Digital Technology (DT) Usage of Preschool Teachers in Early Childhood Classrooms

Year 2021, , 1 - 12, 25.01.2021

Ahmet Sami Konca , Feyza Tantekin Erden

https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.627809

Cited By: 11

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey study aims to investigate preschool teachers’ usage of digital technologies (DT) in early childhood education. To investigate teachers’ use of DT, a questionnaire was completed by 167 preschool teachers from 52 different preschools. Besides, the Attitude Scale for Technological Tools and Materials Use in Preschool Education was completed by the teachers. The results of the study revealed that the classrooms were equipped with a variety of DT such as television, DVD, computer, and smartphone. Teachers tended to use television and computers in the classroom activities. Although the teachers had a positive attitude towards using DT in early childhood education, they used ICT on a limited scale. They mainly utilized these devices in order for the children to watch cartoon films and listen to music. Gender, teaching experience, and attitudes of teachers towards using ICT did not significantly predict their DT usage in their classroom activities. The results imply that though teachers had enough DT sources and positive attitude towards using those devices in their classroom activities, their DT usage was limited to few types of activities. For improving the quality of DT use in the classrooms by teachers, barriers to teachers’ successful technology integration in their classrooms should be determined.

Keywords

early childhood education, digital technologies, preschool teachers

References

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (2011). Policy statement—media use by children younger than 2 years. Pediatrics, 128(5), 1-7.
• Blackwell, C. (2013). Teacher practices with mobile technology: integrating tablet computers into the early childhood classroom. Journal of Education Research, 7(4), 1-25.
• Blackwell, C. K. (2015). Technology Use in Early Childhood Education: Investigating Teacher Access and Attitudes Toward Technology and the Effect of iPads on Student Achievement (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Northwestern, Evanston, IL, USA.
• Bolstad, R. (2004). The Role and Potential of ICT in Early Childhood Education: A Review of New Zealand and International Literature. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
• Chen, J.-Q., & Chang, C. (2006). Using computers in early childhood classrooms Teachers’ attitudes, skills and practices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 4(2), 169-188.
• Christakis, D. A., Ebel, B. E., Rivara, F. P., & Zimmerman, F. J. (2004). Television, video, and computer game usage in children under 11 years of age. The Journal of pediatrics, 145(5), 652-656.
• Clements, D. H., &Sarama, J. (2003). Young children and technology: What does the research say? Young Children, 58(6), 34-40.
• Cordes, C., & Miller, E. (Eds.). (2000). Fool’s Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood. College Park, MD, USA: Alliance for Childhood.
• Cuffaro, H. K. (1984). Microcomputers in education: Why is earlier better? Teachers College Record, 85(4), 559-568.
• Edwards, S. (2016). New concepts of play and the problem of technology, digital media and popular culture integration with play-based learning in early childhood education. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 25(4), 513-532.
• Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Addressing first-and second-order barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 47-61.
• Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2009). The nature of qualitative research. How to design and evaluate research in education (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
• Haugland, S. W. (2000). Early Childhood Classrooms in the 21st Century: Using Computers to Maximize Learning. Young Children, 55(1), 12-18.
• Healey, J. (1998). Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds – for Better or Worse. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
• Hew, K. F., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: Current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(3), 223-252.
• Hohmann, C. (1998). Evaluating and selecting software for children. Child Care Information Exchange, 9(98), 60-62.
• Hu, P. J.-H., Clark, T. H. K., & Ma, W. W. (2003). Examining technology acceptance by school teachers: a longitudinal study. Information & management, 41(2), 227-241.
• Ihmeideh, F. M. (2009). Barriers to the use of technology in Jordanian pre‐school settings. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 18(3), 325-341.
• Inan, F. A., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Factors affecting technology integration in K-12 classrooms: A path model. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58(2), 137-154.
• Jimoyiannis, A., &Komis, V. (2007). Examining teachers’ beliefs about ICT in education: Implications of a teacher preparation programme. Teacher Development, 11(2), 149-173.
• Kabadayı, A. (2006). Analyzing Pre-School Student Teachers’ and Their Cooperating Teachers’ Attitudes towards the Use of Educational Technology. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 5(4), 3-10.
• Kerckaert, S., Vanderlinde, R., & van Braak, J. (2015). The role of ICT in early childhood education: Scale development and research on ICT use and influencing factors. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 23(2), 183-199.
• Kol, S. (2012a). Evaluating the Opinions of the Preschool Teachers on Computer Assisted Education. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 12(2), 897-903.
• Kol, S. (2012b). Okul öncesi eğitimde teknolojik araç-gereç kullanımına yönelik tutum ölçeği geliştirilmesi [Developing an attitude scale for teachers’ attitude towards using technological devices in early childhood education]. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi [Kastamonu Journal of Education], 20(2), 543-554.
• Konca, A. S., Özel, E., & Zelyurt, H. (2016). Attitudes of preschool teachers towards using information and communication technologies (ICT). International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 2(1), 10-15.
• Korkmaz, F., & Ünsal, S. (2016). An investigation of preschool teachers’ perceptions on the concept of “Technology”. Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Graduate School of Social Sciences, 13(35), 194-212.
• Landerholm, E. (1995). Early childhood teachers’ computer attitudes, knowledge, and practices. Early Child Development and Care, 109(1), 43-60.
• Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2003). New technologies in early childhood literacy research: A review of research. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 3(1), 59-82.
• Learning & Teaching Scotland. (2003). Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. Glasgow, UK: Learning & Teaching Scotland.
• Lindahl, M. G., & Folkesson, A. M. (2012). Can we let computers change practice? Educators’ interpretations of preschool tradition. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(5), 1728-1737.
• Marsh, J., Brooks, G., Hughes, J., Ritchie, L., Roberts, S., & Wright, K. (2005). Digital Beginnings: Young children’s use of popular culture, media and new technologies. Sheffield, UK: University of Sheffield.
• Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı [Ministry of National Education]. (2013). Okul Öncesi Eğitim Programı [Early Childhood Education Curriculum]. Ankara, Turkey: MEB Talim Terbiye Kurulu.
• Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı [Ministry of National Education]. (2016). 2016 Yılı Hizmetiçi Eğitim Planı [Inservice Training Programme-2016]. Ankara, Turkey: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı. Retrieved from: http://personel.meb.gov.tr/www/icerik_goruntule.php?KNO=108.
• Mishra, P. K., & Joseph, A. (2012). Early childhood care & education: An ICT perspective. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 27(1).
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) & Fred Rogers Center. (2012). Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age. Retrieved from: http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PS_technology_WEB2.pdf.
• National Education Association- American Federation of Teachers (NEA-AFT). (2008). Access, adequacy, and equity in education technology: Results of a survey of America’s teachers and support professionals on technology in public schools and classrooms. Washington DC: National Education Association-American Federation of Teachers.
• Nikolopoulou, K., &Gialamas, V. (2015a). Barriers to the integration of computers in early childhood settings: Teachers’ perceptions. Education and Information Technologies, 20(2), 285-301.
• Nikolopoulou, K., &Gialamas, V. (2015b). ICT and play in preschool: early childhood teachers’ beliefs and confidence. International Journal of Early Years Education, 23(4), 409-425.
• Nikolopoulou, K., Gialamas, V., &Batsouta, M. (2008). Young children’s Access to and use of ICT at home. Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education, 4(1), 25-40.
• Plowman, L., & Stephen, C. (2005). Children, play and computers in pre-school education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(2), 145-157.
• Rideout, V. J., Vandewater, E. A., &Wartella, E. A. (2003). Zero to Six. Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation.
• Russell, M., Bebell, D., O’Dwyer, L., & O’Connor, K. (2003). Examining teacher technology use implications for preservice and inservice teacher preparation. Journal of Teacher Education, 54(4), 297-310.
• Sandberg, A. (2002). Preschool teacher’s conceptions of computers and play. Information Technology in Childhood Education Annual, 2002(1), 245-262.
• Sang, G., Valcke, M., van Braak, J., &Tondeur, J. (2010). Student teachers’ thinking processes and ICT integration: Predictors of prospective teaching behaviors with educational technology. Computers & Education, 54(1), 103-112.
• Sime, D., & Priestley, M. (2005). Student teachers’ first reflections on information and communications technology and classroom learning: implications for initial teacher education. Journal of computer assisted learning, 21(2), 130-142.
• Simsar, A., & Kadim, M. (2017). Okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin bilişim teknolojilerini kullanma durumlari ve bunun öğretime etkisi [The pre-school teachers' information technology use and its impacts on teaching]. Kilis 7 Aralık Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi [Kilis 7 Aralık University Journal of Social Sciences], 7(14), 127-146.
• Tezci, E. (2011). Turkish primary school teachers’ perceptions of school culture regarding ICT integration. Education Technology Research and Development, 59(3), 429-443.
• Tsitouridou, M., &Vryzas, K. (2004). The prospect of integrating ICT into the education of young children: The views of Greek early childhood teachers. European Journal of Teacher Education, 27(1), 29-45.
• Turbill, J. (2001). A researcher goes to school: Using technology in the kindergarten literacy curriculum. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 1(3), 255-279.
• Wartella, E., Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R., & Robb, B. R. (2013). Technology in the lives of educators and early childhood programs: 2012 Survey of Early Childhood educators. Latrobe, PA: The Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media.
• Webb, M., & Cox, M. (2004). A review of pedagogy related to information and communications technology. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 13(3), 235-286.
• Yelland, N. (2011). Reconceptualising Play and Learning in the Lives of Young Children. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(2), 4-12.
• Yurt, Ö., & Cevher-Kalburan, N. (2011). Early childhood teachers’ thoughts and practices about the use of computers in early childhood education. Procedia Computer Science, 3, 1562-1570.