An Analysis of Teachers' Participation Consciousness on Educational Activities in Innovative Schools

This study was conducted to analyze the participation consciousness of innovative school teachers. Since innovative schools are model schools that try to improve schools by delegating authority to teachers to manage schools voluntarily, so the teachers' consciousness of participation is very important. 160 teachers from kindergartens, elementary schools, and middle schools that operated innovative school for more than four years in Chungcheongnam province responded to the survey questionnaire about consciousness of participation. As a result of the analysis, the need of innovative schools for school development was strongly recognized by responding with 4.28 points out of 5. 74.4% of respondents answered they voluntarily participate in the innovative schools, but 31.3% of teachers answered they participate passively. 67.5% answered that the reason for participating in innovative schools is because they provide students with various educational activities. For the development of innovative schools, teachers considered democratic decision-making important, and managers recognized that learning-oriented classes are important. Senior teachers had a higher percentage of responses that optimizing school work was important. Participants responded that since it is an innovative school, democratic consultation culture, school work optimization, professional learning community, and learning-oriented classes are possible. The innovative schools are an innovative movement in which teachers voluntarily participate in solving school problems. Most of the teachers of innovative schools agree with and actively participate in the innovative movement, but some teachers do not agree with this spirit and participate passively. In order to become a model for autonomous school-centered public education innovation pursued by innovative schools, efforts should be made to recognize and improve the problems of teachers who do not agree with innovative schools.