The present research was designed to study how body-image computer activity program for young children could enhance their physical self-concept, and how the young children's self-image affected the person drawing. Body-image computer activity program...
The present research was designed to study how body-image computer activity program for young children could enhance their physical self-concept, and how the young children's self-image affected the person drawing. Body-image computer activity program for young children was developed and designed to meet such research purposes, and has been applied to five year-old children for seven weeks.
The young children were divided into the test group (20 subjects) and control group (20 subjects). The young children in the test group participated in our body-image computer activity program twice a week, and had opportunities to participate in the interesting and voluntary exploring activities through sharing stories of the assigned theme and operating the researcher-designed computer program. Also, they could enhance their own inner regulation ability and problem-solving ability through having virtual experience in the safe environment. The children in the control group attended the regular kindergarten program twice a week.
Pre-test results indicated that there was no significant statistical difference between the test and control group in physical self-concept and person drawing. And it was also proven by the validation test that two groups were identical before the program is implemented. After the program is finished, the collected data were analyzed for the differences between two groups and the effects of the program on the test group using t-test based upon the research issues.
The result of the study were as follows.
First, it was shown that body-image computer activity program for young children enhanced their physical self-concept. The results of physical self-concept test after the program indicated that the test group attained the much higher score than the control group and the difference between two groups was statistically significant. Especially, the test group earned the improved score in terms of competence, health, and appearance, that were the sub-areas of physical self-concept, but in the control group, there was no significant score improvements in most areas.
Second, it was shown that body-image computer activity program positively affected young children's self-image from the perspective of person drawing. The analysis of person drawing test results after implementing the program indicated that the difference between two groups was statistically significant. In person drawings drawn by those who participated in the body-image computer activity program, positive improvements in quality were found in terms of basic composition, detailed description, strength of line, balance, size, view and location.
Such results mean that the body-image computer activity program for young children is helpful to enhance the physical self-concept of young children, and give the positive influence on young children's self-image formation. Therefore, this implies that the body-image computer activity program, if well planned and organized in consideration for the children's developmental stage and interests, has its own educational value and effects.