• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.257-271
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to suggest basic data for prevention of child abuse by examining the patterns and characteristics of child abuse observed at child-care centers. Data was collected by pre-service early childhood teachers majoring in child studies in an education practice session from May 1 to May 31, 2015 based on examined information and class discussion. This study shows that emotional abuse was performed most often, followed by neglect and physical abuse. Physical abuse was observed as a form of punishment and beating, whereas emotional abuse was observed in the form of force, sarcastic remarks, verbal attacks, and disregard. Neglect was observed as exclusion and indifference. Most crucial prevention against child abuse lies in teachers' personality education and concerns with their own mental health as well as children's rights education.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.93-109
• /
• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide basic data in order to increase the flourish of early childhood pre-service teachers by examining pre-service teacher's basic psychological needs and characteristics on flourish. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 200 pre-service teachers majoring in early childhood education in Busan and the results were analyzed. Results: First, the level of basic psychological needs, characteristics and flourish of pre-service teachers was above average and there was a significant positive correlation between basic psychological needs, characteristics and flourish. Second, the characteristics of pre-service teachers were relatively more influential on flourish than basic psychological needs. Conclusion/Implications: The main variables predicting early childhood pre-service teacher's flourish are characteristics and basic psychological needs. And as characteristics and basic psychological needs of pre-service teachers are promoted, the flourish of pre-service teachers is increased.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to classify early childhood educators' perfectionism types and to identify differences in teacher self-efficacy and teachers burnout according to the types of perfectionism. Methods: The participants of this study were 309 teachers working at early childhood education centers in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Daejeon, Se-jong, Kim-Cheon, and Hong-Sung, South Korea. Early childhood educators were surveyed regarding perfectionism, teacher self-efficacy and teacher burnout. The collected data were analyzed using K-means cluster analyses and analysis of covariance. Results: Cluster analyses with self-oriented perfectionism and other-oriented perfectionism as cluster variables resulted in three types of perfectionism among early childhood educators; 'self-other directed perfectionism(33.0%)', 'other directed perfectionism(35.0%)' and 'non perfectionism(32.0%)'. Educators with self-other directed perfectionism reported higher teacher self-efficacy and lower teacher burnout than educators with other directed perfectionism or with non perfectionism. Conclusion/Implications: Early childhood educators' perfectionism may be a significant personality trait linked to quality of education and care in real education settings.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.41-57
• /
• 2023

Objective: The objective of this study is to classify the personality types of early childhood teachers and examine the variations in teacher self-efficacy and play support based on these personality types. Methods: The subjects of this study consisted of 302 early childhood teachers responsible for children aged 3 to 5 years old. The collected data were analyzed using cluster analysis and analysis of covariance. Results: Early childhood teachers were categorized into four types: the "sensitive group" (29%), the "conservative group" (10%), the "passive group" (28%), and the "active group" (34%). Significant differences in mean scores were observed for teacher self-efficacy and play support across these personality types. Notably, the active group demonstrated the highest levels of both teacher self-efficacy and play support. Consequently, the active group emerged as the most effective and functional personality type among early childhood teachers. Conclusion/Implications: This study emphasized the significance of early childhood teachers' personality types in their teaching practices, underscoring the importance of developing in-service and pre-service teacher education programs that take into account these personality types.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.41-57
• /
• 2009

This study investigated the teaching practice of students attending a three-year early childhood education course in K City, Gyeonggi Province, as well as the educational environments of 72 kindergartens and child care centers where they received field training and which were located in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Incheon Metropolitan City, Bucheon, and Ilsan. After four weeks of teaching practice, those prospective teachers were surveyed for their objective opinions and current state regarding the practice guidance for students, teachers' working hours and wages, and female dominance in number among early childhood educators and heads of early childhood education institutions. Those data were collected to understand the operations of early childhood education institutions and the current teaching practice. According to the analysis results, the students of the early childhood education major said the four-week teaching practice was very helpful for them to understand the field and thus had positive receptions of it. Most of the prospective teachers felt the heaviest burden and experienced the biggest shortcomings in practical skills such as music, art, and hand play during class. They also felt a partial need for male counterparts. Those findings will help prospective teachers understand the field further before going out on the field and the teaching bodies have specific ideas about what kind of guidance is provided by kindergartens or child care centers. In addition, they will hopefully serve as basic data to form organic connections between the educational institutions and the field to produce more talented early childhood education teachers.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.101-128
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate early childhood pre service teachers' perception on the meanings of free play and the roles of teachers in charge of free play hours. For this purpose, this study analyzed reflective journals, metaphorizing, image drawings, and interview records made by 69 junior students majoring in Early Childhood Education and participating in the practice of child care. According to the results, the meanings of free play perceived by the early childhood pre service teachers were summarized into 'an exciting festival,' 'a fenced playground,' and 'a journey for learning.' In addition, their perceptions on the roles of teachers in charge of free play hours were summarized into 'accompanying teacher,' 'leading teacher,' 'correcting teacher,' and 'encouraging teacher.' These results suggest the need of systematic education through pre service curriculums that help early childhood pre service teachers form a balanced view and perception on the meaning of free play and the teachers' role performance.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural relationship between the authentic leadership of the director, social support, and teacher efficacy perceived by early childhood teachers. Methods: The participants of the study were 433 teachers working at kindergartens and daycare centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The data collected through the survey were analyzed by applying a structural equation model. Results: As a result of the study, it was found that the authentic leadership of the director perceived by early childhood teachers had a positive (+) effect on the early childhood teachers' social support and teacher efficacy, respectively, and social support had a positive (+) effect on teacher efficacy of the early childhood teachers. The results showed that social support had a positive mediating effect in the relationship between the director's authentic leadership and teacher efficacy perceived by early childhood teachers. Conclusion/Implications: The results suggest that it is necessary to establish a social support system through the exercise of the director's authentic leadership in order to improve the teacher efficacy of early childhood teachers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.44 no.3 s.217
• /
• pp.69-77
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this research was to provide recommendations for eco-centered early childhood education as a new paradigm in Korean society. Questionnaires were collected from directors, teachers, and parents of private & public kindergartens, as well as child care centers, in Bucheon city. The data were analyzed based on the frequencies, $X^2$ test, F test, and Scheffe test. The results were as follows. (a) Most directors, teachers, and parents positively agreed with the eco-centered early childhood education and recognized its benefits. (b) In order for the eco-centered early childhood education to be successful, development of various programs, systematic study, ongoing teacher training, and parents' education were required. (c) In order for the eco-centered early childhood education to develop more culturally appropriate program, close connection with local community, reorganization of the early childhood education curriculum, and government support were needed. The findings demonstrate that eco-centered early childhood education is necessary for the future wellbeing of Korean society.

• Korean Journal of Child Education & Care
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.157-170
• /
• 2019

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the current status of early childhood teachers' picture book reading activities and their knowledge and utilization of the picture book peritexts. Methods: The subjects were 276 early childhood teachers in Seoul metropolitan area. The survey was conducted to investigate early childhood teachers' current status of picture book reading activities as well as their knowledge and utilization of picture book peritexts. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 21.0 program to analyze descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage. Results: As results, most early childhood teachers recognized that reading picture books to young children was very important and responded that the purpose of reading picture books was to develop children's imagination and creativity. In terms of early childhood teachers' knowledge on 12 peritexts, some peritexts such as 'title', 'cover' and 'title page' were recognized at high level but other peritexts such as typography and layout were at low level. In addition, early childhood teachers' utilization level of peritexts were shown as relatively low compared to their knowledge level. Conclusion/Implications: The study results imply that early childhood teachers need to be informed of the concepts of picture book peritexts and encouraged to utilize peritexts while reading picture books to young children.

• Korean Journal of Child Education & Care
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.91-104
• /
• 2018

Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore early childhood teachers' content knowledge and knowledge level on unification education through an analysis of a concept map (Novak & Gowin, 1984). Methods: The subjects, including 65 early childhood teachers in a metropolitan area, were asked to draw concept maps illustrating their understanding of unification education for young children. The collected concept maps were analyzed using the methods utilized by Novak and Gowin (1984) as well as You and Kim (2018). Results: In terms of early childhood teachers' content knowledge, 282 superordinate concepts and 1,766 subordinate concepts were shown. The 282 superordinate concepts were categorized into 7 representative superordinate concepts: understanding of North Korean, understanding of separation/unification, identification as Korean citizen, unification policy, relationship between South Korea & North Korea, educational activities, connection with home and society. In terms of early childhood teachers' knowledge level, the numbers of subordinate concepts and hierarchical level were shown to be varied according to the 7 representative superordinate concepts. Conclusion/Implications: Discussions were included to support and enhance early childhood teachers' content knowledge on unification education for young children through the development of comprehensive programs and teacher education.