This study analyzed the effect of the problem-based learning environment on the improvement of learners' safety awareness and learning motivation for safety education in elementary safety education. The research questions were "Is the problem-based le...
This study analyzed the effect of the problem-based learning environment on the improvement of learners' safety awareness and learning motivation for safety education in elementary safety education. The research questions were "Is the problem-based learning environment of elementary safety education effective in improving the safety awareness of elementary school students?" and "Is the problem-based learning environment of elementary safety education effective in improving the motivation for elementary school students to learn safety education?"
Research contents and procedures for solving research problems can be organized into three categories.
First, the necessity of a constructivism approach in elementary safety education was revealed, and as a specific strategy to promote this, a constructivist teaching and learning environment suitable for safety education was explored. Second, after examining the possibility of problem-based learning environment among constructivism-based safety education, a method for designing a problem-based learning environment model was finally derived. Third, after designing classes based on the derived model and verifying the prior homogeneity of 4th grade elementary school students in Gyeonggi-do, the experimental group applied a problem-based learning environment, and the control group applied general lecture-style safety education.
As a result of the study, first, there was a statistically significant difference in safety awareness between the experimental group applying a problem-based learning environment of elementary safety education and the control group applying general lecture safety education. In addition, as a result of analyzing the differences by sub-area of safety awareness, there was a statistically significant difference in safety practice and safety policy understanding and evaluation. Second, there was also a statistically significant difference in the motivation for learning safety education between groups. In addition, as a result of analyzing the differences by sub-area of safety education learning motivation, there were statistically significant differences in all areas of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction.
Two conclusions could be drawn based on the research results. First, it can be said that a problem-based learning environment in elementary school safety education is effective in improving learners' safety awareness. In particular, it is interpreted that the improvement in safety awareness is due to the understanding and evaluation of safety policies and safety practices, which are sub-areas. Second, in elementary school safety education, a problem-based learning environment is effective in improving learners' motivation to learn safety education. In this point, it is interpreted that the improvement of safety education learning motivation is due to all areas of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction.
From the above, a problem-based learning environment of elementary school safety education is an effective way to improve learners' safety awareness and learning motivation for safety education. However, since the experimental period is short-term, limited content, and research on learners, follow-up studies are needed to verify a more mid- to long-term approach, various contents, and the effects applied to learners. In addition, sufficient development and research should be conducted on evaluation tools that can establish a knowledge system of safety education and measure its level.