The purpose of this study is to examine perception of accreditation and the actual state of post-maintenance and management among directors and teachers at accredited child-care centers from pilot operation in 2005 to the second session in 2009 in ord...
The purpose of this study is to examine perception of accreditation and the actual state of post-maintenance and management among directors and teachers at accredited child-care centers from pilot operation in 2005 to the second session in 2009 in order to identify difficulties with constant post-maintenance and management after accredited and to devise an improvement scheme for systematic post-maintenance and management. For this purpose, the following questions were set:
1. How do directors and teachers perceive accreditation after accredited?
2. How is post-maintenance and management after accredited?
2-1) How is post-maintenance and management by areas in the size of 20 persons or less?
2-2) How is post-maintenance and management by areas in the size of 21 persons or more?
3. What are difficulties with constant post-maintenance and management after accredited?
4. What is an improvement scheme for post-maintenance and management after accredited?
A total of 248 questionnaires collected from directors (62) and teachers ( 186) at accredited child-care centers in Wonju were used for analysis. The questionnaire was made by reviewing literature concerning accreditation and prior researches, drawing components, and consulting experts in assisting accreditation and directors and teachers at accredited child-care centers in reference to guidelines for accreditation presented by the Korean Childcare Accreditation Council.
Data were processed using an SPSS / window for 13.0 Program.
The main results of this study can be summarized as follows:
First, as for directors and teachers' perception of the accreditation system after accredited, they indicated that it improved child-care environment, systematic child-care curriculum operation, and teachers' expertise and self-efficacy, making positive contributions to improvement in the qualitative level of child-care service.
Second, as for the state of post-maintenance and management by areas for each size of centers after accredited, centers with 20 persons or less showed significant differences in all of five areas. That is, they got high scores for post-maintenance in all of five areas. Centers with 21 persons or more showed statistically significant differences in the area of interaction alone, but showed no significant difference in other 6 areas. That is, they got high scores for post-maintenance at the time of accreditation in the area of interaction.
Third, as for difficulties with post-maintenance and management after accredited, centers with 20 persons or less suggested child-care curricula, followed by interaction; and they indicated that teachers' insufficient expertise led to poor post-maintenance. Centers with 21 persons or more showed significant differences among center types. National and public centers indicated interaction, while private ones cooperation with families and communities. National and public centers indicated that poor post-maintenance was due to teachers' insufficient expertise, and private ones insufficient time, showing significant differences.
Fourth, as for the most important improvement scheme for constant post-maintenance and management after accredited, both directors and teachers suggested that "the state should make financial support." It is thus urgent to give financial support to accredited centers, provide child-care teachers with incentives. and make an institutional device for post-maintenance and management.
This study obtained positive results in the qualitative aspect of child-care in terms of perception of accreditation by directors and teachers at accredited centers. After accredited, post-maintenance and management was being implemented according to the accreditation indicators. However, after accredited, there were difficulties with post-maintenance and management in terms of child-care curricula and interaction, primarily because of teachers' insufficient expertise. This implies that reasons of those difficulties are interrelated. To do this, it is ultimately necessary to secure teachers possessing expertise and perform constant management for improving their expertise.