1995년도부터 유치원 교육현장에서 적용하기 시작한 제5차 유치원 교육과정에 대하여 그 구성체제나 운영면에서 교사들은 어떤 견해를 갖고 있으며 문제점은 무엇인가를 밝혀내고, 이를 차기 유치원 교육과정 개발의 기초자료로 제시하고자 하였다. 질문지 조사, 현장 전문가 면담, 수업 관찰 등을 실시하여 분석한 결과, 교사들은 제5차 유치원 교육과정을 잘 이해하고 있으며, 수준별 내용 구분이 유아 학습지도에 도움이 된다고 응답한 반면, 실제 수업 관찰에서는 3 · 4 · 5세 유아를 위한 교육내용의 수준별 운영이 유아의 흥미나 발달 정도에 따라 적절히 조정되지 못하는 경우가 많은 것으로 나타났다.

The study attempts to achieve an understanding of the problems in curriculum construction and implementation by analyzing and evaluating the constraints which real classroom situations place upon curricular implementation. Curriculum studies are typically guided by three objectives: the assessment of the appropriateness of the procedures and the organization of the curriculum, the assessment of whether the materials and activities produced for the course. The conerete manifestation of the curriculum-accurately reflect the curricular objectives, and assessment of the case or success of the final adaptation of curriculum plans in real classroom settings. This study focuses on the final objective because the prior two have already been thoroughly explored in literature and by other experts in the field. It is hoped that heightened awareness of the constraints of real classroom situations will provide guidance for new fundamental procedures in curricular design. In this investigation, questionnaires were distributed to 1700 teachers to produce data regarding five factors of curricular adaptability. Attempts were made to assess, 1) the appropriateness of the structure by which the curriculum was designed, 2) the appropriateness of the curriculum content, 3) the degree of adaptation required to implement the curriculum in real classroom settings, 4) the rale of use of the materials and activities pckaged with the curriculum, and 5) the relationship between curriculum content and the courses atually delivered by teachers. 1233 completed questionnaires were returned. Interviews were also conducted with 20 university professors and 20 schoolteachers with over five years of teaching experience. Field observations were also carried out in 20 educational institutions in large and medium-sized cities and towns as well as in rural townships(Gun) and other small disticts(Myon). It was found that teachers and experts were usually quick to grasp curricular objectives, finding curricula presented well organized. Teachers often responded positively on the appropiateness of the curricular content in the development of their children, and felt that the curriculum provided valuable guidance for lesson planning, although there was some regional variation in the responses to the latter item. Adaptations were typically made to render curricula more proctical and age-appropriate since teachers wished to emphasize "education for everyday life" in their classrooms. Materials and activities packged with the curricula were used and judged by teachers as being helpful for delivering the stated curricula goals. But on all of these issues, differences were found between teachers` responses to questionnaire items on the hand, and their opinions expressed during interviews, as well as their behavior as observed during field observations on the other. These discrepancies suggest that more could be done to improve curricular adaptability to the classroom. If a re-examination of the curricular development system and the categorization of curricular content is taken, if more field testing is required before new curricula are adapted, and if teachers are provided with more training in the delivery of new curricula, and more materials are available to assist them in their delivery, perhaps teachers actual practices will come to converge closely to their stated appreciation for the guidance which good curricula provide.