Abstract
Young children interact with a wide range of digital technologies in their everyday lives and become competent users of computers, tablets, etc. The purpose of this study was to investigate preschool teachers’ practices regarding ICT-supported early language and mathematics learning. The participants were eight teachers and data were collected via semi-structured interviews, inGreece. The most commonly reported purposes for ICT usage in preschool classes were searching for information, as a supplementary-supportive tool and for displaying educational video/pictures. The learning activities carried out in early language learning via ICT included displaying of pictures/ drawings, writing a word/name/date, practicing letters, connecting words to their sound/image and phonological awareness (for familiarization with the written word, oral language, enhancement of vocabulary etc). The learning activities carried out in early mathematics with the support of ICT included serialization-sorting of objects, learning of time and space concepts, familiarization with numbers, classification, matching, as well as activities with shapes, colors, and memory cards. Teachers’ practices have implications for teacher professional development.
Highlights
Today’s young children interact with a wide range of digital technologies (ICT) in their everyday lives and become competent users of devices, such as computers, tablets, video game consoles, digital video and communication based devices, without any formal instruction
The purpose of this study was to investigate early childhood teachers’ practices when ICT is used to support early language and mathematics learning in kindergarten settings
The most commonly reported purposes were searching for information (6 references), as a supplementary-supportive tool (4 references) and displaying of educational video/pictures (4 references), followed by listening to music/songs, and enhancement of preschool subjects
Summary
Research studies throughout the years (e.g., Clements, 1994; Clements & Sarama, 2003; Stephen & Plowman, 2003; McKenney & Voogt, 2012; Nikolopoulou, 2018) have indicated that ICT/technology can be used as a tool to support children’s learning and development, a tool which can assist communication, collaboration, creativity and language development in young children. Fewer studies reported on teachers’ practices regarding ICT supported-mediated language and mathematics learning in early childhood education (ECE) settings (Nikolopoulou, 2014a; Romero-Tena et al, 2020). The purpose of this study was to investigate early childhood teachers’ practices when ICT is used to support early language and mathematics learning in kindergarten settings. Before the literature review section, the Greek context is briefly described
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