Development of tools for acquiring and sharing early childhood education teachers' practice knowledge based on a mental model of child understanding

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14101
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 09010:Education-related
• Research Institution: Fukuyama City University
• Principal Investigator: Ueyama Rutsuko 福山市立大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (10804445)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 保育者 / 子ども理解 / 省察 / 行動特性 / 可視化 / メンタルモデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the structure of child understanding, which is the practical knowledge of early childhood teachers, and to develop and test tools for childcare practice based on this knowledge. In Study 1, 33 nursery schoolteachers and kindergarten teachers were interviewed using the hypothetical vignettes. As a result, a structural model was developed from the perspective of interrelated child understanding, including the knowledge and beliefs of the teachers. In Study 2, four kindergarten teachers were interviewed individually using the results of Study 1 and the cognitive counseling method. The results confirmed a deeper understanding of children and suggested that the interviews had a certain effect on improving reflection on and involvement with children.

Free Research Field

保育学，発達心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の意義としては，子ども理解をメンタルモデルとして捉え，「子ども情報の吟味」，「年齢に応じた発達段階」，「園生活を通じた成長期待」と下位概念の関連を含む子ども理解の全体構造を仮説モデルとして示した点である。さらに，生成されたモデルを活用した保育実践の開発と検証を通して，保育実践の向上に一定の有効性が示されたことは，複雑化・多忙化する保育実践における実践知の獲得と継承に対して具体的な支援方法を提案できた点で意義がある。