부산대학교 도서관

This study aims to examine the entire process of young children’s artistic expression as shown in art activities for large groups in kindergarten and bring light on the significance of young children’s artistic expression related to their everyday life through an in-depth analysis.With a view to a phenomenological approach to art activities for large groups in kindergarten, a study proceeded through participatory observation and informal interviews in three kindergartens located in “D” city from September 2011 through February 2013.Participants of the study included 30 5-year-olds and a teacher of “A” Kindergarten, 28 5-year-olds and two teachers of “B” Kindergarten, and 32 3 to 5-year-olds and a teacher of “C” Kindergarten. Also, the researcher and a research assistant were present, collecting data through video and audio recording.The procedure of the study included 1) participatory observation: performing as a fellow leaner, 2) transcription: focusing on young children’s artistic expression, 3) coding: discovering characteristics of young children’s artistic expression, and 4) discovery of theme: revealing young children’s artistic expression. For each piece of collected data, analysis was performed in a circular fashion. To improve the reliability and feasibility of the study, the researcher, the research assistant, and the faculty supervisor worked together to check analysis data for agreement.The study shows the significance of young children’s artistic expression program as demonstrated in kindergarten art activities for large groups.First, young children begin in their earlier experiences and engage in ever freer expressions by granting new meanings to them.Second, young children engage in expression as creation of meaning through search of materials, which reveals their unique modes through exploring materials.Third, young children engage in expression that shows their knowledge by presenting in art expression the knowledge that they have acquired through everyday experiences or learning.Fourth, young children’s expression does not limit itself to artistic expression, but engages in more active expression in various ways such as narrative, private speech and body.Fifth, young children engage in expression through mutual relationships by sharing their ideas related to their immediate environment and themes for artistic activities and developing a bond of sympathy.Sixth, as communication breaks down between teachers and young children when teachers directly engage in children’s expression, young children end up with expression that gets away from mutual relationships.Seventh, young children engage in expression that keeps interest in modes of expression and materials that they have learned through art activities.With a view to exploring the educational implications that are overlooked in actual educational settings for young children, the study performs the following discussions.First, young children need to be understood as agents of active expression, who attempt expression to create new meanings with various methods and approaches.Second, we see that young children show the developmental characteristics in infanthood by copying what is learned or presenting artistic expression with soliloquy or body. Therefore, we should regard not only products of artistic expression by young children but also the process of their expression as meaningful processes.Third, with regard to young children’s art education, we need to understand the educational situation and context in which interaction takes place through understanding teachers, peers, and other subjects under influence from the environment.Fourth, teachers should try to minimize control and instructions by upholding the educational value of art activities and understand the importance of the process of expression as much as its product.Fifth, young children’s art activities have educational significance in that they serve to enable children to make expanded expression actively and spontaneously in joy.Sixth, the results of the study, which show that for young children’s expression come in multiple different modes instead of only one, suggest that a new understanding is possible not as a discovery of absolute meaning but through a postmodern discourse that emphasizes creation of diverse meanings through differentiation.In conclusion, based on the understanding of young children with spontaneous selfhood, the study suggests that teachers need to make continued efforts to lay great store on art activities by young children as active agents of expression, change their perception of young children’s expression, and understand the educational context.