숲유치원에 대한 유아교사와 학부모의 인식 및 요구도 조사 = (A) study on the perceptions and needs of early childhood teachers and parents on forest kindergarten

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and needs of early childhood teachers and parents on forest kindergartens for the kindergartens in an effort to suggest some of the right directions for the introduction and dynamization of forest kindergartens. The subjects in this study were the preschool teachers and parents who were selected from the city of Busan. A survey was conducted to find out the perceptions and needs of the preschool teachers and parents and to look for any possible differences between the two groups. And then an in- depth interview was implemented to acquire more detailed data.
The findings of the study were as follows:
First, concerning the perceptions of the early childhood teachers and their needs, the biggest group of the teachers ever heard about forest kindergartens. As to the reason for the necessity of forest kindergartens, they felt that forest kindergartens would serve to boost the emotional stability of preschoolers. The largest number of the teachers who didn't felt the need for the kindergartens didn't think that it would be easy to link the curriculum of forest kindergartens to that of elementary school. Regarding the educational effect of forest kindergartens, the kindergartens were considered to have a greater effect on the emotional and physical development of preschoolers than their cognitive development.
The preschool teachers preferred the kind of forest kindergarten that wouldn't focus on hands-on activities, and considered it most advisable for preschoolers at the Western age of 3 to 5 to engage in activities in a national forest three times to less than five times a week and for two to less than three hours a day. As for the necessity of assistant personnels, they thought that those who could give explanation on forest would be required. Concerning opinions on how to ensure the successful performance of forest kindergartens, securing activity spaces was most emphasized.
Second, as for the perceptions of the parents and their needs, they believed that forest kindergartens would be necessary to improve emotional stability. The biggest number of the mothers who didn't felt the need for that didn't think that cognitive education could be conducted properly in the kindergartens.
The parents preferred the utilization of national forests or urban parks by existing early childhood education institutions. And the largest group considered it necessary for preschoolers to do activities in a forest three to less than five times a week, and pointed out forest explainers, parents, grandmothers and grandfathers as necessary assistant personnels.
In regard to opinions on how to ensure the successful performance of forest kindergartens, the improvement of the environmental conditions of a forest was most stressed. As to possible problems, they were concerned about the safety of preschoolers, and they intended to give top priority to educational programs in case of sending their children to a forest kindergarten.
As a lack of information on forest kindergartens and psychological burden about the new educational attempt were regarded as problems with the introduction of forest kindergartens, information supply and the development of down-to-earth and authentic educational programs for forest kindergartens and the development of training programs geared toward teachers and principals are required.
In order to put forest kindergartens on the right track, collaboration among local governments, parents and early childhood education institutions is vital above all. Extensive opinions should be gathered from every party concerned, and they should have a discussion to find ways of addressing each other's needs. Besides, more intensive parent education should be provided in association with forest kindergartens.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 서 론 1
• 1. 연구의 필요성 및 목적 1
• 2. 연구문제 5
• 3. 용어의 정의 5
• Ⅱ. 이론적 배경 6
• 1. 숲과 인간 6
• 2. 유아와 숲 10
• 3. 숲유치원의 이해 16
• Ⅲ. 연구방법 33
• 1. 연구대상 33
• 2. 연구도구 37
• 3. 자료수집 및 분석 40
• Ⅳ. 결과 및 해석 43
• Ⅴ. 요약 및 논의 87
• 참고문헌 93
• 부 록 99
• Abstract 113