EARLY CHILDHOOD PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES OF TEACHING SCIENCE USING DIGITAL TOOLS

Abstract

The integration of digital tools into early childhood science education creates new possibilities for interactive and engaging learning experiences, enabling young children to understand abstract scientific concepts better and stimulate their curiosity. These technologies have the potential to reshape how children explore scientific ideas by engaging with concepts through digital tools. However, despite these promising opportunities, their use also presents several challenges for educators. Framed by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, this qualitative case study examined the experiences and educational practices of preservice teachers as they integrated digital tools during their teaching practicum. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations involving ten preservice teachers, and were analyzed thematically. The findings reveal that participants mainly selected digital tools based on pedagogical considerations, including learner engagement, conceptual understanding, and alignment with the curriculum. While participants reported positive effects on learners, they also identified several constraints related to the use of digital tools and emphasized the need for professional training. This study concludes that meaningful technology integration in early childhood science education is driven by pedagogy rather than technology itself. Such integration is strengthened through coherent, practice-oriented preservice teacher preparation that aligns theoretical knowledge with scaffolded opportunities for classroom enactment and reflection. Keywords: digital tools, early childhood education, preservice teachers, technology integration, TPACK