ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

[Purpose] The main purposes for integration of early childhood education and care are to enhance administrative and operational equality and efficiency of two systems and to fortify the foundation for young children to grow up to be future citizens by providing quality ECEC to support their holistic development in the long run. Thus, this study has sought ways to proceed the integration of ECEC in Korea by looking into the current state, an integrated ECEC system in Japan whose socio-cultural context is similar to that of Korea. [Methods] With respect to the background and the current state, a variety of literature such as the national reports and scholarly papers on the integration of ECEC in Japan were throughly examined so as to arrange the foundation for the main survey. [Results] Focusing on ‘law and system, operation and finance’, ‘curriculum’, ‘staff qualification, working condition, and professional development’, ‘participation of family and community’, policy tasks and efforts to provide quality ECEC in Japan were probed. By probing a case in a Japanese authorized child care center, some meaningful implications for Korean ECEC services were discussed. [Conclusion] That is, it would be necessary to make persistent efforts at the national level as well as for teaching staff to think reflectively of their own child care practice and philosophy in ECEC settings to progress toward integration of ECEC in Korea.

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