The purpose of this study was to examine Recognition and Their Actual Practice of Teachers' Self-Assessmen for Teaching Activities and then present basic data to work out a strategy for the improvement of the quality of young child education and teach...
The purpose of this study was to examine Recognition and Their Actual Practice of Teachers' Self-Assessmen for Teaching Activities and then present basic data to work out a strategy for the improvement of the quality of young child education and teachers' teaching activities, Study subjects were teachers who were in charge of young child education at education institutes.
Study questions were established as follows:
1. Is there any relation between teachers' recognition of self-assessment for their teaching activities and teacher variables (the pattern of institute, career, schooling, the establishment pattern of institute)?
2. Is there any relation between teachers' actual practice of self-assessment for their teaching activities and teacher variables (the pattern of institute, career, schooling, the establishment pattern of institute)?
For this, a questionnaire survey of 294 teachers who were working at young child education institutes in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas was carried out over the period from September 25 to October 15, 2009. And the questionnaire was sent by mail and electronic mail.
Study findings are as follows:
First, teachers' recognition of self-assessment for their teaching activities was higher when their schooling and career were higher. And teachers who were working at private kindergartens presented higher recognition of self-assessment. All the teacher variables were related to the importance and necessity of self-assessment, but teachers felt difficulty in self-assessment with the obscurity of methods and criteria of self-assessment. In order to enhance the usability of self-assessment, a proper assessment tool must be developed with which teachers can carry out self-assessment easily and simply without suffering from the burdensome practice of self-assessment. In addition, a concrete use strategy, such as a use guideline of results, must be established and an educational opportunity to learn the content and method of self-assessment must be provided to teachers.
Second, as for the actual practice of self-assessment for teaching activities, when schooling was higher, their practice of self-assessment was better. And teachers at national and public nurseries presented better practice of self-assessment. However, the pattern of institute, career, and the establishment pattern of kindergarten presented no statistically significant difference.
In particular, career and the establishment pattern of private kindergarten presented different results from the recognition of self-assessment. In the recognition of self-assessment, teachers whose career was higher and who were working at private kindergarten presented higher recognition of self-assessment. However, they presented lower practice in the actual practice of self-assessment. This finding shows that teachers' actual self-assessment is lower comparing to their higher recognition of it. This result is seemingly because teachers' understanding of the method and content of self-assessment is obscure.
Study findings suggest that teachers' self-assessment of their teaching can provide them an opportunity to reflect and improve their teaching activities.
Therefore, it is necessary to develop a self-assessment strategy with which teachers who are anxious about a uniform method of self-assessment or who has difficulty in their teaching could assess themselves correctly in consideration of their quality and situation of teaching.
In addition, data and tools which could secure the objectivity of self-assessment must be developed and the guideline and method of self-assessment must be provided. On the other hand, teachers must be provided the opportunity to receive on-job education and training for self-assessment. With these measures, teachers' self-assessment for their teaching seems to be activated.