(Abstract)
The preschool education for child in our nation consisted of binary system that is early childhood education and care. As a matter of fact, infant and early childhood education institution is divided into two categories such as kindergarte...
(Abstract)
The preschool education for child in our nation consisted of binary system that is early childhood education and care. As a matter of fact, infant and early childhood education institution is divided into two categories such as kindergarten and infant house, and children of 3~5 year old are being educated by those two institutions. Also, they are being administered by Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Ministry for Health Welfare Affairs respectively. Accordingly, there have been inefficiencies of utilizing budget in double for the same business in developing of educational program or teaching materials by those two ministries in addition to the occurrence of unnecessary trouble between kindergarten and child care center.
In response to the necessity of integrating early childhood education and child care and discussions on early childhood education and child care, the present study had purposes to examine tasks and methods for the integration. First, the study examined the current state and history of early childhood education and child care in Korea, the trends of early childhood education and child care in OECD countries, and the cases of integration in Sweden, England, Japan, and Singapore.
A survey and interview were conducted with teaching staff of child care centers(home-based, private, national and public) and kindergarten in Gyeongsangbukdo. On the basis of previous research and literature, a questionnaire was developed through two sessions of revision and complementation including questions about meanings, needs, and ways of integration. The data collected through the survey was analyzed through frequency analysis or cross-tabulation analysis, and difference-between means test using the statistical program of SPSSWIN.
The following results were obtained by the review of previous research, survey, and interview. First, the fundamental philosophy of integration should be established as integration education where education and care are not divided and care through education. Second, respondents primarily indicated that the integration had a meaning of 'integration of relevant Ministry or service function'. And they showed overwhelmingly positive responses to the need of the integration, and they indicated 'the improvement of educational quality and the provision of same service to parents as the reason of the need. Also, they liked public as institution after integration as the way of integration. Based on the results, the following suggestions were provided: Integration of the program and course of early childhood education and care, integration of teacher education and qualification systems, improvement of institution facilities and educational condition and reduction of the gap, revision of various services for teachers, and reinforcement of governmental responsibility for education and care service.