The aim of this study was to examine the importance and necessity of pre-parenthood education programs for third-grade middle school students, It also to analyze the perception and current state of pre-parenthood education programs for middle school s...
The aim of this study was to examine the importance and necessity of pre-parenthood education programs for third-grade middle school students, It also to analyze the perception and current state of pre-parenthood education programs for middle school students, as well as their demands, as pertains to pre-parenthood education. To this end, the following questions were raised:
1) What are the perceptions of middle school students about family relationships and raising children?
2) What is the current state of pre-parenthood education programs for the middle school students, and what are the demands of middle school students?
This study consists of a theoretical study, analysis of the related curriculum, and a survey designed to uncover middle school students' perceptions and demands vis-a-vis pre-parenthood education programs, as well as the current state thereof. The results of this study based on the above-mentioned three approaches can be summarized as follows:
The theoretical study revealed that Korean families need a support system that could be used to help people carry out their roles as parents. In particular, the middle school period was identified as an important period in terms of preparing students to become parents in the future.
The analysis of curriculums revealed that the pre-parenthood education for middle school students was approached from three standpoints: sex education, pre-parenthood education, and family life education. These standpoints were integrated and taught in classes associated with the 'Technology/Home Economics subject'.
250 middle school boys and girls took part in the survey designed to uncover middle school students' perceptions and demands vis-a-vis pre-parenthood education programs, as well as the current state thereof. The research tools used in this study included a modification of the questionnaire developed by Lee Jeong-eun (2005), a researcher widely regarded as a specialist in the study of perceptions of pre-parenthood education programs, and the questionnaire developed by Je Kyoung-sook (1989), who specialized in the development of curriculums related to the education of high school students on how to play the role of parent. The survey consisted of seven categories: the characteristics of the teenage period and sex education, understanding of children, understanding of family in the modern society, roles of parents, perception of students regarding the skills needed to communicate with parents, marriage plans/ pregnancy and birth, and raising children and the role of the parent. It was designed to assign points based on the current perceptions of students, and to ascertain the desire to learn via the curriculum in the future. The returned questionaries were analyzed after having been coded with the SPSS 14.0 program. This analytical method was designed to facilitate the calculation of the average points as pertains to the answers given to the questions related to the current state of pre-parenthood education program at the middle school level, middle school students' perceptions on pre-parenthood education, and the demands of middle school students as relates to pre-parenthood education. An independent t-test was conducted to ascertain whether significant gender differences were recorded where middle school students are concerned. In addition, a paired t-test was conducted to estimate the gap between the current state of pre-parenthood education at the middle school level and the demands of middle school students as they relate to pre-parenthood education. Lastly, the priority of the questions was determined.
Regarding the perceptions of middle school students as pertains to family relationship and the raising of children, there was no difference by sex, However, girls perceived more positive than boys. On the current state and demand for pre-parenthood education, the highest scores were recorded in the characteristics of the teenage period and sex education categories. The highest scores as far as the demands related to pre-parenthood education were concerned were recorded in the perception of raising children category.
The results of this study show that middle school students are aware that it is difficult to become parents because parents play various complex roles. The result also exhibits an advanced awareness of the roles of parents even before becoming parents. The students were found to in particular have a high interest in being taught about actual parenting methods.