EDUCATORS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF TECHNOLOGY INTRODUCTION PRACTICES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILDREN THROUGH THEIR CREATIVE THINKING APPROACH

Michael Vitoulis

Abstract


Technology is widely recognized as an important factor in early childhood education and can play an important role in the education of young children. To make effective use of technology in young children's learning, the extent to which, how, and when digital media are integrated is important. Reflecting on how children discover uses of technology helped professionals to question the purpose of ICT and to formulate, reflect, define, reflect, and ensure changes in pedagogy. This study explores the potential technology learning practices that prospective educators would choose to introduce early childhood children to the use of technology through their creative thinking approach. Based on the research findings, it is clear how future educators will attempt to introduce children to the use of technology. 519 prospective educators participated in the survey as part of their studies at the Faculty of Early Childhood Education and Care in Greece. The prospective educators seem to prefer teaching methods that give the child room for initiative and self-activity. On the contrary, the more traditional methods exploited to teach the use of digital media do not seem to be the most effective in the long run, as the trainee educators do not seem to believe in their effectiveness. Of particular interest is the observation that the selection of software to promote creativity correlates positively with didactic practices of self-discovery. This is a research indicator that examines and analyzes the methods that future educators believe to be more effective, suggesting that these methods will be used in the future because they are professionals who have a critical impact on the education and care of children in early childhood.

 

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Keywords


digital pedagogy, technology learning practices, creative thought, teacher training, early childhood education, ICT

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejae.v7i2.4558

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