對於幼兒而言，美術教育的重要性和其他課程領域相當。幼兒可以從參與美術活動中得到許多好處。即使許多證據與研究顯示出幼兒美術教育的重要性，但是在與其他幼兒課程的領域比較之後而言，幼兒美術教育的重要性卻變得微乎其微。可悲的是在台灣的幼兒園中幼兒美術教育課程的實施經常是幼兒教師拿來填補其他幼兒課程領域所剩餘的時間，因此對於台灣的幼兒教師而言什麼才是適合幼兒的美術課程的概念似乎有必須加以與提升的必要。本研究的研究工具為研究人員改編自Charlesworth(1993)根據美國國家幼兒教育協會對於4~5歲孩子的適性發展教育指導原則(Bredekamps, 1987)而來的Teacher Belief Scales五點量表。研究對象為居住於台灣北部之幼兒園在職教師與幼保(教)系學生教師。其中幼兒園在職教師主要包括公私立幼稚園與托兒所在職工作之專任教師約有182名與幼保系學生教師為在幼保(教)系就讀之在校四年級學生亦約有152名。研究結果發現對於幫助學前機構教師修正幼兒美勞教學理念與方式以使其理論與其實務相結合，並且協助學生教師建立適性發展美勞活動之教學概念。For young children, art education is as important as other curriculum area. Children also get lots of benefits from making art. Even though many evidences have shown the importance of early childhood art education, however; when compared to other curricular areas, early childhood art education seems to be raised few teachers’ attention. It is sad to find that teachers often view art class as compensation of other curricular areas. Therefore, there is a necessity for teachers of young children to understand what developmentally appropriate art education is more clearly. The research material will be mainly adapted from the Teacher Belief Scales developed by Charlesworth and others (1993) which based on the NAEYC guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practice for children 4 and 5 years olds (Bredekamps, 1987). The research participants in this study will be recruited from early childhood teachers and students who major in early childhood education in Taiwan. About 182 early childhood teachers work in either the public or private kindergartens or day care centers. In addition, about 152 early childhood majored students around the northern part of Taiwan area will be recruited in this study. The research results can help to early childhood teachers revised their attitudes and concepts while carrying out early childhood art class for young children as well as help them to put the theories into practice in their classroom. Moreover, the research results can also help pre-service student teachers to build correct concepts toward early childhood art education.
