Preparing early childhood preservice teachers for digital practice in early childhood education and care: educators’ attitudes and perceptions

We investigated early childhood teacher education (ECTE) educators’ attitudes and perceptions toward preparing preservice teachers to use digital technology with children in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the concept of Professional Digital Competence (PDC), the study also explores the relationships between ECTE educators’ attitudes and the incorporation of the topic “using digital technology with children in ECEC” into their teaching. Survey data from Norwegian ECTE educators, including both quantitative and qualitative responses, reveal two main findings. Although there was a broad agreement on the importance of incorporating the topic into ECTE, this positive attitude was not necessarily related to its incorporation. Instead, educators’ attitudes toward the use of digital technology with children in ECEC emerged as significant factors with respect to their teaching choices.