본고는 2015년 이후 한국의 인성교육 프로그램에 나타난 덕목의 개념과 실천에 관해 비판적으로 분석한 것이다. 특히, 「인성교육진흥법」에서 제시한 8가지 덕목 가운데 전반부에 자리한 ‘예, 효, 정직, 책임’의 4가지 덕목에 대해 정의하고, 인성교육 프로그램 개발 및 효과에 관한 연구에서 유아 대상 논문 20편, 초등 대상 논문 21편, 중등 대상 논문 16편을 검토하였다. ‘예’의 경우, 대부분의 연구에서 개념 정의가 없었고, 프로그램 활동에서도 ‘예’덕목을 함양할 수 있는 근거를 찾아보기 어려웠다. ‘효’의 경우, 유아와 초등학생을 대상으로 한 프로그램에서는 개념 정립이 되어 있지 않았고, 전래동화를 이용한 ‘효’교육을 진행한 연구가 많았다. ‘정직’의 경우, 초등학생을 대상으로 한 연구에서 많이 다루고 있었지만, ‘정직’의 개념 정립은 거의 이루어지지 않았으며, 그 활동도 적합하지 않았다. ‘책임’의 경우, 유아 프로그램에서는 명확한 개념 규정이 없고, 책임과 협력을 혼용하거나 책임과 무관한 활동으로 이루어져 있었다. 초등 프로그램에서도 책임에 대한 개념 정립이 명확하지 않았고, 중등 대상 연구에서도 개념 설정이 이루어지지 않은 채 책임감을 함양시키기 위한 활동으로만 진행되었다. 인성교육의 효과를 극대화하기 위해서는 객관적 행위의 표준, 가치, 역량에 대해 명확한 초점을 설정해야 하고, 인성 덕목의 개념, 그에 적합한 활동, 그 활동에 대한 평가가 논리적으로 설계되고 실행되어 검증을 거칠 때 보다 교육적이고 효과를 나타낼 수 있다.
This paper critically reviewed and analyzed character education programs published in the journals of Korea Citation Index from the National Research Foundation of Korea since 2015 in terms of whether they present the concepts of the character virtues that they aimed for and ensure that the activities in the program are appropriate to enhance the targeted character virtues. The design and implementation of an effective character education program should take precedence over the conception of the character virtues targeted by the program and will be possible when the concept consists of appropriate activities. To this end, among the eight character virtues enacted in 『The Character Education Promotion Act』, the definition of the first four virtues of propriety, filial piety, honesty and responsibility were established through dictionary meaning and literature review. Then, we reviewed and analyzed the articles for 20 preschoolers, 21 elementary school students, and 16 youth subjects among the research and development research papers published in the Korea Research Foundation's listed (candidate) journals. In the case of ‘propriety’, there was almost no concept definition in the study of preschoolers, elementary school students, and adolescents, and it was difficult to find a basis for the program activities set by them to cultivate the ‘propriety’ virtues. In the case of ‘Hyo,’ the concept was rarely established in programs aimed at preschoolers and elementary school students. Some studies for preschoolers need to be improved in terms of the modern concept of ‘Hyo’ education. Although ‘honesty’ is aimed most in research on elementary school students, the concept of' ‘honesty’ was rarely established and its activities were not suitable. Lastly, the clear concept of ‘responsibility’ was not defined in the programs for preschoolers, and consisted of activities that mixed up ‘responsibility’ and ‘cooperation’ or had nothing to do with responsibility. The program for elementary school students was progressing without establishing the concept of responsibility, and the research for adolescents was conducted only as an activity to cultivate responsibility without establishing the concept. In order to maximize the effectiveness of character education, it is clearly a reminder that we must first decide where to put a clear focus on the standards, values, and competencies of objective behaviors. The concept of character virtues, activities which appropriate to them, and evaluations of those activities should be accurately aligned with the purpose of the program. The programs would be most educational and effective when they are logically designed, implemented and validated.