Abstract
<p style="text-align:justify">Young pupils engage with technology daily, however, the use that preschool teachers make of technologies and their level of digital expertise are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to determine how these teachers make use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and the frequency with which they use them, as well as to explore the sociodemographic and professional factors related to the different uses. 477 preschool teachers from Spain took part in a survey. The questionnaire, validated by experts, covered the use of ICT as a teaching-learning tool. Three different analyses were carried out, a principal component analysis and a descriptive analysis to determine the type and intensity of use and a multivariate analysis of variance to explore their relationships with sociodemographic and professional variables. The findings defined eight distinct uses of ICT, which seemed to be related to different factors. Teachers did not employ these technologies openly and consistently in their classrooms, but instead used them for occasional tasks that were administrative and bureaucratic in nature. They manifest a limited ICT use for assessment of pupil and for communication and exchange of ideas, information and materials. Instead, ICT were widely used to prepare classroom work (planning, classroom posters…) and as classroom support as a learning tool (routines, games, to record audios…). Among the studied variables, the more significant were teaching experience and type of centre. We discuss the need to advocate for continuous and comprehensive training on the educational potential of these digital resources.</p>
Highlights
Even though young children already start school with multiple experiences with technology, the use and digital competences of Early Childhood Education (ECE, hereafter) teachers are largely unknown
Young pupils engage with technology daily, the use that preschool teachers make of technologies and their level of digital expertise are largely unknown
The objective of this study was to determine how these teachers make use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and the frequency with which they use them, as well as to explore the sociodemographic and professional factors related to the different uses. 477 preschool teachers from Spain took part in a survey
Summary
Even though young children already start school with multiple experiences with technology, the use and digital competences of Early Childhood Education (ECE, hereafter) teachers are largely unknown. Young children who reach schooling age already possess technological skills from their experiences at home (Kaye, 2017; Romero et al, 2019). Nikolopoulou et al (2010) show that most of the children aged between 4 and 6 use the computer as well as a wide range of technologies available in their homes. Marsh et al (2005), McKenney and Voogt (2010) and McPake et al (2005) confirm these findings and reaffirm the existence of a family context in which ICT are available to children from an early age. It is recognised that small children are immersed in digital technologies at home, and are competent users as well (Mertala, 2017; Plowman et al, 2008). McKenney and Voogt (2010) emphasize that children use technology even before they know how to read and write, so that their leisure and learning are determined by the technologies found in their surroundings (Edwards, 2016; Roberts-Holmes, 2014)
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