Abstract
Dispositions towards use of digital technologies in modern early childhood settings have dramatically transformed aspects in education sector through development and integration of technology into education policy, curriculum and practice. Digital technology as a tool in instruction benefits learner’s fine motor skills, language and communication readiness, mathematical thinking as well as positive attitudes towards learning. Conversely inadequate educational and digital competence hampers teachers in Early Childhood Education (ECE) access to digital technology. This study assessed ways in which teachers in ECE in Kenya access digital technologies. It was designed as a two-phase exploratory mixed methods study. The design allowed collection of data from two groups of ECE educators: case study and survey teachers. Case-studies of two ECE centers (low and high technology) involving 11 ECE teachers were compared in order to examine similarities and differences in access to digital technologies. Similarly, teachers (n=508) in two education zones were surveyed and drawn in terms of similarities and differences in access to digital technologies. Findings indicated that ECE teachers in Kenya have limited access to digital technologies due to non-availability in ECE teaching and learning environments. To address this challenge, the study recommends Ministry of education to put emphasis on funding technology resources in early childhood settings. Furthermore, teachers in ECE should be exposed to a variety of developmentally appropriate digital technologies in order to effectively enhance teaching and learning.
Highlights
Children in contemporary early childhood settings live in a world enveloped by technological innovation at home and in school causing challenges to parents, teachers, policy makers as well as curricular that meets needs of modern society
This study found that teachers in Early Childhood Education (ECE) across the entire County of study had limited access to digital technologies in teaching and learning environments due to non-availability
It needs to be noted that four teachers at the high technology setting did not access digital technologies in the computer laboratory that was located in a primary school attached to ECE centre of practice
Summary
Children in contemporary early childhood settings live in a world enveloped by technological innovation at home and in school causing challenges to parents, teachers, policy makers as well as curricular that meets needs of modern society. When exposed to appropriate technologies, children become independent in learning and are more likely to grow into autonomous and successful technology users In support of this contention, Yelland, (2010), opined that digital technology instruction aids learning predominantly mathematical skills, implying that sorting activities could be just as easy through use of computers as with use of concrete materials. In this regard, adequate access to technology may provide basic skills in which children acquire competency in order to be successful in school and develop skills critical for high order thinking
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