• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.73-91
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• 2021

Objective: This study focused on the relationships between emotionality, social competence and play behavior in a sample of 218 4- to 5-year olds attending daycare centers. Methods: All variables were measured by the daycare teachers of the surveyed children. The data were analyzed using Simple Regression and Multiple Regression through SPSS Win 25.0. Results: First, preschoolers' positive emotionality had a negative effect on their play disruption and play disconnection and a positive effect on play interaction. On the other hand, their negative emotionality had a positive effect on play disruption and play disconnection and a negative effect on play interaction. Second, their positive emotionality had a positive influence on social competence and their negative emotionality had a negative influence. Finally, the effect of their positive emotionality on play disruption was partially mediated, and their play disconnection and play interaction was totally mediated by social competence. On the other hand, the effect of preschoolers' negative emotionality on play disruption and play disconnection was totally mediated, and their play interaction was partially mediated by social competence. Conclusion/Implications: The results of this study imply that we need to help preschoolers promote emotionality and social competence together to change their play behavior positively.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.129-154
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• 2021

Objective: This research examines the understanding of the competencies required from the director of a childcare center. It also analyzes the characteristics of the capabilities of a director of a daycare center. The research questions are as follows: First, what are the competencies of a childcare center director? Second, what are the characteristics of the competencies of a childcare center director? Methods: In this study, the Q methodology was applied. First, the Q population was identified based on prior studies and through open questionnaires and in-depth interviews targeting 71 teachers and directors of childcare centers. Next, 40 Q samples were selected. Second, P samples were selected targeting the 30 directors, Q sort was conducted, and the data were analyzed using the QUANL program. Results: The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, four types of competencies were demanded from the director of a daycare center. Second, the competencies required from the director of a daycare center were accountability-centered, functional-management-centered, human-relationshipcentered, and rationality-centered capabilities. Conclusion/Implications: The policy-level of and educational ways to support the competencies of a director of a daycare center were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.149-168
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural relationship between fathers' involvement in parenting, mother's parenting stress and smartphone addiction, and children's smartphone addiction. Methods: The subjects of this study were 327 children aged between 3 and 5 who were attending nurseries and kindergartens in Gyeonggido, Gangwondo, and Busan, South Korea, and their mothers, fathers, and teachers. The data collected from the subjects were analyzed based on correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. Results: First, the fathers' involvement in parenting had a direct effect on their children's smartphone addiction, and no direct effect on the mother's parenting stress and smartphone addiction. Second, the mother's parenting stress had a direct effect on the mother's smartphone addiction and direct and indirect effects on their children's smartphone addiction. Third, the mother's smartphone addiction had a direct effect on their children's smartphone addiction. Conclusion/Implications: The findings in this study suggest the fathers' involvement in parenting and the mother's parenting stress and smartphone addiction have effects on their children's smartphone addiction. Based on these results, the study proposed ways to prevent children's addiction to smartphones and provided suggestions for further research.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.19-37
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parent play support beliefs and children's playfulness on children's ego-resiliency. Methods: The participants for this study were 236 young children aged 3 to 5, their parents, and teachers in 19 daycare centers located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted. Results: The major findings were summarized as follows. First, overall, the level of parents' play support beliefs, children's playfulness and ego-resiliency tended to be high in the present sample. Second, mothers' play support beliefs and children's active participation in play were significantly and positively associated with children's ego-resiliency. Third, parents' play support beliefs had no moderation effect on the effects of children's playfulness on their ego-resiliency. Conclusion/Implications: The results of this study suggest that parents' play support beliefs and children's playfulness are effective in improving children's ego-resiliency.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.105-126
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• 2024

Objective: The study aimed to develop and validate a tool for assessing daycare center organizational competence and for autonomously managing childcare quality. Methods: Through literature review and expert reviews, items were derived and validated using the Content Validity Index. Data from a survey involving 216 directors and 509 teachers were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS to assess reliability and conduct confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Results revealed a 36-item diagnostic tool across four subcategories: shared values (6 items), training abilities (18 items), environmental support (6 items), and organizational promotion (6 items). A diagnostic tool named S.T.E.P+ was developed, named after the first letters of the four subfactors. Skewness and kurtosis were within normality assumptions. Good fit indices (CFI, TLI) and low SRMR and RMSEA values indicated a satisfactory model fit. Cronbach's α values showed high reliability for all factors. The tool enables autonomous diagnosis of childcare quality. Conclusion/Implications: This tool can effectively autonomously diagnose whether a daycare center is providing quality childcare.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.59-81
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• 2024

Objective: This study aims to explore the intra-action between infants and picture book reading in a daycare setting, aiming to gain new insight into infants' reading experiences. Methods: The participants in the study were 12 infants from the Bluebird Class (1-year-old) at A Daycare Center. To comprehensively examine the context and flow of the infants' experiences, participant observation was conducted during free play sessions, held three to five times a week, in the morning, from December 19, 2022, to February 17, 2023. Results: Firstly, infants engaged in the intra-action with symbols such as text, images, lines, colors, and latent narratives in picture books, spontaneously encountering meaning-making. Secondly, they explored the potential of materials such as their own bodies, the dacare classroom environment, and blocks, creating narratives through the process of 'becoming'. Thirdly, infants generated shared experiences by creating interactions within their relationships with others in the daycare class. Conclusion/Implications: This study highlights a shift in perspective, recognizing infants as active readers who construct their own understanding. Additionally, it underscores the significance of cultivating an infant-centered environment and the meaningful role of teachers in supporting and facilitating such an environment.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.27-47
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of a good teacher of infants from the perspective of working mothers from double-income families in light of the direct and indirect relationships between working mothers and teachers. The subjects in this study were six working mothers from double-income families that had infants who attended N and S daycare centers in the city of Chunan. An in-depth interview was implemented individually. The findings of the study were as follows: First, as for the looks of a good teacher in terms of teacher-infant relationships, the working mothers perceived that a good teacher of infants should be like a mother, try to step up the growth and change of infants and play with them with pleasure. Second, concerning the looks of a good teacher of infants in terms of teacher-mother relationships, the working mothers felt that a good teacher should serve as an emotional supporter for mothers and as one who could help mothers acquire more child rearing knowledge. Third, regarding the looks of a good teacher in terms of an educator, the mothers perceived that a good teacher of infants should be steady, genuine, professional and cooperative.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among preschoolers' smartphone addiction tendency, problem behaviors, and parenting efficacy of the mothers of these children. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study design was used with self-administered questionnaires. A total of 83 mothers of preschoolers aged 4-6 years and their preschool teachers from a kindergarten participated in the study. Results: Mean daily time spent by the preschoolers on smartphones was about 45 minutes/day. About 40% spent more than 60 minutes/day on smartphones. The majority (69.8%) used smartphones without adult supervision. The level of smartphone addiction tendency among the preschoolers was $1.52{\pm}0.45$ on a 4-point scale. Preschoolers whose mothers use smartphones for more than 60 minutes/day showed a higher level of smartphone addiction tendency than preschoolers whose mothers use smartphones for less than 60 minutes/day. Also smartphone addiction tendency among preschoolers had a positive correlation with hyperactive-distractible behavior (r=.228, p=.038) and a negative correlation with parenting efficacy of their mothers (r=-.299, p=.006). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that preschooler's smartphone addiction tendency is significantly associated with hyperactive-distractible behaviors of the children and low parenting efficacy among their mothers. Therefore well-designed care plans for these populations should be provided to decrease smartphone addiction tendency.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2019

Outdoor play for young children can promote the development of physical development, emotional development, and creativity development. However, due to safety accidents that occur in outdoor play, outdoor play is not progressed sufficiently. In this paper, we have developed smart functional educational games for AR education which can be easily used in early childhood education. In order to maximize the educational effect of the developed game and to provide customized education on the field, we conducted a focus group interview with a group of in - service child care teachers in the game design stage. Through this, we developed a functional game with AR system and verified the educational effect.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.451-463
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate booklets and video clips to prevent children from picky eating. Methods: Based on a survey conducted on food preferences of preschool children aged 2 to 5 years, 14 kinds of less preferred vegetables were selected. Accordingly, educational videos, activity books, and teaching-learning guides were produced for preschool children using the 'food bridge' theory, and the educational materials were named "Friendly vegetables". Educational materials were distributed to childcare institutions, and their effectiveness was investigated for preschool children who were instructed on these materials once every 30 days from March to November, 2019. The children were examined for changes in their knowledge of names, colors, taste/texture, methods of cultivation, and preferences for vegetables before and after the instructional course. Results: The awareness of vegetables increased significantly in younger children and the picky eating group. When the assessment was carried out in terms of vegetable knowledge, it was observed that the younger the age or the pickier the in eating food, the more effective the education is compared to the counter part. The preference for vegetables also increased after the instruction compared to the pre-instruction period, but significant changes were seen only in the 2~3 year age group for boys and girls. Also, only the picky group of girls showed changes in preference. The children's average interest in the education materials was 3.85 points out of 5 points. Conclusions: Through this study, we have developed educational materials for standalone use in childcare facilities and confirmed that they have a significant effect on improving awareness and preferences related to vegetables. In summary, the younger the age or the pickier the child in eating food, the more effective the education. It is believed that additional education on mealtime guidance is needed which can alter the eating behavior of preschool children and improve their diet. It is proposed to widen the scope of use of the materials by collecting diverse opinions from child care teachers.