Proper

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how pre-service kindergarten teachers’ cognizance changes when they experience constructing interest centers. The subjects of this study were 35 college students majoring in early childhood education at a university. In order for the subjects to experience constructing interest centers, the study was conducted as follows. First, the planning was done by literature review and the actual center construction was planned and implemented through gathering information. The results were analyzed and the execution process was evaluated with reflection. The results showed that pre-service kindergarten teachers had various changes of thought. They realized that, from the importance of free choice activity to constructing interest centers, a lot of effort was required and there were a great deal of difficulty. Pre-service kindergarten teachers, composing interest centers, also added various meanings to free choice activities. They came to understand the meaning of free choice activity from children’s perspective through the process of constructing interest centers, which became an opportunity to understand the characteristics and educational goals of interest centers and to establish their role for operating free choice activities.