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2025 Vol.33, Issue 4 Preview Page

Research Article

A Study on Children’s Independent Mobility

어린이의 독립적인 이동성에 관한 연구

조의형1 · 김혜진2

Eui-Hyoung Jo1 · Hye-Jin Kim2

1솔밭초등학교 교사
2한국교원대학교 초등교육과 교수
1Teacher, Solbat Elementary School
2Professor, Dept. of Elementary Education, Korea National University of Education
30 November 2025. pp. 169~181
PDF Citation
Abstract
This study examines the patterns of independent mobility among elementary school children and analyzes the factors that influence these patterns in order to explore their educational implications for children’s place experiences. Children’s independent mobility was divided into school commuting mobility and everyday life mobility, and a survey was conducted on parental permission, perceptions of neighborhood safety, and perceptions of the local environment. The results show that school commuting mobility displayed little variation, largely due to the fixed and proximal nature of commuting routes. In contrast, everyday life mobility was significantly associated with parents’ permissive attitudes and children’s positive perceptions of the local environment. These findings indicate that independent mobility is shaped by the interaction of personal, psychological, and environmental factors. The study contributes to the field by empirically assessing children’s mobility and identifying related factors, while interpreting these findings through a geography education lens. It further emphasizes that children’s everyday mobility experiences foster place attachment and spatial awareness through sensory and social engagement with their surroundings. Based on these insights, the study suggests that elementary geography education should incorporate learning activities that utilize children’s lived spaces and mobility experiences as meaningful resources for exploring and understanding their immediate environments.
Keywords
children’s independent mobility
everyday mobility
place experience
geography education
본 연구는 초등학생의 독립적인 이동성의 양상을 조사하고, 이에 영향을 미치는 요인을 분석하여 어린이의 장소 경험 확대와 관련된 교육적 함의를 탐색하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 어린이의 독립적인 이동성을 등하교 이동성과 일상생활 이동성으로 구분하고, 부모의 이동 허가, 지역 안전 인식, 지역 환경 인식 등에 대한 설문을 실시하였다. 분석 결과, 등하교 이동성은 통학 경로의 고정성과 근접성으로 인해 유의한 차이가 없었으나, 일상생활 이동성은 부모의 허용적 태도와 지역 환경 인식과 유의한 관계를 보였다. 이는 독립적인 이동성이 개인적·심리적 요인과 지역 환경 요인이 상호작용하여 결정되는 복합적 현상임을 보여준다. 본 연구는 독립적인 이동성의 의미와 의의를 살피고, 실제 어린이들의 독립적인 이동성을 측정하고 이에 영향을 미치는 요인을 분석하여 지리교육적 방향을 제시했다는 점에서 의의가 있다. 더불어 어린이의 이동 경험이 일상공간 속에서의 감각적·사회적 상호작용을 통해 장소감과 공간 인식을 확장시킨다는 점을 강조하며 초등 지리교육에서 어린이의 이동성과 관련한 생활 공간의 탐구 학습이 필요함을 제언하였다.
키워드
어린이의 독립적인 이동성
일상생활 이동
장소 경험
초등 지리교육
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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Association Of Geographic And Environmental Education
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국지리환경교육학회
  • Journal Title :The Journal of The Korean Association of Geographic and Environmental Education
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국지리환경교육학회지
  • Volume : 33
  • No :4
  • Pages :169~181
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.17279/jkagee.2025.33.4.169
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