유아교사의 자율성과 유아 놀이성 간의 관계에서 교사 역량의 매개효과

The Mediating Effect of Teacher Competence on the Relationship Between Early Childhood Teachers’ Autonomy and Children’s Playfulness

This study was intended to examine the path relationships among early-childhood teachers’ autonomy, competence, and children’s playfulness, and to verify the mediating effect of teachers’ competence. To this end, a survey was conducted of 38 early-childhood teachers and 240 children from kindergartens and daycare centers located in G region. A total of 270 questionnaires were distributed, of which 240 were returned, none of which were found to be problematic; therefore, all 240 questionnaires were used for analysis. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 27.0, employing frequency analysis, percentage calculation, path analysis, and mediation-effect analysis. The results of the study are as follows: First, the more autonomy early-childhood teachers enjoyed, the greater their competence; Second, the higher the competence of early-childhood teachers, the greater the playfulnessof children; Third, teachers’ competence fully mediated the relationship between teachers’ autonomy and children’s playfulness. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of early-childhood teachers’ autonomy and competence in fostering children’s playfulness. It suggests that policies and institutional support to enhance teachers’ autonomy can positively influence the development of children’s playfulness by improving teacher competence.