Abstract:

Modern digital tools are rapidly transforming various areas of life, ranging from business processes to communication and information sharing. This shift also influences the selection of teaching and learning methods, making the development of digital competences essential already at the early stages of education. Documents regulating pre-school education in Lithuania highlight the importance of fostering digital literacy in order to prepare children for successful future learning and everyday life. The Preschool Education Curriculum outlines children’s initial steps into the digital world by introducing them to digital tools and encouraging their responsible and creative use during the learning process. Digital tools are increasingly integrated into different learning areas with the aim of developing children’s thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Teachers are expected to explore possibilities for adapting digital tools and digital content in various educational activities, as their use can save time when planning or assessing learning and can make activities more efficient due to widely accessible online resources. For children, the learning process becomes more engaging and motivating, increasing their involvement while simultaneously fostering the digital literacy essential in contemporary society.

The aim of the study was to analyse teachers’ experiences in using digital tools in the education of preschool-age children.

Methodology. To theoretically substantiate the relevance of using digital tools in pre-school education, scientific, pedagogical, psychological, and methodological literature was analysed. To reveal teachers’ experiences, a qualitative research strategy was applied using an open-ended questionnaire for teachers. Qualitative content analysis was employed to examine the collected data. The research sample consisted of 19 pre-school teachers and was formed using convenient, non-probabilistic sampling. Ethical principles including respect for participants’ privacy, confidentiality, and anonymity were strictly followed.

The empirical results showed that pre-school teachers most frequently use digital tools during learning activities to present educational content and to foster children’s creativity. The use of digital tools contributes to the development of children’s technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking. The study identified the most commonly used digital technologies and the digital applications most frequently selected for creative tasks in art, dance, music, language learning, and introductory programming. Respondents emphasized the importance of selecting digital tools that are appropriate for delivering educational content and meeting children’s needs. The findings also indicated which aspects of digital literacy are effectively developed and which are less effectively enhanced through the use of digital tools.

Keywords:

Teachers, experiences, pre-school education, digital literacy, digital tools, digital technologies, digital content.