본 연구는 유아교육과 남학생들의 전공 선택 동기와 교사 교육과정에서의 경험, 유아교사직에 대한 인식 및 전망과 기대를 파악하기 위한 것이다. 전국 14개 대학의 남학생 21명을 면접한 결과, 전공 선택의 주요 동기는 어린이에 대한 관심과 사랑, 그리고 자신의 성이 유아교육 분야에서의 성취에 유리할 것이라는 기대 등이었다. 남학생들은 학교생활 초기에 어려움을 겪으나, 본인의 적응 노력과 동료 여학생과 교수로부터 긍정적 배려와 기대를 받으며 적응해 간다. 점차 유아교육에 대한 이해와 교사직 수행에 대한 의욕과 더불어 취업, 저임금, 남교사가 받아들여질지 여부에 대한 염려도 증가하였다. 이들은 자신을 통해 남자 교사에 대한 인식이 향상되고 유아교사직을 원하는 남학생들이 늘어날 것을 기대하고 있었다.

This study asked male students enrolled in an early childhood course of study why they had chosen that major, what their experiences had been during their study, and how they themselves perceived male early childhood education teachers. Twenty-one male students of 14 universities and junior colleges from all over the country were interviewed. The male students articulated their motivation to enter the field of early childhood teaching as love and concern for young children. They also expected that, as males, they would have more advantages in their careers and more social success than female teachers. In the beginning of their studies, they found it difficult to be in the minority but they get close attention from their professors and the female students in the class. As they gained a strong understanding of early childhood education, they desired to be good teachers of young children. But, at the same time, they expressed that they are gradually becoming more and more anxious about their chances for employment, the low salaries associated with the field, and the biased views against male teachers in early childhood education. So they were hoping to be engaged as teachers for a certain period of time or to get another job outside of their major field of study. They all looked for improvement in the general perception of male-teachers in the field of early childhood education and hoped that there would be an increase in the number of male students majoring in early childhood education.

This study asked male students enrolled in an early childhood course of study why they had chosen that major, what their experiences had been during their study, and how they themselves perceived male early childhood education teachers. Twenty-one male students of 14 universities and junior colleges from all over the country were interviewed. The male students articulated their motivation to enter the field of early childhood teaching as love and concern for young children. They also expected that, as males, they would have more advantages in their careers and more social success than female teachers. In the beginning of their studies, they found it difficult to be in the minority but they get close attention from their professors and the female students in the class. As they gained a strong understanding of early childhood education, they desired to be good teachers of young children. But, at the same time, they expressed that they are gradually becoming more and more anxious about their chances for employment, the low salaries associated with the field, and the biased views against male teachers in early childhood education. So they were hoping to be engaged as teachers for a certain period of time or to get another job outside of their major field of study. They all looked for improvement in the general perception of male-teachers in the field of early childhood education and hoped that there would be an increase in the number of male students majoring in early childhood education.