유치원 만 3세 학급에서 이루어지는 과학교육 현황 및 어려움에 대한 교사 인식

초록

This study investigated the current situations of science education for 3 year olds and teachers’ perception of difficulties of science education. Ten teachers in charge of 3-year-old kindergarteners, living in Seoul and Gyung-gi province were interviewed. Results showed that the teachers perceived ‘enjoying science’ and ‘improving process-technique focusing on observation’ as aims for science education, and managed science activities using daily life situations, objects, and animals and plants for educational contents. ‘Teacher-led science education’, ‘science education focusing on experience with the five senses’, ‘high reliance on science area’ and ‘science education focusing on observation’ were applied to science teaching-learning method. Some teachers evaluated science education and some did not; teachers evaluating science education used observation, time sampling, and portfolio. However, the teachers evaluating science education reported inadequacy for evaluation method for 3 year olds. Teachers reported three difficulties of science education for 3 year olds. First, uncertainty of possibility of conducting science education for 3 year olds; second, uncertainty of planning for appropriate science education for 3 year olds, third, lack of references for science education for 3 year olds. Therefore, teachers had difficulties teaching science for 3- year-old children in terms of its planning and management, although teachers of 3-year-old class perceived importance of scientific exploration for 3 year olds. Further studies were needed to develop educational contents for 3-year-olds’ science education and examine necessity of training of science education for teachers based on a successful case of science education for 3-year-old class.

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