The Rise of Outdoor Play and Education Issues in Preschools in South Korea

A comparative study of ECEC practitioners’ perceptions of children’s well-being and their roles in South Korea and Norway

“…However, in South Korea, an atmosphere of academic achievement prevails because of parents' enthusiasm over their children's success in school and future job prospects and an overall competitive social climate (Tobin, Wu, and Davidson 1989;Nah 2017). This sociocultural context and rapid economic growth and development encourage an emphasis on cognitive and economic aspects of children's lives.…”

“…However, ECEC in Norway mostly uses free play and individual or smallgroup activities that fit an individualised approach to education. By contrast, in South Korea structured practitioner-led activities, tightly scheduled daily routines, and largegroup activities still take place in some ECEC institutions (Nah 2017;Waller and Nah 2017) such that practitioners have difficulty observing and monitoring each individual child, encouraging warm and positive interactions, and allowing/promoting childinitiated activities. As part of an effort to promote child-centred, play-based education in South Korea, many city or province offices of education have been running model child-centred, play-based institutions since 2013.…”

Erken Çocukluk Eğitimi Kurumlarının Dış Mekanları Üzerine Bir Derleme: Tasarım ve Değerlendirme

“…2017). Ancak ülkemizin de dahil olduğu birçok ülkede yukarıda sözü geçen okula hazırbulunuşluk ve iç mekan odaklı bir erken çocukluk eğitimi yürütüldüğünü söylemek olanaklıdır (Nah, 2017;Ihmeideh ve Al-Qaryouti, 2016;Waller ve diğ., 2017;Yalçın ve Tantekin-Erden, 2021). Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (MEB) Okul Öncesi Eğitimi Programı'nda da "öğrenme ortamı" başlığı altında ayrıntılı olarak sınıf ortamı ve öğrenme merkezleri anlatılmış, nitelikli bir dış mekanın nasıl olması gerektiğine ilişkin ayrıntılı bir bilgi verilmemiştir (MEB, 2013).…”

Turkish pre-service early childhood education teachers’ perceptions and practices of nature-based teaching on professional experience

“…In the literature, several studies have examined early childhood teachers' attitudes, beliefs, practices, and experiences of nature-based teaching, and also the barriers and support they encountered in enacting nature-based education programmes (e.g., Blatt & Patrick, 2014;Dietze & Kashin, 2019;Ernst, 2014b;Ernst & Tornabene, 2012;Lindemann-Matthies and Knecht 2011;Little, Sandseter, & Wyver, 2012;Miller, 2007;Nah, 2017;Otto & Pensini, 2017;Sandseter, 2009). Such studies have provided various socio-cultural perspectives of nature-based teaching; for instance, in her study, Nah (2017) reported that although South Korean teachers consider outdoor play to be vital to children's health and wellbeing, for the most part, they do not implement outdoor activities due to safety concerns. Several researchers have reported that Norwegian educators are more supportive of risky outdoor play compared to their counterparts in other countries (e.g., Little, Sandseter, & Wyver, 2012;Sandseter, 2009).…”

“…In other studies (e.g., Bundy, et al, 2009;Lindemann-Matthies & Knecht, 2011;Sandseter, 2009), it was reported that Norwegian, Swiss, and Australian early childhood teachers did not view weather conditions, parents, the educational system, or associated workload as obstacles to teaching in nature. However, in countries such as South Korea, Slovenia, and Turkey, teachers see cold and rainy weather as barriers to going outside, effectively preventing children from spending time outside during the winter months (Kos & Jerman, 2013;Nah, 2017;Yalçın, 2015). Based on socio-cultural perspectives, teachers' concerns about and perceived barriers to taking children outside might thus change from country to country.…”