This study lays its purpose on providing basic materials for developing parent education programs and parental roles for the development of young children's faith in church schools by understanding parents' perceptions of the necessity of instruction ...
This study lays its purpose on providing basic materials for developing parent education programs and parental roles for the development of young children's faith in church schools by understanding parents' perceptions of the necessity of instruction for the development of young children's faith in church schools and also the necessity of education for parents with young children and then analyzing the actual state of parental roles, with the subjects of Christian families with young children.
According to the purpose of the study, the following research questions were set up.
1) How do parents perceive the necessity of education for the development of their young children's faith in church schools?
2) How do parents perceive the necessity of education for parents with their young children in church schools?
3) How is the actual state of parental roles for the development of young children's faith in church schools?
The subjects of this study were 366 parents (183 fathers and 183 mothers) with young children in 10 church schools in Seoul, selected by random sampling.
As a researcher tool, tools used in 'A Study on Parents' Perceptions on and Demands for Education for Parents with Young Children in Church Schools' by Kim Yeong-hui (2003), and 'An Investigative Study on Christian Parents' Awareness of Educational Responsibility for and the Actual State of Education for the Development of Young Children's Faith' by Lee Seong-bok (1999) and 'A Study on Parents' Roles for the Development of Young Children's Faith' by Jin Myeong-ok (2003), were borrowed by being modified and complemented properly for this study.
The collected data have gone through statistical processes-frequency analysis, multiple response analysis, Chi ()-test and independent t-comparison, by the SPSS WIN 2.0.
The results of the study by research questions are as below.
First, in parents' perceptions of the necessity of education for the development of young children's faith in church schools in Seoul, 78.1% of the parents in total responded that 'it is necessary', and there was a significant difference between fathers (64.5%) and mothers (91.8%), (=43.254, p<0.001).
Second, in parents' perceptions of the necessity of parent education for the development of young children's faith in church schools, 49.2% of the parents responded that 'I think it is very necessary', and there was a significant difference between fathers (38.8%) and mothers (56.9%), (=51.423, p<0.001).
Third, as a result of surveying the actual parental roles for the development of young children's faith in church schools, by items-family worship, praying, the Bible, chanting, church schools, models of faith, and admonition and conversation, are as the following.
- Family worship: There was a significant difference in awareness of the necessity of family worship according to fathers (20.2%) and mothers (32.8%), (=47.414, p<0.001).
- Time for praying with children: There was a statistically significant difference between fathers (53.6%) and mothers 91.3% (=65.105, p<0.001).
- Whether parents read the Bible to their children: There was a statistically significant difference between fathers (36.6%) and mothers (62.9%), (=51.708, p<0.001).
- Whether parents chant with their children: There was a statistically significant difference between fathers (44.3%) and mothers (84.7%), (=68.246, p<0.001).
- Church schools: 54.6% of the fathers and 82.5% of the mothers responded that their children attend church schools, indicating a statistically significant difference (=47.180, p<0.001).
- Parental models of faith: There was no significant differences in models of faith, church services and collections between fathers and mothers, while there were significant differences in models of praying, the Bible, and thanksgiving between fathers and mothers, showing average 3.00 (fathers) and 3.29 (mothers) (t=-2.755, p<0.01), average 2.73 and 3.02 (t=-2.608, p<0.01), and average 3.06 and 3.25 (t=-1.968, p<0.05), respectively.
- Admonition and conversation: It was revealed that 43.7% of the fathers and 73.2% of the mothers talk with their children once they find something wrong, indicating a significant difference (=70.117, p<0.001).
Therefore, we could understand that in Christian parents' awareness of the necessity of the development of young children's faith and parent education for it in church schools, overall awareness was high, while there is a fairly significant difference according to the gender of parents. In addition, when analyzing all factors of faith education regarding the actual state of parental roles, largely mothers rather than fathers are more interested and play a role in developing their children's faith. In light of this, we can explain that largely, only mothers play a role in and take responsibility for the development of their children's faith in church school settings, in the absence of fathers in terms of the role and responsibility.