본 연구에서는 평가인증 과정에 참여한 보육시설의 원장과 교사들이 어떤 혜택과 어려움을 경험하고, 어떠한 요구를 가지고 있는지에 대해 깊이 있게 이해하기 위하여 2005년 및 2006년 평가인증제에 참여한 원장과 교사를 대상으로 심층면접을 실시하였다. 본 연구의 대상은 서울 지역에 있는 21인 이상 보육시설 4곳, 21인 미만 보육시설 3곳으로 총 7곳의 보육시설에 근무하고 있는 원장 5명과 보육교사 11명 총 16명으로 선정하였다. 본 연구 결과 원장과 교사들은 평가인증 과정에서 얻은 혜택으로 교육방법과 환경의 개선, 보육계획 수립 및 평가에 관한 반성, 동료장학활동의 활성화를 제시하였다. 그러나 이들은 평가에 관한 부담, 보육시설의 제한된 조건 및 평가지표 이해와 해석, 과중된 업무로 인하여 어려움을 겪는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 어려움을 해결하기 위해 원장과 교사들은 구체적이며 실제적인 평가지표 교육 및 외부전문가(조력자) 파견 지원, 보조인력 지원에 관한 요구를 가지고 있는 것으로 나타났다.

This study employed an ethnographic approach to examine perceptions of directors and teachers at child care centers participating in the Korean child care center accreditation process during the year of 2005 and 2006. In-depth interviews with 5 directors and 11 teachers at 7 child care centers were conducted to ascertain their perceptions of the benefits, difficulties, and needs of the process. Major findings of this study are as follows. The directors and teachers who participated in the accreditation process noted the improvement of their teaching styles, educational environment, systematic planning and evaluation, and peer-mentoring as benefits. At the same time, both teachers and directors said they encountered difficulties as they participated in the accreditation process and cited the major ones as the tensions inherent in being evaluated for accreditation, limited physical settings, misunderstandings about evaluation indicators, and the overwhelming amount of work the process engenders. To alleviate these difficulties, directors and teachers point to a need for comprehensive in-service education on the accreditation system, individual mentoring services from professionals, and assistant teachers who could share their work loads.

This study employed an ethnographic approach to examine perceptions of directors and teachers at child care centers participating in the Korean child care center accreditation process during the year of 2005 and 2006. In-depth interviews with 5 directors and 11 teachers at 7 child care centers were conducted to ascertain their perceptions of the benefits, difficulties, and needs of the process. Major findings of this study are as follows. The directors and teachers who participated in the accreditation process noted the improvement of their teaching styles, educational environment, systematic planning and evaluation, and peer-mentoring as benefits. At the same time, both teachers and directors said they encountered difficulties as they participated in the accreditation process and cited the major ones as the tensions inherent in being evaluated for accreditation, limited physical settings, misunderstandings about evaluation indicators, and the overwhelming amount of work the process engenders. To alleviate these difficulties, directors and teachers point to a need for comprehensive in-service education on the accreditation system, individual mentoring services from professionals, and assistant teachers who could share their work loads.