본 연구는 교회교육, 영유아교육, 초중등교육 예비교수자들의 인식론적 신념 비교를 통해 교회교육 예비교수자 양성 프로그램 운영에 대한 시사점을 찾는 것을 목적으로 하였다. 이를 위해 본 연구는 교회교육 예비교수자로 신학과 3, 4학년, 영유아교육 예비교수자로 유아교육학과 3, 4학년, 초중등교육 예비교수자로 교직과정 3, 4학년 학생을 규정한 후, 그들의 인식론적 신념을 비교하여 살펴보았다. 인식론적 신념은 지식의 확실성, 권위/전문가 지식, 고정된/타고난 능력, 학습 노력/과정의 네 가지로 분류하였다. 분석에는 166명(신학과 77, 유아교육학과 58, 교직과정 31)의 응답을 활용하였고, SPSS 27.0 프로그램을 활용하여 빈도분석 및 일변량분석(ANOVA)를 실시하였다. 연구 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 교회교육 예비교수자의 지식의 확실성에 대한 신념이 영유아교육 및 초중등교육 예비교수자보다 낮았다. 둘째, 교회교육 예비교수자의 권위/전문가에 의한 지식에 대한 신념이 영유아교육 예비교수자보다 높았다. 셋째, 예비교수자 과정별로 고정된/타고난 능력에 대한 신념에 유의미한 차이가 없었다. 넷째, 교회교육 예비교수자의 학습 노력/과정에 대한 신념이 영유아교육 및 초중등교육 예비교수자보다 낮았다. 교육목적 및 목표가 명료하고, 이를 실행하는 교수자의 진리에 대한 확신이 필수적인 교회교육의 특성을 고려할 때, 본 연구 결과는 교회교육 예비교수자 양성과정에 있어 인식과 신념차원의 보완 프로그램이 필요함을 보여준다. 교회교육 예비교수자 양성과정의 초기부터 기독교적 관점에 기반한 인식론적 신념을 갖도록 지원하는 프로그램을 설계․개발하는 것이 필요하다고 본다.
The purpose of this study was to find implications for the program for training preliminary instructors in church education by comparing and examining the epistemological beliefs of preliminary instructors in church education, early childhood education, and elementary and secondary education. To this end, this study defined 3rd and 4th graders in the theology department, early childhood education department, and teaching profession course as preliminary instructors in church education, early childhood education, and elementary and secondary education, respectively, and compared their epistemological beliefs. Epistemological beliefs were classified into four categories: knowledge certainty, authority/professional knowledge, fixed/natural ability, and learning effort/process. The responses of 144 people(55 in the theology department, 58 in the early childhood education department, and 31 in the teaching profession course) were used for the analysis, and frequency analysis and univariate analysis(ANOVA) were conducted using the SPSS 27.0 program. The research results are summarized as follows. First, the belief in the certainty of knowledge of preliminary instructors in church education was lower than that of preliminary instructors in early childhood education and elementary and secondary education. Second, the belief in knowledge by the authority/experts of preliminary instructors in church education was higher than that of preliminary instructors in early childhood education. Third, there was no significant difference in beliefs about fixed/natural ability among preliminary instructor courses. Fourth, the belief in the learning effort/process of preliminary instructors in church education was lower than that of preliminary instructors in early childhood education and elementary and secondary education. Considering the characteristics of church education, in which the educational purpose and goal are clear and the instructor's conviction in the truth is essential, the results of this study show that a complementary program is needed for the training process for the preliminary instructors in church education, especially for the dimension of perception and belief. From the beginning of the process of training preliminary instructors in church education, it is necessary to design and develop the program that supports them to have epistemological beliefs based on a Christian perspective.