유아의 행복에 대한 인식 연구

The Perception of Happiness for Young Children

본 연구는 유아가 행복을 어떻게 인식하고 있는지 살펴보는데 그 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 전남과 경기에 소재한 공립유치원 4곳의 만 5세 유아 57명을 연구 대상으로 선정하였으며, 유아가 인식한 행복의 의미를 알아보기 위해 발산적 발문, 행복 그림 그리기와 이에 대한 설명 등 반구조화된 면담을 실시하여 그 내용을 질적으로 분석했다. 연구의 분석 결과는 첫째, 개인의 내적 행복(생각과 느낌, 몰입과 성취), 둘째, 개인의 외적 행복(활동과 표현, 경험과 탐구), 셋째, 사회적 관계 행복(가족과 친구, 배려와 나눔), 넷째, 사회적 환경 행복(상황과 사물, 계절의 특성)으로 범주화 되었다. 이와 같은 연구 결과를 토대로 유아의 관점에서 행복의 의미를 고려하여, 의미 있는 유아 교육 방향을 설정하고 행복한 교육과정을 모색해야 한다.

The purpose of this study was to examine young children's perception of happiness. The participants were fifty seven 5-year-old children attending four public kindergartens in Jeollanam-do and Gyeonggi-do areas. They were interviewed about happiness using semi-structured questionnaire types of divergent questions. And they were asked to draw the picture on happiness and describe it in detail. Their responses were gathered and analyzed in terms of experiences of the happy moments and thoughts in their lives. The results of this study were as follows: the meaning of being happy was sorted into four different categories such as the happiness of individuals from inside, happiness of individuals from outside, happiness from social relationships, and happiness from social environment. First of all, happiness of individuals from inside was sorted by thoughts and feelings, flow and achievement. Second, happiness of individuals outside was sorted by activities, experience and exploration. Third, happiness from social relationships was sorted by family and friends, the ability to care and share, cooperation and collaboration. Finally, happiness from social environment on happiness was sorted by situations and objects, seasonal characteristic. These results can be the basis for the direction of happy curriculum for young children.