‘We have to be professional’ – Swedish preschool teachers’ conceptualisation of digital media

Patrik Hernwall

doi:10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2016-01-01

Abstract

This paper describes how a group of preschool teachers participating in a design workshop sketched ideas for how ICT (information and communication technology) can be developed in relation to preschool practice. The design process, which was modelled on creative research methods and future workshops, is presented in detail. The main findings, based on a data-driven analysis of verbal and written statements and design sketches, show that ICT is mainly conceptualised as either a possibility in the support of specific competences (such as language development) or a threat to, for example, the notion of real communication and also to well-established conceptualisations of preschool practice.

Highlights

The objective for the workshop was to investigate how preschool teachers conceptualise digital media by focusing on what possibilities and obstacles they experience in using tablets, and information and communication technology (ICT) in general, in their everyday pedagogical profession
The thematic analysis justifies two sets of conclusions: how reasons and arguments can be understood in relation to the notion of digital competence, and the relationship between pedagogical practice and the appropriation of ICT
The design ideas need to be understood in this context, where preschool practice and preschool teachers struggle to develop a new relationship between technology and digital media, and pedagogical practice and the pedagogical framework

Summary

A WORKSHOP AS A DESIGN-ORIENTED APPROACH

A workshop allows for interesting data collection methods compared to the perhaps more frequently used verbal interviews or ethnographic on-site observations. The first part of this phase in the conducted workshop was to discuss visions about future use of ICT in preschools, whereas the second part of phase 3 was to sketch design ideas of how ICT can be used in preschools. This latter part of the third phase was the main part of the workshop. The preschool teachers were invited by an official from the municipality, based on their either actively working with the implementation or use of ICT in a preschool, or showing great interest in ICT as a pedagogical tool This official was present at the workshop, giving feedback ( maintaining a relatively low profile) on the discussions. My previous experience of organising workshops, together with my preschool teacher exam and work experience, helped me differentiate between and, to some extent, balance those roles, a recurrent challenge in participatory design approaches (Knutsson et al, 2011; Read et al, 2002)

Introduction

CONCLUSIONS

DISCUSSION