Two worlds collide? Mapping the third space of ICT integration in early childhood education

Abstract

The current stage of early years information and communication technology (ICT) integration research has been criticized for not paying enough attention to the unique pedagogical features of early childhood education. Similarly, children’s views about educational use of ICT have been underrepresented in research. This dissertation study contributes to resolving these gaps in the literature by exploring children’s ideas and preservice teachers’ beliefs regarding the role of ICT in early childhood education.The study consists of two data sets that are reported in three empirical articles. The first study focused on children’s ideas and their contextual roots. The second study explored preservice teachers’ beliefs about children and ICT at home. The third study investigated preservice teachers’ perceptions of ICT integration through the frames of teaching, education, and care, referred to as the EDUCARE approach. In this compilation, the findings of the empirical studies are scrutinized through the analytical device of third space theory.The findings suggest that there is a dissonance between the meanings children and preservice teachers give to ICT use. Children conceptualized ICT use as a leisure activity whereas preservice teachers approached ICT mainly through learning. The findings also imply that although EDUCARE has been described as a holistic framework in the context of ICT integration, the framework acts as a disintegrating vehicle: When ICT integration was approached from the perspective of teaching, the views were mainly positive. When the perspective was changed to care, the views were profoundly negative. Care-related concerns were associated with preservice teachers’ beliefs about children’s use of ICT at home being extensive and unregulated. Another exaggerated belief was considering children born-competent ICT users.The results of this study have several implications for early childhood education, as well as preservice teacher education. To make ICT pedagogy truly meaningful for children, ICT should be approached as a cultural form, and space should be given for children’s views, values, and experiences. Additionally, educational technology courses need to pay more attention to aspects of care, as well as to preservice teachers’ often unrealistic beliefs about children and technology.

Varhaiskasvatussuunnitelma osana ohjausjärjestelmää: Tieto- ja viestintäteknologian käytön ja digitaalisen osaamisen kontekstointi

“…Vaikka lasten digitaalinen osaaminen nähdään merkittävänä osana kansalaistaitoja, käyttävät varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaiset tieto-ja viestintäteknologiaa lasten kanssa vaihtelevasti (Mertala, 2018). Osa varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaisista on omaksunut digitaalisuuden osaksi työtään (Marklund, 2015;Mertala, 2018), toiset suhtautuvat siihen varauksellisesti (mm. Marklund & Dunkels, 2016) erityisesti, kun kyse on 3-vuotiaista tai sitä nuoremmista lapsista (Mertala, 2018).…”

“…Osa varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaisista on omaksunut digitaalisuuden osaksi työtään (Marklund, 2015;Mertala, 2018), toiset suhtautuvat siihen varauksellisesti (mm. Marklund & Dunkels, 2016) erityisesti, kun kyse on 3-vuotiaista tai sitä nuoremmista lapsista (Mertala, 2018). Osa varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaisista ei hyödynnä tieto-ja viestintäteknologiaa ollenkaan (Marklund, 2020) ja kokee teknologiaa hyödyntävien opetusmenetelmien jopa passivoivan lasta enemmän kuin perinteiset opetusmenetelmät (Dong & Newman, 2016;Istenic Starčič ym., 2016;Lindahl & Folkesson, 2012a;Marklund & Dunkels, 2016;Masoumi, 2015;Palaiolougou, 2016, Tokmak, 2013.…”

“…Journal of Early Childhood Education Research 12(2) 2023, 1-33. https://journal.fi/jecer TAULUKKO 3 Tieto-ja viestintäteknologian (TVT) käyttötavat lasten digitaalisen osaamisen lisäämiseksi varhaiskasvatussuunnitelman perusteiden luvuittain luokiteltuna. Mertala, 2018). Animaatioiden tekemisestä löytyi 9 osumaa sanahaulla.…”