Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the sequential mediation effects of creative home environment and preschoolers' playfulness on the relationship between mothers' play beliefs and preschoolers' happiness. Methods: The subjects of this study were 233 preschoolers between the ages of 3 and 5 and their mothers. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire that assessed their beliefs about play, the creative home environment they provided, as well as their child's playfulness and happiness. The data collected were analyzed using the SPSS Process Macro program to investigate the sequential mediating effects. Results: The study found that the mothers' play support beliefs were directly associated with their preschoolers' happiness. Additionally, the creative home environment was found to mediate the relationship between the mother's play beliefs and their preschooler's happiness. The children's playfulness was also identified as a mediator in the relationship between the mother's play beliefs and their preschooler's happiness. Furthermore, the findings of this study indicated that the relationship between the mother's play beliefs and preschoolers' happiness was sequentially mediated by the creative home environment and preschoolers' playfulness. Conclusion/Implications: Findings of this study provide insights into the potential development of a parent education program aimed at modifying mothers' play beliefs and the home environment.

Objective: This study aims investigate the moderating effect of mothers' overprotective parenting in the influence of young children's competence, as determined by their temperament, on mastery motivation. Methods: An online survey was conducted on 429 mothers with children aged 3-5. The collected data was analyzed using K-means clustering in SPSS 23.0 and the Process macro Model 2. Results: Children's temperaments were categorized into four types : easy-active temperament, easy-inactive temperament, slow temperament, and difficult temperament. It was confirmed that children's competence directly affected their mastery motivation when they had easy-inactive, slow, or difficult temperament. It was also found that mothers' intrusive control had a direct main effect on object persistence when children had easy temperament, while there was no effect on mastery pleasure. The moderating effects of mothers' anxious protection on the pathway from children's competence to object persistence were significant only among children with a slow temperament. Conclusion/Implications: This study highlights the need for mothers to adapt their parenting behavior to their children's temperament type. The study confirmed partial moderating effects of mothers' overprotective parenting in the influence of children's competence, as determined by their temperament, on mastery motivation.

Objective: This study investigated the differences in preschool children's perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) and their distribution by latent profiles according to their experience with AI robots in daycare centers. Methods: The participants included 119 five-year-old children, 52 of whom had experience with AI robots in daycare centers and 67 of whom did not. Children's perceptions of AI were measured using the Godspeed scale from Bartneck et al.(2009). Data were analyzed using a t-test, latent profile analysis, and chi-square test. Results: The results showed that compared to the inexperienced group, the experienced group reported lower levels of animacy and perceived intelligence of AI robots, indicating higher levels of AI knowledge and understanding. In addition, the experienced group had a higher probability of belonging to the 'machine recognition' type than 'organism recognition' type, although the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion/Implications: The findings suggest that experience with AI robots in daycare centers can improve children's AI knowledge and understanding. To further enhance this effect, it is necessary to increase the number of robots put into classrooms, and to consider various teaching media that reflect children's preferences.

Objective: This study aims to investigate whether science teaching attitude of early childhood teachers mediates the relationship between the professional learning environment of institutions and their intention to accept artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and whether the experience of using smart and digital devices moderates the effect of science teaching attitude. Methods: An online survey was conducted targeting 118 teachers with more than 1 year of experience in kindergarten and day care center settings. Descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, and The Process macro model 4, 14 were performed using SPSS 27.0 and The Process macro 3.5. Results: First, the science teaching attitude of early childhood teachers served as a mediator between the professional learning environment of institutions and teachers' intention to accept AI technology. Second, the experience of using smart and digital devices was found to moderate the effect of teachers' science teaching attitude on their intention to accept AI technology. Conclusion/Implications: This results showed that an institutional environment that supports teachers' professionalism development and provides rich experience is crucial for promoting teachers' active acceptance of AI technology. The findings highlight the importance of creating a supportive institutional envionment for teacher's professional growth, enhancing science teaching attitudes, and facilitating the use of various devices.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a documentation model that can support early chlildhood learning through play and facilitate the implementation of early childhood and play-oriented curriculum. Methods: This study utilized the design and development research methodology to derive components for the model through literature review and investigation research. In addition, the model was gradually improved through the 3rd expert review, and the validity of the model was verified through usability evaluation with 10 early childhood teachers. Results: This study identified 13 components and developed a flexible, selective, repetitive, and cyclic documentation model based on the 2019 revised Nuri curriculum. Model development is embodied and presented as a model-detailed model-detailed content. The model is presented in detail in the study. Conclusion/Implications: The documentation model developed in this study is expected to provide guidance to early childhood teachers and serve as a basis for future research on documentation in early childhood education. It is expected that it will be able to present the practical direction of records for play support for teachers in the field.

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.