교사학습공동체 참여를 통한 유아교사의 유아교육공간에 대한 인식과 실천의 변화 탐색

Abstract

Recently the studies on the space application cases based on the recognition of the significance of child education space have been activated. However, it is true that the experience and recognition of space should vary from member to member in each space and that is the reason why an only case may not be generalized, which means that research and a new understanding of each child's education space should be applied to the practical ways. Such a process should not be burdened just to an individual teacher, and this study tries to the process and meaning of the recognition and practice of the child education space via teacher's learning community.

The researcher presents the following research agendas in accordance with the purpose of this study.

A. Do Early Childhood Teacher in the teacher's learning community have a change in recognition and practice toward child education space?

B. What is the meaning of the experience in the teacher's learning community in the process of recognition of child education space and practice of space organization?

To look into these subjects, the study organized the teacher's learning community that consists of the teachers interested in child education space. 6 of Jireh Kindergarten's teachers have gathered 14 times in the community from November 2021 to February 2022. The individual in-depth interview has been implemented before and after each gathering. A transcription record, the community's activity material, individual teacher's self-examination record, field record, and interview record have been collected in this process for qualitative analysis.

The above research showed the result as follows.

First, The participants' recognition and practice toward child education space have changed from 'vague space' to 'specific space' as well as from 'restricting space' to 'suggesting space' and from 'spatial space' to 'meaningful space' in the teacher's learning community. The meaning of child education space varies from member to member in space based on individual experience. That is the reason why members in each space should pursue leading and subjective recognition and practice toward their space as well as accepting and learning the other cases as Ire Kindergarten teachers found the meaning of the space and the way to practice. Therefore, the members in individual child education spaces go through the process of re-understanding and signifying of the space in the education space where each member experiences. In this process, the participants of the study utilized 'communication' as the strategy to demonstrate the independence of the education space with the children rather than using their authority as a teacher. This attitude played a role as a bridge between space providers and applicants and became the opportunity to cooperate with the children as a suggester. It led the participants and children to have a new understanding of the space and build 'our' meaningful space through communication. The role as a suggester, communication strategy, and new understanding of space- communication-mutual building process is not brand new. However, it does have a meaning to those who have been tired of fancy and non-practical cases that the teachers cannot apply to the class.

Secondly, The participation in the teacher's learning community had the meaning of 'community with recovery and encouragement' and 'community with mutual consideration and practice' in the process of change of recognition and practice toward child education space. The change of understanding and practice requires the individual self-examination as well as the general perspective of entire members. In other words, it requires the approach from teachers, children, and the community. It may have the significant meaning that the learning community supported the participants to find confusion in the teachers' recognition of child education space and overcome it to help the teachers to expect and practice their education in the education space where every member's independent. It means that the teacher's learning community has to be organized and operated to provide meaningful, intellectual, and emotional support for the understanding of space from various perspectives in the process of recognition of child education space and the teachers' change.

The purpose of this study is to look into the process of change that the child teacher recognizes the child education space with independence and practices their education as well as to find the meaning of participation in the teacher's learning community in such process. It is expected that this study is able to provide meaningful information in regard to the necessity of meaningful child education space as an individual member of education space and the practical ways to organize it.