• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.93-110
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the early childhood education teacher's ability to implement play-centered curriculum that is recognized by an early childhood education expert based on an analysis of focus group interviews. Methods: Two professors of early childhood education, two directors of daycare centers, and two early childhood education teachers participated in the focus group interview. The interview was conducted three times. The interviewed data were categorized and compared. Results: The action competence of the play-centered curriculum required for early childhood teachers were categorized into the following categories; comprehending play, recognizing play, and practicing child-centered play. Detailed factor competencies were required for understanding play, reflective thinking, reading play, recording play, playing like a child, and supporting play. Conclusion/Implications: For actualizing play-centered curriculum, early childhood education teachers needed to comprehend, recognize, and practice for child's play. Furthermore, we discussed the necessity and direction of teacher education to improve the teacher's action competence for play-centered curriculum.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.138-144
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• 2019

Understanding teachers in the early childhood education is crucial as it can not only affect the quality of children's education but also cause many critical problems such as child abuse. A significant amount of research work has been made on the use of robots in childcare classrooms. The finding from the research has shown many advantages such as the improvement of learning performance, social/emotional skills, creativity, concentration period, physical and cognitive development. However, most of the study has been implemented at the K-12 classrooms but not much has been focused on the education at the early childhood classrooms. Importantly, it is very crucial to understand teachers' perception, demands and technical competence about the new teaching tool, in order to maximize its educational effect. This paper investigates some critical issues existing in both teaching and managing in the early childhood education. It will also explore teachers' perceptions and expectations on the use of robots to identify some dilemmas that exist in their working and teaching environment. A survey study was conducted with 119 early childhood educators in South Korea. It analyzed the educators' perception of using robots to improve their teaching performance and to make better outcomes for children, investigated job satisfaction and difficulties that they have in the current work environment. This paper concludes with several guidelines for integrating and setting robotics in the early childhood environment, in order to engender productive outcomes for the future early childhood education.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.39-44
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• 2018

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of early childhood teachers' professionalism and teaching efficacy on their teacher-child interaction. A total of 761 early childhood teachers working at childcare centers and kindergartens in South Korea were selected as the participants for the study. The study variables were measured using survey questionnaires. Pearson's correlation analyses and regression analyses along with Sobel test were conducted. The results demonstrated that early childhood teachers' teaching efficacy had a significant mediation effect on the relationship between their professionalism and teacher-child interaction. The results suggest the need to support early childhood teachers' recognition and development of professionalism as well as teaching efficacy that result in positive teacher-child interaction.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.249-265
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service early childhood teachers' procedures for entering college, their perception of major areas of satisfaction and career progression. The subjects of this study were 522 students majoring in early childhood education in Busan. The findings of this study were as follows. First, the major motivation of entering into college for these students majoring in early childhood education was 'to become an early childhood teacher'. Second, the majority of students majoring in early childhood education were satisfied with their majors for their aptitude for studying in this area. Third, the most commonly expressed employment preference for such students was that of a public kindergarten teacher due primarily to job security and appropriate rates of pay.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.19-37
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine early childhood teachers' knowledge and the level of their knowledge on the contents of early childhood nutrition education. The subjects were 105 early childhood teachers and they were asked to draw a concept map. The number, characteristics and density of superordinate concepts on the contents of early childhood nutrition education were analyzed. The results were as follows: Firstly, the most frequent superordinate concept was dietary habits. Secondly, food culture was the highest average of the number of subordinate concepts. In a hierarchy, food culture was also the highest score. In specificity scores, food was the highest score. And the density ranged from 0.33 to 3.60. In conclusion, the teachers' knowledge structure on early childhood nutrition education could be regarded as parallel, not well-integrated, rather than hierarchical or well-organized. A variety of nutrition education and customized teacher training should be provided for early childhood teachers to offer early childhood nutrition education.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.564-572
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• 2017

This study explores lectures experienced by pre-service early childhood teachers at 'S' university who took the linked-courses in Early Childhood Education major, and examine its in-depth meaning. The 29 study participants demonstrated a mock class during the Early Childhood Teaching Method course and developed teaching materials for demonstration during the Early Childhood Teaching Material and Teaching Method course in the first semester of 2017. The researchers analyzed group-based learning journal, teaching portfolio and focus-group interview of pre-service early childhood teachers. The conclusions of this study are as follows. First, pre-service early childhood teachers found that the balanced linkage of two subjects enabled them to effectively concentrate on the course. Second, they were able to organize linked-knowledge by creating teaching materials and preparing for the course after learning from their mistakes. Third, the teachers became able to understand the importance of the experience of linked-courses in Early Childhood Education major. Fourth, they also got to understand the value of special bonds among group members. To summarize, this study suggests the necessity and importance of pre-service early childhood teachers' experience of linked-courses in Early Childhood Education major for their education course.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.205-218
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore and analyze the way pre-service early childhood teachers think about teacher happiness through metaphor analysis. Methods: A total of 225 pre-service teachers were selected from 4-year universities in the Gyeongnam area and open questionnaires were distributed to the participants. A total of 207 out of the 225 questionnaires were selected for the study. Results: First, based on psychological well-being, positive interpersonal relationship, self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental control, and life purpose were derived. Pre-service early childhood teachers typified teacher happiness into five types: positive interpersonal relationships, self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental control, and life purpose. Second, pre-service early childhood teachers perceived teacher happiness as positive. Third, pre-service early childhood teachers perceived interpersonal relationships, self-acceptance, and purpose of life as positive, while environmental control and autonomy were perceived as negative. Conclusion/Implications: The results of this study suggest that it is necessary to improve the quality of teachers' education and to develop a program to raise positive awareness of future early childhood teachers. These study results can also be used as basic data for high quality teacher education.

• Korean Journal of Child Education & Care
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.145-157
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of early childhood teachers' professionalism in teaching and job satisfaction on their teaching efficacy. The relationship between professionalism in teaching, job satisfaction, and teaching efficacy of early childhood teachers was also investigated. Methods: The subjects of the study were 761 early childhood teachers. The survey included the teaching efficacy measurement, the professionalism measurement, and job satisfaction measurement. The collected data were analysed using descriptive data analyses, Pearson correlation analyses, and multiple regression analyses utilizing SPSS 22.0 program. Results: There were statistically significant positive correlations between early childhood teachers' professionalism in teaching, job satisfaction, and teaching efficacy. In addition, statistically significant effects of early childhood teachers' professionalism in teaching and job satisfaction on their teaching efficacy were found. Conclusion/Implications: The results implicate the importance of supports for early childhood teachers' development in professionalism in teaching and job satisfaction that would enhance their teaching efficacy, resulting in high quality education for young children.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.155-183
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• 2020

Objective: In this study, we tried to verify the effects of program by constructing an effective maker education program that can cultivate the maker's capabilities through voluntary production activities by utilizing various technologies and tools. Methods: First, prior research on maker education and the station teaching strategy was considered, and interviews and surveys were conducted on prospective early childhood teachers in order to find out the degree of demand for maker education. The final program was finalized through verification of the contents validity. Results: The developed program was applied to a total of 49 prospective early childhood teachers (24 in the experimental group, 25 in the comparative group) attending U College, and it was found to be effective in enhancing convergence talent, education knowledge of early childhood teachers' technology, and self-directed learning skills. Conclusion/Implications: These findings show that the preliminary early childhood teacher maker education program using station teaching strategy has educational value that can be used as an effective teaching method in early childhood education.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.15-26
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teacher's and parent's recognition of kindergarten and elementary school about the public education in early childhood education. Especially they included the recognition of concept and necessity, preconsideration, and the direction of future policy of early childhood education to public one. The subjects were 182 teachers and 190 parents in kindergarten and elementary school in Korea. The data was analyzed by Frequency, Percentage, and Chi-Square. The main results were as follows; 1. Teachers and parents defined the concept of public education of the early childhood education as a system which puts a direction in operation and support the finances of national and local government for public and private kindergarten. In addition, teachers and parents thought that the public education was necessary because early childhood was important in developmental aspects. 2. Teachers and parents insisted that the expansion of understanding about public education should be preconsidered and various early childhood programs should be developed. 3. Teachers and parents also agreed that the public education policy should be based on the model and should be progressed sequentially. But they distrusted the current policy.