concepts. Third, there was significant difference in density according to frequency of safety instruction. These results can be meaningful to decide the contents of child safety instruction for teacher's education and as a basic data for teacher's education.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.105-126
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to reveal pre-service early childhood teachers' perception of children's environmental education using concept mapping and demonstrating its importance. Methods: Based on Kane and Trochim's(2007) procedure, 33 pre-service early childhood teachers conducted brainstorming and statement writing, and then the importance of selected statements were rated by 202 pre-service early childhood teachers. Selected statements were analyzed through multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. Results: Pre-service early childhood teachers perceived children's environmental education as concept mapping with 2-dimensions and eight clusters. The following eight clusters were established (1) daily practice through hands on experience, (2) nature environment, (3) recognizing and coping with environmental issues, (4) environmental preservation practices, (5) environmental sensitivity and consideration, (6) purpose of children's environmental education, (7) necessity for children's environmental education (8) Practice through connection with child's home and community. And then among the eight clusters, the most important was recognized as 'daily practice through hands on experience', and among the statements 'young children learn through the method of playing in nature and experience nature' was considered the most important. Conclusion/Implications: Based on these results, we discuss the importance of children's environmental education of pre-service early childhood teachers and how to support to develop teacher's training program.