(Abstract)
The purpose of this study was to examine how parents perceived early childhood dance in light of their general characteristics and their children's exposure to that and to what extent parents whose children took classes in dance were satis...
(Abstract)
The purpose of this study was to examine how parents perceived early childhood dance in light of their general characteristics and their children's exposure to that and to what extent parents whose children took classes in dance were satisfied with dance instruction in an attempt to justify the importance and necessity of early childhood dance.
The findings of the study were as follows:
1. As for the relationship of the general characteristics of the parents investigated to their view of the necessity of early childhood dance and its impact on the different developmental domains of young children, physical development and physical correction were identified as the top priorities regardless of their general characteristics, which were followed by the development of creativity and expressiveness, the development of emotion and the development of sociability.
2. Concerning connections between their general characteristics and their willingness of receiving parent education in early childhood dance, a strong intention to take that education was expressed by the parents whose children were girls, whose children were at the age of 5 or 6, who were at the age of 34 and down, who received college education, who earned 2.5 million won or more, who had ever danced and whose children took lessons in dance. Their occupation and their children's term of taking dance classes made no differences to their intention.
3. As to relations between their general characteristics and preference for programs, the type of program that could help participants stay fit was preferred among the parents whose children were boys, whose children were seven years old, who received college or higher education, who were at the age of 35 and up, who earned less than 2.5 to 3.0 million won, who had never danced and whose children didn't took lessons in dance. The sort of program related to early childhood education was favored by the parents whose children were girls, whose children were five or sixth years old, who received junior-college or lower education, who were at the age of 34 and down, whose income was less than 2.5 million won or 3.0 million won or more, and whose children took dance classes. But they had little preference for the kinds of programs that focused on plays or the development of motor skills.
4. Regarding changes in their children after taking dance lessons, the most dominant change was being more active and positive, and the second most common change was being more expressive and creative. The third most prevailing change was making a physical development and having a corrected posture.
5. As for their opinion about problems with dance classes and reform measures, motivation programs were most accentuated, followed by linkage with early childhood education, growth/posture correction, proper class size, extended open class, and more dance classes.
6. Concerning the relationship of their general characteristics and their children's exposure to dance class to their awareness of the psychomotor, cognitive and affective aspects of early childhood dance, the parents whose children took dance lessons had a significantly better understanding of its psychomotor, cognitive and affective aspects. Those whose income was 3.5 million won or more were significantly better aware of its affective aspect, and those who received junior-college or higher education were significantly better cognizant of its psychomotor and cognitive aspects. Their perception of its affective aspect was under the influence of interaction between their children's exposure to dance class and their occupation.
7. As to connections between their general characteristics and their satisfaction with dance class in terms of environments, its educational effect, program, and the qualifications of instructors, the working parents expressed a significantly stronger satisfaction with class environments, and there was no significant gap among their satisfaction levels with the other factors.
The above-mentioned findings suggested that the parents put stress on physical development, physical correction, and the development of creativity and expressiveness, and that they preferred the kinds of programs related to the maintenance of health and early childhood education. They felt that dance allowed their children to take a more active and positive attitude, to improve their expressiveness and creativity, to make a faster physical growth and to have their posture corrected. The parents called for more motivation programs, more programs connected to early childhood education, appropriate class size and more open classes. And they also asked for more chances to visit dance class. The parents whose children took dance lessons and who worked had a better understanding of preschool dance, and the working parents found class environments more satisfactory. Therefore, plenty of parent education, open class and presentation should be provided to encourage parents to pay more attention to preschool dance. Besides, the kinds of programs that could help them stay healthy and be linked to early childhood education should be prepared to accelerate the physical growth and physical correction of young children and their development of expressiveness and creativity.