Barriers to the use of technology in Jordanian pre‐school settings

Abstract

Technology has increasingly become an important and accepted tool in early childhood education classrooms. Despite its power and significance in supporting children's development, early childhood educators still struggle with using technology in their teaching practice. This study investigated the barriers to the use of technology in Jordanian pre‐school education. Interviews with pre‐school teachers (n = 30) and principals (n = 15) were conducted. Results indicated that the lack of software, funds, time and technology skills were found to be the main barriers to using technology in most Jordanian pre‐school settings. Moreover, the results revealed that most pre‐school teachers were aware of the value of using technology for learning and teaching, whereas principals were not certain about its benefits for children. The study concludes with putting forward a number of practical and theoretical recommendations for the field of study.

Keywords:

• technology
• pre‐school setting
• pre‐school teacher
• principal