Metaverse and early childhood education care: Exploring in-service teachers’ perceptions and applications in educational settings

The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of applying the metaverse in early childhood education and care, based on the results of the analysis of early childhood education and care teachers' perceptions and opinions about 'metaverse' and 'metaverse applied education.' To achieve this goal, a survey was conducted with 112 teachers working at kindergartens and childcare centers in Seoul and the Gyeonggi province. Among them, 8 were selected for interviews, and the results were analyzed. The analysis revealed the following: First, the level of awareness of the metaverse and metaverse application education among early childhood education and care teachers was generally low. However, for teachers in their 30s with 5-15 years of experience, it was relatively high compared to other groups. Second, the metaverse application education proposed by teachers was found to be related to the curriculum areas of 'Physical Exercise and Health,' 'Communication,' and 'Social Relations' in the 2019 revised Nuri Curriculum. Based on these results, discussions and implications were presented regarding the application of the metaverse in early childhood education and care.