Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a refugee education program for early childhood and apply it in daycare center settings to examine the reactions of children aged 5. Methods: Referring to Kemmis and McTaggart(1988) action research model, the refugee education program recommended by UNHCR, and linking it with the national Nuri-curriculum in Korea, a total of five sessions of a refugee education program for early childhood were developed and applied to 20 children aged 5. Results: The application of the preschool refugee education program resulted in positive changes in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects. These changes provided opportunities for early childhood to practice respect towards others, fostering a broader understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. Conclusion/Implications: This study holds significance in contributing to the discourse on the necessity and direction of refugee education through the development and application of a refugee education program for early childhood. It is anticipated that this research will stimulate in-depth discussions on educational approaches that foster early childhood interest in global issues and cultivate a sense of global citizenship and attitude in the future.

Objective: This study aimed to examine childcare teachers' perceptions and practice of music-math integrated activities, and their understanding of these activities. Methods: This study involved 201 childcare teachers from Seoul and surrounding areas. Surveys were employed to collect data on their background, implementation of music-math integrated activities, and the challenges they encountered. Additionally, a tool was also developed and utilized to measure the actual understanding of these activities. Data were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA. Results: The results indicated that while teachers recognize the importance of integrated activities, they seldom implement them due to challenges related to resources and comprehension of concepts. Significant differences in the understanding of these activities were found based on teachers' experience, workplace type, age group of children under their care, and education level. Conclusion/Implications: In conclusion, the findings emphasize the necessity for the development and provision of pre-service and in-service training programs, along with support in educational materials for childcare teachers. These efforts are crucial to facilitate the effective implementation of music-math integrated activities.

Objective: This study was conducted to identify trends in teacher education research for early childhood teachers in Korea from 2013 to 2023, aiming to provide practical data for early childhood teacher education research. Methods: For this purpose, 62 articles published in Korean journals were analyzed according to the specified criteria. Through the analysis, we closely examined research trends, educational practices, and trends in educational program development. Results: First, both quantitative and qualitative research have been conducted steadily since 2015. The majority of participants were childcare center teachers, and numerous studies focused on program development. Second, among the trends in teacher education practices, many studies aimed to improve teaching skills. Third, concerning the trend of teacher education program development research, various research methods were utilized, with quantitative research being conducted in 2015, 2020, and 2022. Particular, regarding independent and dependent variables, numerous studies focused on enhancing teaching effectiveness and educational knowledge. Conclusion/Implications: Based on the results, we offer implications for the education policy field and related organizations, along with recommendations for enhancing the guidance and support of early childhood teacher education in program development and implementation.

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.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of children's characteristics and childcare teachers' attributes on the frequency and level of imaginative play in two-year-old classrooms. Methods: The study involved 191 toddlers, their mothers, and 32 teachers from childcare centers. Toddler characteristics encompassed temperament along with demographic variables such as gender and age. Teacher' attributes related to play included playfulness, play-support belief, and interactions with toddlers. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0 and HLM 8.2 software, employing basic analysis, hierarchical linear analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: First, as toddlers' age increased, both the frequency and level of their imaginative play increased. Second, individual-level model analysis revealed a positive effect of toddlers' extroversion on the level of imaginative play. Third, the class-level model results indicated that teachers' emotions had a negative effect, whereas their encouragement positively influenced the level of imaginative play. Conclusion/Implications: The significance of this study lies in its utilization of a multilayered model analysis, which offers a more robust examination of variable influences by accounting for hierarchical data structures.

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.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop a machine learning model to predict the subsequent childbirth intention of married women with one child, aiming to address the low birth rate problem in Korea, This will be achieved by utilizing data from the 2021 Family and Childbirth Survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Methods: A prediction model was developed using the Random Forest algorithm to predict the subsequent childbirth intention of married women with one child. This algorithm was chosen for its advantages in prediction and generalization, and its performance was evaluated. Results: The significance of variables influencing the Random Forest prediction model was confirmed. With the exception of the presence or absence of leave before and after childbirth, most variables contributed to predicting the intention to have subsequent childbirth. Notably, variables such as the mother's age, number of children planned at the time of marriage, average monthly household income, spouse's share of childcare burden, mother's weekday housework hours, and presence or absence of spouse's maternity leave emerged as relatively important predictors of subsequent childbirth intention.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the moderated-moderated mediating effects of children's media content selection and parental restrictive media mediation on the relationship between children's screen media time and executive function difficulties. Methods: A total of 693 parents of children aged 5~6 years participated in this study and were asked to answer all survey questions. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and correlation analysis using SPSS 27.0. Model 11 of PROCESS macro 4.3 was used to examine the moderated-moderated mediation model. Children's gender, age, childcare enrollment status, and household income were included in the analyses as covariates. Results: The moderated-moderated mediating effects of children's media content selection and parental restrictive media mediation were found to be significant. Specifically, bedtime mediated the relationship between screen media time and executive function difficulties only when parents did not appropriately implement restrictive mediation and children freely selected media content. Conclusion/Implications: It is recommended that parents understand the importance of implementing restrictive media mediation and selecting appropriate media contents for their child to prevent executive function difficulties in early childhood. Also, child education or day-care centers should offer education program about appropriate media use to reach more parents.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop a child-care support policy strategy in response to the decrease in the population of children aged 0-5 years. This will be achieved by collecting opinions from a panel of experts on child-care support policies through a Delphi survey. Methods: To achieve the purpose of this study, a panel of 20 experts in child-care policy was selected, and a Delphi survey was conducted over three sessions. Data collected through the Delphi survey underwent analysis, including frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, content validity ratio, coefficient of variation, agreement, and convergence. Data processing was carried out using Excel 2016 and SPSS 26.0. Results: As a result of the study, a child-care support policy strategy addressing the decrease in the population of children aged 0-5 years was developed, comprising three policy areas, nine policy tasks, and 38 detailed policy tasks. Conclusion/Implications: Based on these results, it is anticipated that the study will not only enable the preparation of a strategy for child-care support policy to address the decrease in the population of children aged 0-5 years but also offer significant implications for shaping the direction of child-care support policy in alignment with the common good.