• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.66-80
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• 2009

While global warming and climate change have been issues with global implications for ecology and nature as well as for the economy, politics and social sector, Korean's climate change awareness has been reported to be low. This phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that there is neither a systematic and continuous educational program for climate change nor a system to implement and support it. Although environmental education traditionally has not been a center of focus in most schools, the move towards "green growth" in national policies are slowly influencing school education as well. Throughout the year 2009, Green Suncheon 21 has offered a program called 'Suncheon Climate School' designed for elementary schools and regional centers for underprivileged children. Program instructors were sent to schools and centers that requested such climate change education. The aim of this study is to evaluate the success of the program and to provide feedback on its impacts. According to the study, students' interests in climate change have increased after the climate change education, and students found the lectures to be informative and interesting. Students said that they became more aware of the serious consequences of global warming and climate change and found that such education is beneficial and should be available to a wider population. This study suggests that first, school teachers should be aware of climate change and support such educational programs to be a part of the regular curriculum. Second, the content and the level of the program should be designed in consideration of the corresponding school curriculum to make the subject relevant and accessible to students.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.687-697
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the antecedents of teachers' science teaching efficacy in day-care setting. Also, this study aimed to identify relationships between day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy and their perspectives on early childhood science education. The subjects were 176 day-care teachers in rural area of ChoongCheongNam-Do. The survey method was used to collect data from the day-care teacher. The instrument were Rigg & Enochs(1990)'s Science Teaching Efficacy Belief and Kim(l998)'s scales for the Goa1s in Early Childhood Science Education. Main results were as follows: 1. Day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy were significantly related with the personal variables such as teachers' education, in-service science workshops, science book reading, science-related hobby but not with teachers' age, pre-service science credits and total years of teaching experience. 2. Among the environmental variables, science activity areas were significantly associated with day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy. However, location of day-care center, age of children, number of children, teacher-child ratio, facilities for science education and scheduled time for science education did not affect it. 3. Day-care teachers of high content- and process-oriented goals in early childhood science education were highly efficacious teacher, while the teachers of low content- and process-oriented perspectives gained the lowest score. However, the content-oriented teachers and the process-oriented teachers did not differ in terms of day-care teachers' personal science teaching efficacy.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2003

This study aimed to discern the educational meaning of nature experience activity in a nonformal educational program in Korea, focusing on the interaction between a teacher and learners. To achieve this objective, an ethnographic research method was employed using an environmental educational program for children in a nonformal setting. The results of study are as followings. Firstly, the teacher's belief-"young ecologist" shaped its own characteristics of the program. Secondly, the children had a understanding that they learn something about nature(e.g. learning by seeing, dlscovering, recollecting, and awakening). The analysis of teachers' ideas and learners' attitude toward nature experience shows that there exists a gap between the teachers' expectations and the actual ecological changes in the learners' ideas. However, the educational meaning of nature experience can be understood by the unique type of interaction between a teacher and learners. In conclusion, on the basis of this study, it is suggested that educators should be aware of the fact that nature experience can conttribute significantly to the education of children not just from the encounter with nature but also philosophically with regard to our connectedness with nature. Bringing nature into educational contexts can help children to take part in thoughtful perspectives of learning and to devise their own appropriate nature experience.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.213-225
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• 1999

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate how the play habits, temperament, and environmental factors might affect childhood obesity. Methods : Two hundred sixty children, aged 4 through 6 years living in Seoul & Cheonan were surveyed by a questionnaire about the children's play habit and the parent's related factors such as weight, height, education, income. In addition the Korean version of the Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children and the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale were also administered to parents of those children. The height and weight of those children were measured and the percentage of body fat was measured by Bioelectrical Impedance Fatness Analyzer. Result : 1) Among 260 children, 25 children were considered to be obese on the basis of both obesity index and percentage of body fat. 2) Parents of obese children showed a significantly higher educational level(p<0.05) and mothers of obese children had significantly more jobs(p<0.05) and showed higher body mass index(p<0.05) than those of nonobese children. 3) By observing play habits of children, obese children spent significantly longer time in watching TV and video(p<0.05), while nonobese children showed a trend to play outside(p<0.1). 4) On the Korean version of the Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children, obese children showed significantly less activity than nonobese ones(p <0.05). 5) Family of obese children had significantly higher point on subscale of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation and Moral-religious emphasis of the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale(p<0.05). 6) Percentage of body fat of obese children was correlated with children's watching TV time, activity level, scores of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation of the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale and the both parent's education levels(p<0.05). Conclusion : Obese children showed hypoactivity and more watching TV time. And obese children's both parent had higher educational level and their mother had higher Body Mass Index and more jobs. Family of obese children had higher point on items of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation and Moral-religious emphasis. Family environmental factors influence on children's obesity through interaction of genetic and behavioral-psychological factors concomittently.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.332-341
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• 2000

Children's accident is a largely preventable public health problem. Little is known. however, about population-based incident and outcome of pediatric accident. From 1997.9 through 1998,8. admission data from emergency center in I city were collected. 1418 patient from 0 through 13 years of age were selected. All children with unintensional accidental problems were identified through coded sheet which categorizes epidemiologic characteristics. The specific purposes of this study are analysis about the characteristics of pediatric accidents. And it aims to produce the basic data necessary for accident prevention policy development. The results of this study were as follows; 1. The number of male children$(62.6\%)$ were higher than female children$(37.4\%)$ 2. The age group from 1 to 3 years represents the highest proportion$(45.4\%)$ of every accidents except on traffic accident. 3. The highest proportion of accident were as follows occured during the June-August$(34\%)$, Sunday$(22.6\%)$, and 17-21 p.m. $(37.2\%)$ 4. The main causes of accident include general trauma$(70.9\%)$, environmental accident$(l6.8\%)$. and traffic accident$(l2.1\%)$, 5. Preschool age group represents more than half$(65.4\%)$ of traffic accident. 6. environmental injury includes burns $(46.6\%)$, foreign body$(43.6\%)$, exposure to poisonous materials$(6.3\%)$. and bite(3.3) This results could be used to develope prevention programs and assist in accident prevention system development. And also these data substantiate that accident prevention program decrease safety-related injury rate in preschool age group must be concentrated on enhancing access to a system to have a significant effect. Furthermore, it is necessary for accident prevention. So several suggestions are described here: 1. Development of parent's educational program for accident prevention and safety education should be done actively. 2. Home safety surveillance system should be initiated. 3. The initiation of children's accident report system could be contribute the analysis and the reduction of accident.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.257-271
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data that is necessary for planning an adequate environment for various child-care activities and programs by recognizing the environmental characteristics of a group room, where children's activities take place. A survey was conducted of 257 childcare centers and 544 teachers all over the country, including only those of which that have opened after year 2000 with more than 20 children capacities. The survey period was from January 18th to 28th of 2010. The data was analyzed using SPSS WIN 15 software, calculating the data's frequency, percentage, $x^2$, multiple response analysis, F-test, and factor analysis. The results of this study led us to the following conclusions. 1) We would like to propose a group room space design varying by the room size, so that interesting and diverse activities can take place after taking account of the child's development and childcare centers program. 2) Group room space and facilities should be made of proper finishing materials, various materials with differing textures, and lighting for the kinds of childcare activities that gives various sensational experiences and comfortable feelings to the children. 3) Teachers with higher age and education tend to believe that child's competence and a homelike atmosphere are important factors in a group room environment.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-137
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to attempt an accurate understanding of the quality of life for the children and provide basic materials for application to nursing research, intervention and further theoretical development. Method: Data obtained from such research methods as the lexical and literature review were analysed according to Walker and Avant's(1995) process of concept analysis. Results: As a result of analysis, it was found that the attributes of the concept of the quality of life for the children included value/acceptance, family relationship, safety, good relationship with friends, right of children, school life, parent relationship, leisure, economical stability, not child abuse, and health. There was the coexistence between antecedent element and the outcomes of subjective judgement - health, family, economic strength, education, friends, welfare, social-cultural environment which indicates the coexistence of positive and negative emotions. Conclusion: nursing intervention should be provided for children by concentrating focus on the coordination of internal and external situations in order to prompt them to express their life with positive emotions. Experiential reference was used to suit the purpose of this study based on the use of objective and subjective indicators, and the development of the instrument considering the children were proposed because of the absence of the unified measurement instrument.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 2015

Objectives: Blood mercury levels among adults living in certain areas of the Gyeongsang Provinces have been shown to be very high (Kunwee County $29.6{\mu}g/L$, Yeongcheon-city $26.7{\mu}g/L$). The purpose of this project was to determine mercury exposure levels in schoolchildren and factors related with their mercury levels in high mercury exposure areas identifyed by the 2007 Korea National Environmental Health Survey. Methods: From June to September 2010, 1,097 students from grades 3 to 6 at 19 elementary schools participated in this study, including 294 students from 10 elementary schools in Kunwee County, 529 students from Yeongcheon City, 122 students from two elementary schools in Pohang City, North Gyeongsang Province, and 152 students from two elementary schools in Ulsan Metropolitan City. Biological samples from schoolchildren, including whole blood, urine and hair, were collected to measure total mercury at the time of a health check up. Information about children was collected by questionnaire. Total mercury concentrations in blood were measured using the Direct Mercury Analyzer 80 with the gold-amalgam collection method. Results: The mean mercury levels were $2.70{\mu}g/L$ in 1,091 blood samples, $2.25{\mu}g/g-creat.$ in 820 urine samples and $1.03{\mu}g/g$ in 1,064 hair samples. Blood mercury levels in the schoolchildren was slightly higher than the result of $2.4{\mu}g/L$ from a 2006 survey of elementary school children on exposure and health effects of mercury by the National Institute of Environmental Research. However, 0.3% and 4.5% of participants exceeded the reference level of blood mercury by CHBMII ($15{\mu}g/L$) and the US EPA ($5.8{\mu}g/L$), respectively. The reference level of urine by CHBMII ($20{\mu}g/L$) was exceeded by 0.4% of participants. As factors, residence period in the study areas, residence type, father's education level and income all showed significant associations with mercury level in the biological samples. The number of dental amalgam sides showed an association with urine mercury. Fish intake preference and fish intake frequency were important factors in mercury levels. In particular, intake of shark meat and recent intake of shark meat were associated with higher mercury levels. In this regard, participation in the performance of an ancestral rite showed a relation with higher mercury levels. Conclusion: The intake of shark meat was very important factor to high mercury exposure level. It is recommended to monitor and manage students with high mercury exposures who exceeded CHBM II and EPA guidelines, and include blood mercury testing in the Children's Health check up for this province.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.165-177
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• 2015

Objectives: Based on individual and environmental characteristics of low-income children, we developed a nutrition education program for school-aged children from low-income families according to effective use in social welfare centers. Methods: We conducted in-depth group interviews to assess program needs in 28 participants, 10 low-income school-aged children and 9 of their care givers, 9 social workers and 9 care-givers. Theoretical backgrounds of our program were heath belief model and social cognitive theory considering motivation, action and environment characteristics. Results: Based on the findings of this qualitative study, we developed major program themes and contents. Five selected key themes were 'balanced diet', 'processed food', 'food hygiene and safety', 'Korean healthy traditional diet', and 'family cooking' to induce changes in dietary behaviors. Main findings of in-depth group interviews included 'child's active participation', 'simple and easy to understand messages', and 'environmental constraints' such as a lack of child care at home, limited budget of social welfare centers, and less qualified educators for nutrition and health. Each lesson was constructed as a 1-hour program particularly emphasizing activity-based programs, including cooking and teamwork exercises. Program contents in each session consisted of activities that could induce outcome and value expectations, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and barriers and cues to actions regarding diet behavior. Conclusions: We developed a nutrition education programthat is rarely available for low-income children in Korea, considering theoretical bases. Further studies are needed to validate our program.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to level of satisfaction among mothers of preschoolers. Methods: Participants were 359 mothers of firstborn healthy preschoolers. The questionnaires were collected from August 1 to November 21, 2012. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Results: The mean score for degree of mothers' parenting satisfaction was 5.94 out of 7. There were significant differences in the level of parenting satisfaction according to mother's job (t=2.48, p=.014), planned pregnancy (t=3.07, p=.002), number of children (t=2.22, p=.027), and parenting education (F=4.33, p=.005). The environmental variables of age of spouse (F=3.06, p=.048) and monthly income of the household (F=2.87, p=.036) also seemed to have an influence. Analysis of predictors such as the mother's job, planned pregnancy, parenting education, overall health problems, parenting stress, perception of emotional status and behaviors in children, age of spouse, and spouse's support explained 31.5% of the variance in mother's parenting satisfaction. Conclusion: The results suggest a need to develop nursing intervention programs for parenting stress reduction, and health programs for fathers to support mothers' child rearing.