유치원교육정책 홍보의 과정과 효과 분석

Abstract

본 연구는 2006 & 2007년도에 범국가적으로 추진된 유치원교육정책 홍보사업의 과정과 효과를 분석하고, 향후 보다 성공적인 홍보사업을 위한 제언을 제공하는 데 그 목적이 있다. 홍보사업의 효과를 조사하기 위하여 2006년도에는 학부모 643명과 현장교원 714명, 2007년도에는 학부모 1,081명과 현장교원 641명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 그 결과, 현장교원의 절반 정도가 정부가 주도한 유치원교육정책 홍보의 전반적 효과가 보통수준이라고 응답하였으며, 홍보효과가 낮다고 생각하는 경우 그 이유로 홍보 전달체계의 부실을 지적하였다. 상당수의 학부모들이 본 홍보사업을 통해 정부가 유치원 교육비를 지원하며, 유치원은 만 3-5세가 다니는 ‘학교’라는 점과, 맞벌이가정을 위하여 종일반이 운영된다는 사실을 알게 된 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과를 토대로 향후 홍보사업을 위한 방안을 홍보 시기, 대상, 내용, 매체, 비용, 전문가 자문, 평가의 8가지 측면에서 제안하였다.

Kindergarten education in Korea has faced challenges as a result of the low birth rates and increases in the number of working mothers. There is a need to promote parental understanding of kindergarten educational policies. In order to promote public awareness of the policies and quality of kindergarten education, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development initiated a public relations (PR) campaign. The PR campaign focused on governmental support for educational fees, the expansion of full-day programs, and the continuity of curriculum in elementary schools, as well as the legal establishment of mandatory kindergarten for children aged 3 to 5. This project was undertaken for five months by producing and distributing PR media, such as radio commercial messages, posters, and parental guide booklets, nation-wide. Based on the given budgets, these media were selected. Questionnaire surveys were conducted, with a total of 3,079 respondents (1,724 parents & 1,355 kindergarten directors/teachers), regarding the effects of and the needs for governmental PR on kindergarten educational policy. It was found that kindergarten directors/teachers perceived the PR effect to be only moderate, perceived the PR contents as highly appropriate, and indicated the weak delivery system as the most serious limitation of the PR campaign. Although parents were not frequently exposed to the PR media, if exposed, they showed positive responses to the media. Through the PR, parents came to learn most about governmental support for educational fees and to acknowledge kindergartens as school for young children. Based on these survey results and the experiences of the PR processes, eight key factors were suggested for the successful establishment of governmental PR on kindergarten educational policy in the future. These factors included the PR message, the medium, the cost, the delivery system, timing and target, expertise, and outcome evaluation.