Examining the ICT attitudes of kindergarten teachers and ICT use in children’s development

Abstract

The pedagogical application of digital tools has become a key issue even at the initial level of public education. This is evidenced by the fact that, while prior to 2019 only a limited number of studies addressed the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) among preschool- aged children (Hódi, Gál, Soós, Varga, Tóth & B. Németh, 2022), by 2022 the use of digital tools in early childhood had emerged as a prominent area of research (Tóth, Hódi & B. Németh, 2022a). In light of this development, the aim of the present study is to investigate a still relatively underexplored area: how currently practicing preschool teachers in Hungary relate to the use of ICT tools, and how they implement these tools within the classroom, taking into account the accessibility of such devices. The key findings of the research reveal a pronounced discrepancy between preschool teachers’ attitudes toward ICT and their actual use of such tools in classroom practice. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that nearly half of the examined institutions are inadequately equipped in terms of ICT infrastructure and internet access. Regarding practical usage, the results indicate that a significant proportion of preschool teachers primarily utilize ICT tools for administrative and communication purposes within the classroom. Only 42% report using these tools—typically computers or laptops—for developmental and assessment purposes with children. Among the educational software tools applied in this context, eDIFER stands out as the most commonly used program for both developmental and assessment activities.