The purpose of this study was to prepare a base on which one could develop an early childhood happiness education program that focused on actual scene of early childhood education and were practical, by means of carrying out Delphi survey of early chi...
The purpose of this study was to prepare a base on which one could develop an early childhood happiness education program that focused on actual scene of early childhood education and were practical, by means of carrying out Delphi survey of early childhood education specialists.
For this, following study questions were established:
Study question 1. ‘What is the concept of early childhood happiness education?’
Study question 2. ‘What are the characteristics and dispositions of a happy child?’
Study question 3. ‘What factors have effect on early childhood happiness?’
Study question 4. ‘What is the aim of early childhood happiness education?’
Study question 5. ‘What are the proper contents of early childhood happiness education?’
Study question 6. ‘What is an appropriate method of early childhood happiness education?’
In order to get answer to these questions, following procedure was carried out:
First, in order to draw the contents of appropriate happiness education for young children and prepare the base of developing early childhood happiness education programs, literature was examined and then a questionnaire was prepared for the first Delphi survey. By examining the specialty of professional panels, such 85 study subjects as 28 professors in the department of early childhood education, 31 head persons of early childhood education agencies and 26 early childhood education teachers were selected. The validity of questionnaire for the first Delphi survey, prepared, was verified by such 3 specialists as an early childhood education specialist who had carried out studies on early childhood happiness, an early childhood education specialist who had the experience of participating the development of elementary school happiness textbooks, and an education-related research method specialist, and then the author modified/ supplemented it, thus carrying out the first Delphi survey. In the first Delphi survey, responses were collected from 85 specialist panels, and in order to analyze the responses, the contents of viewpoints were classified and frequency analysis was carried out, thus looking through reactions. Via the first Delphi survey, 209 categories in 7 items were drawn.
In the second Delphi survey, responses that collected from 85 specialist panels in the first Delphi survey were examined comprehensively and then a structured questionnaire was worked out. Like the first Delphi survey, the appropriateness of contents were reviewed by such 3 specialists as an early childhood education specialist who had carried out studies on early childhood happiness, an early childhood education specialist who had the experience of participating the development of elementary school happiness textbooks, and an education-related research method specialist, and then the author modified/supplemented it, thus carrying out the second Delphi survey. In the second Delphi survey, responses were collected from 78 specialist panels, and in order to analyze the responses, descriptive statistical analysis (average and standard deviation) was carried out and then the distribution of reactions was examined. After analyzing the results of the second Delphi survey, overlapped items were integrated or deleted, thus working out 134 categories in 6 items and 22 other viewpoints.
In the third Delphi survey, responses that collected from 78 specialist panels in the second Delphi survey were examined comprehensively and then a structured questionnaire was worked out in order to get the consensus of specialist panels. The appropriateness of contents were reviewed by such 3 specialists as an early childhood education specialist who had carried out studies on early childhood happiness, an early childhood education specialist who had the experience of participating the development of elementary school happiness textbooks, and an education-related research method specialist, and then the author modified/supplemented it, thus carrying out the third Delphi survey. In the third Delphi survey, responses were collected from 68 specialist panels and descriptive statistical analysis (average and standard deviation) was carried out in order to examine the distribution of reactions. In addition, in order to look into the validity of items, CVR value, agreement rate and degree of consensus were calculated.
Study question-centered study findings are as follows:
First, as for the concept of early childhood happiness education: When such three-step happiness education as the first step of ‘education of happiness’, the second step of ‘happy education’ and the third step of ‘happy life’ was applied to early childhood happiness education, specialist panels regarded the second step of ‘happy education’ as most important. On the other hand, the step that was regarded as impossible or inappropriate for early childhood happiness education in reality was the first step of ‘education of happiness’.
Second, as for the characteristic and disposition of happy children: Specialist panels regarded positive thought, pleasure (joy), self-importance and self-confidence , as the characteristics of a happy child. In addition, they regarded positive thought, self-importance, love, pleasure (joy), self-confidence, consideration, self-control and personal relations, as the dispositions of a happy child.
Third, as for the influential factors on early childhood happiness: From the aspect of family category, specialist panels regarded relationship with parent, parent’s child-rearing attitudes, parent’s mental health and stable family environment, as the influential factors on early childhood happiness. From the aspect of educational agency category, specialist panels regarded teacher-child relationship and peer relationship, as the influential factors on early childhood happiness. From the aspect of children themselves, specialist panels regarded physical health, as the influential factor on early childhood happiness.
Fourth, as for the aim of early childhood happiness education: specialist panels regarded ‘value oneself and have a loving heart’, ‘have positive self-image’, ‘perceive oneself to be loved and recognized by others’ , ‘cultivate self-confidence in doing something’, ‘perceive themselves to be happy and ’cultivate the ability and attitude of participating in activity pleasantly’, as the aims of early childhood happiness education.
Fifth, as for the contents of early childhood happiness education: Specialist panels regarded self-importance, love, pleasure (joy), personal relations , positive thought, self-control, understanding of children themselves and consideration, as the contents of early childhood happiness education.
Sixth, as for the methods of early childhood happiness education: Specialist panels regarded children’s self-directed learning, play-centered education, parental education on early childhood happiness and daily life-centered education, as the methods of early childhood happiness education.