Exploring the Readiness of Early Childhood Development Environments to Integrate ICT: Assessing Stakeholder Capacity

The paper explored the integration processes and challenges of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in early childhood development (ECD) curriculum. The developmentally appropriate practice theory was employed to uncover procedures and challenges of ICT integration in early childhood development environments. The focus was on the barriers that early childhood development institutions face in their efforts to integrate ICT in the ECD curriculum and to uncover pockets of good practices that are experienced in the institutions. Researchers used the Mixed method research approaches to uncover issues of ICT integration in ECD institutions. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to collect quantitative data, while face-to-face interviews and observation schedules were used to gather qualitative data on the readiness and capacities of ECD institutions to integrate information communication technology in the curriculum. The study uncovered numerous barriers that hindered full integration of ICT in the ECD curriculum. Institutional challenges include the lack of capacities for teachers, school heads and parents. In spite of the global and national policies that call for the exploration of integration of ICT in all facets of the curriculum, challenges continue to haunt young children’s learning. The identified barriers went beyond inadequate or poor ICT resources, to include lack of ICT competencies among teachers, school heads, and parents who were expected to assist learners in acquisition of the desired skills. The challenges impacted heavily on ICT integration as the young learners failed to get the requisite assistance from others. Researchers further noted that ECD institutions lacked support from both public and private sectors for continuous professional development of teachers and school heads to enhance capacities and opportunities for effective ICT integration. Findings show some good ICT integration practices across the sampled schools, such as educational exchange programmes for teachers, which improved networking opportunities for those involved. The paper concluded that because of limited private and public commitment to support ICT integration in the ECD sector, government efforts are not fulfilled. Researchers recommend a holistic ICT integration roadmap at ECD level that supports the learners, teachers, school heads, and parents, enabled by policy reforms, and a multiplicity of teacher training models. There should be improved funding from the business community, targeting efforts to improve ICT integration in the ECD sector programme. Attention to these issues allows ECD learners to have a strong foundation for information communication technology, and opens avenues for support from critical stakeholders.