Impact of Nursery Teachers' Work-Life Balance on Fostering the "Fundamental Ability of Learning"

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24531039
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educaion
• Research Institution: Okayama Prefectural University (2013-2014); Shujitsu University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: SATO KAZUYUKI 岡山県立大学, 保健福祉学部, 教授 (10413436)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 保育者 / ワーク・ライフ・バランス / 積極的なかかわり / 学びの基礎力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on nursery teachers’ work-life balance in terms of their lifestyle and the “fundamental ability of learning” in terms of quality of childcare, aiming to clarify the relationship between the two. The findings of a questionnaire survey indicated that there were discrepancies between “ideal” lives and “real” lives of the nursery teachers, and that nursery teachers who were more satisfied with their own work-life balance had a higher evaluation in their childcare practice and higher tendency to incorporate “active involvement” in the practice. Recognition of the concept of high-quality childcare was found to lead to behavioral changes that improved quality of childcare. Thus, promoting a better work-life balance of nursery teachers could contribute to fostering the “fundamental ability of learning” and facilitate improvements in the quality of childcare.

Free Research Field

幼児教育