Swedish study reveals why digital tools in preschools often fail without teacher alignment
A study of 13 experienced preschool teachers found that integrating digital tools into science education works best when teachers share common educational philosophies. The research reveals a critical gap: different beliefs about how children learn within the same preschool community create implementation tensions that could derail broader digitalization efforts across the sector.
Originaltitel: Towards a digital preschool community: Applying activity theory to explore teachers' views and use of digital tools in science activities
<p>As a result of the increasing digitalisation of society, integration of digital tools has recently been madeimperative in Swedish preschool curricula. This study explores how experienced preschool teachers enactthis task when teaching science. Thematic analysis of 13 teachers’ descriptions of why and how they integratedigital tools revealed that digital tools were purposefully used to simultaneously expand science learningand foster fundamental values according to the curriculum. Children’s perspectives, interests, andagency were foregrounded in all activities, and digital and analogue tools were combined to complementchildren’s various ways of learning and provide opportunities for creativity and exploration. The use of Activity Theory as an analytical lens showed that varying epistemological views within communities mightcause tensions when experienced teachers pursue their visions of introducing digital tools. An implicationof the study is that varying epistemological views and competences within preschool communities need tobe resolved to pursue future digitalisation of preschool science at a larger scale.</p>