학습연구년 특별연수제도에 대한 유치원교원의 인식 및 요구 분석

Abstract

The study intends to understand perspectives and needs of kindergarten teachers on the study leave system, and to provide measures for improvement. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a total of 316 public kindergartens teachers nation-wide. A group of teachers and superintendents at local offices of education were interviewed regarding their experiences on the study leave system. It was found that responded teachers showed a considerably low level of awareness of the study leave system in general, such as selection criteria, general operation, and obligations. In particular, the teachers highlighted a need to increase numbers of teachers eligible for the study leave, to secure enough substitute teachers, especially in elementary school attached kindergartens in rural areas, to encourage and support teachers in applying for the study leave, to develop and implement a variety of study leave programs, and to allow teachers to have greater autonomy in undertaking of their study leave, and so on. Based on major findings of the study, several measures to improve the study leave system are suggested as follows: initiating a quarter system in order to provide kindergarten teachers with more opportunities for the study leave; offering opportunities for the study leave to teachers working in private kindergartens; strengthening the accountability of teachers for their study leave; utilizing outcomes of the study leave; sharing the study leave programs actively among teachers in different provinces.