Diagnostic assessment of the conceptual knowledge of technology in future teachers of Early Childhood Education

Resumen

Today’s society demands well-trained teachers who are able to integrate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in their everyday educational practice. Early childhood education, which is at the root of the rest of the entire educational system, cannot remain uninvolved in this demand. Digital competence is an ability which integrates knowledge, know-how and knowing how to be. In this paper we focus on the first of these elements in order to carry out a diagnostic assessment of the extent of knowledge that future teachers of Early Childhood Education possess in regard to ICT-related concepts. To do so we followed a quantitative methodology employing an online survey technique to collect the data and the descriptive and inferential method for data analysis. The sample comprised 332 students in their first year of the degree programme in Early Childhood Education at the University of Salamanca (Salamanca campus), was predominantly composed of women (98.6%) and ages ranged between 17 and 24 years. The main conclusion drawn is that these future teachers had practically no prior theoretical knowledge about technology. Therefore, universities should be one of the main institutions responsible for conceptual training so that future professionals in Early Childhood Education will be able to successfully integrate ICT in their educational practice