TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of TPACK contextual factors on early childhood educators' tablet computer use
AU - Blackwell, Courtney K.
AU - Lauricella, Alexis R.
AU - Wartella, Ellen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/7
Y1 - 2016/7
N2 - Tablet computers are increasingly becoming commonplace in classrooms around the world. More than half of early childhood educators in the U.S. now have access to tablets, making it imperative to understand how they are using the device and what influences such use. The current study draws on survey data from 411 preschool educators serving 3- to 5-year-olds in school-based, center-based, and Head Start preschool programs to investigate how TPACK contextual factors (e.g., student background, teacher attitudes, and school support) influence teachers' traditional and student-centered tablet computer practices. Results suggest that teacher-level factors - especially positive attitudes toward technology - are most influential. Overall, this study emphasizes the need for preschool teachers and teacher educators to understand and address the critical contextual factors of tablet computer use in preschool education. Implications for education policy include expanding traditional funding models beyond technology access to provide on-going educator support, and developing new initiatives that encourage novel professional development models based on the same learned-centered practices that teachers are encouraged to use themselves.
AB - Tablet computers are increasingly becoming commonplace in classrooms around the world. More than half of early childhood educators in the U.S. now have access to tablets, making it imperative to understand how they are using the device and what influences such use. The current study draws on survey data from 411 preschool educators serving 3- to 5-year-olds in school-based, center-based, and Head Start preschool programs to investigate how TPACK contextual factors (e.g., student background, teacher attitudes, and school support) influence teachers' traditional and student-centered tablet computer practices. Results suggest that teacher-level factors - especially positive attitudes toward technology - are most influential. Overall, this study emphasizes the need for preschool teachers and teacher educators to understand and address the critical contextual factors of tablet computer use in preschool education. Implications for education policy include expanding traditional funding models beyond technology access to provide on-going educator support, and developing new initiatives that encourage novel professional development models based on the same learned-centered practices that teachers are encouraged to use themselves.
KW - Early childhood education
KW - Logistic regression
KW - TPACK
KW - Tablet computer
KW - Technology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84962034196&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84962034196&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.compedu.2016.02.010
DO - 10.1016/j.compedu.2016.02.010
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84962034196
SN - 0360-1315
VL - 98
SP - 57
EP - 69
JO - Computers and Education
JF - Computers and Education
ER -