Using New Technology in Kindergarten Activities - A Real Necessity?
Using New Technology in Kindergarten Activities - A Real Necessity?
Using New Technology in Kindergarten Activities - A Real Necessity?
a real necessity?
Oana Rou Stoican, Cornelia tefnescu, Valeriu tefnescu
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
E-mail:stefanescuvaleriu@gmail.com
Abstract
New technologies exercise a direct influence on the transmission of information as well as on
social skills formation in school. The existence of these technologies in the child's life, but
also in the educational environment has generated and still generates constant change, on the
one hand, in terms of life experience and, on the other hand, in pedagogical area, as a
resource, means, interactive teaching strategy.This study is an investigation into the place
and role of the computer in teaching activities is kindergarten. The population investigated,
consisting of pre-school teachers, members of the Association of Educators in Romania,
presented interest in terms of how they perceive and use into their own activity modern
means, considering that the sample had a heterogeneous structure. Thus the subjects were
positioned according to criteria such as: level of education, teaching experience, the level of
continuous training, area of origin, which enabled the collection of data relevant to the
subject. Assuming that the computer facilitates the work of the teacher, we found different
degrees of involvement of the various types of modern activities with preschoolers mandatory optional and complementary activities - which shows that the place and role of
new technologies are determined by a number of factors related to: teacher's competence and
creativity in sketching the design of activities, levels and training needs of preschoolers,
material resources and the allocated time.
Keywords: Instruction : new technologies, kindergarten, computer, activities with preschoolers.
321
322
post-
graduates
university
masters
graduates
studies
scool
graduates
teachers
323
The good material endowment available to kindergartens in urban areas, but also to a large part
of those in rural areas, constitutes a favorable opportunity to use new technologies in good
condition.
b. Type of kindergarten. The surveyed teachers originate relatively equally both from
kindergarten with regular schedule (34) and also from kindergartens with extended schedule (29).
This aspect is relevant for the present research as the time spent in kindergarten with regular
schedule is different in terms of quantity from the time spent in kindergartens with extended
program, offering more opportunities for exploiting new technologies, given a wider range of
activities possible.
c. The group type . The sample consists of 30 subjects that develop their activity in simple
groups and 33 teachers from combined groups. the remarkable homogeneity of the sample can be
also observed in this aspect. The combined groups activity is characterized by a certain specific,
involving a higher degree of difficulty both in organizing and in choosing teaching strategies.
33%
46%
48%
54%
67%
52%
urban areas
rural areas
simple groups
combined groups
324
online resources
educational software
DVD player
CD player
proj ector
computer
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
new technologies
individual study
creating teaching
materials needed
educational activities
10
20
30
use of computers
40
50
60
Item 4 shows the frequency of computer usage in teaching preschoolers by the 56 subjects.
Most of the subjects (23) use the computer 2-3 times a week at various times of teaching, 14 of
them weekly, 12 daily, and 7 occasionally. These data lead to the conclusion that the computer is a
constant presence in establishing didactic strategies of preschool activities proving its utility.
Also by reporting these results to age indicator, we found a uniform distribution of the use of new
technologies in all four age groups discussed. This indicates the presence of technological skills at
any age, skills derived from necessity and usefulness of these tools in the field of preschool
education.
occasionally
daily
them w eekly
2-3 tim es a w eek
0
10
15
20
25
The activity in kindergartens involves a specific progress consisting of freely chosen activities
(FCA), activities in experiential areas (AEA), personal development activities (PDA) and
325
10
20
30
40
50
60