Action Research on the Implementation of Agricultural Courses within a Preschool in Taoyuan

• Main Authors: Chen, Su-Hua, 陳素華
• Other Authors: Wei, Mei-Hue
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/07070715809847722594

碩士 === 國立臺中教育大學 === 幼兒教育學系碩士在職專班 === 103 === This research used a qualitative action research method to study the difficulties encountered by “Planet Preschool” (pseudonym) when implementing agricultural activities and courses. Concurrently, the research will underwent an analysis of the implementation of agricultural courses and the effect on children’s learning abilities and experiences during the process, as well as the teachers’ mentalities and any achievements gained from the experience. This study focused on Planet Preschool’s ecological farm, along with a class of sixteen preschool children as the subjects of the research. Data was obtained from the preschool’s implementation of agricultural courses between 2007 and 2014 while providing suitable activities based on the respective seasons of a year, and spanning four phases in total; including the exploratory, development, setback, and maturation phase. The researcher conducted video documentation, note taking, photography, discussions with teaching staff, visual observations, an album documenting the children’s growth, interviews with the children, feedback from graduated kindergarteners of the class, and interviews with parents for each activity visited during the research period to collect necessary data and analysis. The findings of this research were as followed: 1. The preschool children learned about their local community through the agricultural courses and activities, with environmental education as the main area of focus. 2. Permaculture courses could be suitable as the foundation for preschool children’s agriculture courses. 3. Ample amounts of outdoor activities could serve to improve children’s body coordination and social interaction skills. 4. Agricultural courses and activities could help strengthen children’s immune system, and problem solving skills. 5. From participating in agricultural courses, the children learned to actively raise awareness regarding life education, such as taking great care to protect various plants and animals. 6. From conducting this research, the researcher not only bonded with the children, but from planning the agricultural courses, gained much personal insight and growth from the experience, which helped to further confirm their teaching curriculum in the future. In conclusion, this research yielded the following recommendations: 1. During agricultural courses, there must be a team teaching staff available to ensure that the children can safely participate in agricultural activities in the ecological farm area. 2. Future research regarding implementing agricultural activities in preschools must cope with and work around the lack of related literary sources. 3. The research results suggested that agricultural activities focused on students would be more sustainable and easier to conduct than similar activities aimed at parent-child groups. 4. Governmental and academic sectors should place more importance on the value of agriculture. All levels of the education system should include agricultural courses as a way to introduce sustainability and environmental protection education.