Research Trends and Future Directions on Integration of Early Childhood Education and Childcare

This study aims to identify the trends in research related to the integration of early childhood education and childcare presented in the field of early childhood education and childcare in Korea.For this purpose, the study analyzed research on the integration of early childhood education and care, systematized research topics, and suggest future research directions.The research on the integration of early childhood education and care, which has been discussed since 2013, was classified into four research areas: (1) policy aspects, (2) curriculum integration aspects, (3) teacher training and support aspects, and (4) the role of parents and families.The study presents the significance and implications of major research in each area.Finally, by integrating previous studies related to the integration of early childhood education and care, the study systematizes future research topics that can be discussed in the field of early childhood education and care.This study is expected to provide basic data for policy proposals and contribute to the evaluation of the effects of integrating early childhood education and care in the future.