Using digital technology in early education teaching: Learning from teachers’ teaching practice with interactive whiteboard

This study aims to investigate the ways in which a particular digital technology, the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), mediates preschool teachers’ teaching. Over five months in 2017 and early spring 2018, five preschool teachers and 22 children aged 4–6 were video observed. By identifying aspects of IWB as a mediational means, the findings of the study have shed light on the relationship between mediational means and teachers’ mediated teaching actions and mapped what is privileged. This study highlights seven ways that using a particular digital technology, the IWB, informs teachers’ teaching practices. This study, furthermore, maps the possible consequences of using IWB in terms of opportunities and constraints in early education.

"[F]ully structured applications and pre-prepared teaching materials contribute to increased teacher control of the process of teaching and learning. Using fully structured applications can change not only the possible communications and interactions between teachers and children and among children, but can also minimise teachers’ opportunities to motivate, challenge and take into account children’s needs and perspectives.... [T[eachers cannot simply rely on marketed applications and pre-prepared digital materials, but they need to design learner-driven activities and environments that recognise and accommodate children’s needs and interests. The findings of this study, however, reveal some instances that show teachers’ ways of using IWB can promote children’s engagement in the teaching activities." (Author, 15)