Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine kindergarten teachers’ attitudes towards computers in the classroom. The sample consisted of two groups allocated in two different researches. The first group had 383 participants from the first research (spring 2007) and the second 295 participants from the second research (fall 2012). The participants in both groups were drawn from kindergarten teachers of public kindergartens in the area of Athens and Crete (Greece). In the first research, a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire with 49 questions was designed to assess the attitudes of kindergarten teachers towards computers. Due to factor analysis on the sample of the first research, the questionnaire items reduced to 30. Then, cluster analysis was applied to obtain three distinct clusters of the kindergarten teachers’ profiles: the neutral, the sceptic and the optimistic kindergarten teachers. Finally, a comparison among the characteristics of the first research of kindergarten teachers (383) and the second research (295) was done. The three profiles of kindergarten teachers were summarized and the changes of recent years were discussed in hope that they may provide useful information on the education challenges of the kindergarten curriculum.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Angeli, C. (2004). The effects of case-based learning on early childhood pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the pedagogical uses of ICT. Journal of Educational Media, 29(2), 139–151.
Angeli, C., & Valanides, N. (2005). Preservice teachers as ICT designers: an instructional design model based on an expanded view of pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 21(4), 292–302.
Baron, G.-L., & Harrari, M. (2005). ICT in French primary education, twenty years later: infusion or transformation? Education and Information Technologies, 10(3), 147–156.
Bryman, A. (1989). Research methods and organizational studies. London: Unwin Hyman.
Chen, J., & Chang, C. (2006). Using computers in early childhood classrooms: teachers’ attitudes, skills and practices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 4(2), 169–188.
Drenoyianni, H. (2004). Designing and implementing a project-based ICT course in a teacher education setting: rewards and pitfalls. Education and Information Technologies, 9(4), 387–404.
Fisher, T., Denning, T., Higgins, C., & Loveless, A. (2012). Teachers’ knowing how to use technology: exploring a conceptual framework for purposeful learning activity. Curriculum Journal, 23(3), 307–325. doi:10.1080/09585176.2012.703492.
Hair, J. F., Jr., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. G. (1998). Multivariate data analysis (5th ed.). London: Prentice-Hall.
Hellenic Ministry of Greek National Education & Pedagogical Institute (HMNE-PI). (2003). A cross thematic curriculum framework for compulsory education (Diathematikon Programma). Retrieved from http://www.pischools.gr/programs/depps/.
Hermans, R., Tondeur, J., Van-Braak, J., & Valcke, M. (2008). The impact of primary school teachers’ educational beliefs on the classroom use of computers. Computers & Education, 51(4), 1499–1509.
Jimoyiannis, A., & Komis, V. (2007). Εxamining teachers’ beliefs about ICT in education: implications of a teacher preparation programme. Teacher Development, 11(2), 149–173.
Kalogiannakis, M. (2010). Training with ICT for ICT from the trainer’s perspective. A Greek case study. Education and Information Technologies, 15(1), 3–17.
Kumar, P., & Kumar, A. (2003). Effect of a web-based project on preservice and inservice teachers’ attitude toward computers and their technology skills. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 19(3), 87–92.
Livingstone, S. (2012). Critical reflections on the benefits of ICT in education. Oxford Review of Education, 38(1), 9–24. doi:10.1080/03054985.2011.577938.
Loveless, A., & Dore, B. (Eds.). (2002). ICT in the primary school. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Ma, W., Anderson, R., & Streith, K. (2005). Examining user acceptance of computer technology: an empirical study of student teachers. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 21(6), 387–395.
Minaidi, A., & Hlapanis, G. (2005). Pedagogical obstacles in teacher training in information and communication technology. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 14(2), 241–254.
Ministry of Education & University of Ioannina. (2008). Program academic & professional upgrade primary school teachers, Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://protagoras.edu.uoi.gr/eksomoiosi/ypoerg.htm.
Mumtaz, S. (2000). Factors affecting teachers’ use of information and communications technology: a review of the literature. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 9, 319–341.
Pelgrum, W. (2001). Obstacles to the integration of ICT in education: results from a worldwide educational assessment. Computers and Education, 37(2), 163–178.
Pope, M., Hare, D., & Howard, E. (2002). ICT integration: closing the gap between what preservice teachers are taught to do and what they can do. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 10, 191–203.
Saiti, A., & Saitis, C. (2006). In-service training for teachers who work in full-day schools. Evidence from Greece. European Journal of Teacher Education, 29(4), 455–470.
Selinger, M. (2001). Learning information and communications technology skills and the subject context of the learning. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 10, 143–154.
Selwyn, N. (2000). Researching computers and education - glimpses of the wider picture. Computers and Education, 34(2), 93–101.
Shade, D., & Davis, B. (1997). The role of computer technology in early childhood education. In J. Isenberg & M. Jalongo (Eds.), Major trends and issues in early childhood education (pp. 90–103). New York: Teachers College Press.
Shields, M., & Behrman, R. (2000). Children and computer technology: Analysis and recommendations. In R. E. Behrman (Ed.), Future of children (pp. 4–30). Los Altos: David and Lucille Packard Foundation.
Sime, D., & Priestley, M. (2005). Student teachers’ first reflections on information and communications technology and classroom learning: implications for initial teacher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 21(2), 130–142.
Stephen, C., & Plowman, L. (2003). ‘Come back in two years!’ A study of the use of ICT in preschool settings. Dundee: Learning & Teaching Scotland. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/earlyyears/resources/publications/ltscotland/ComeBackinTwoYears.asp.
Tao, Y.-H., & Rosa Yeh, C.-C. (2008). Typology of teacher perception toward distance education issues – a study of college information department teachers in Taiwan. Computers & Education, 50, 23–36. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2006.03.005.
Tondeur, J., van Braak, J., & Valcke, M. (2007). Towards a typology of computer use in primary education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 23, 197–206. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2006.00205.x.
Tselfes, V., & Paroussi, A. (2008). Science and theatre education: a cross-disciplinary approach of scientific ideas addressed to student teachers of early childhood education. Science & Education, 18(9), 1115–1134.
Tsitouridou, M., & Vryzas, K. (2003). Early childhood teachers’ attitudes towards computer and information technology: the case of Greece. Information Technology in Childhood Education Annual, 1, 187–207.
Tsitouridou, M., & Vryzas, K. (2004). The prospect of integrating ICT into the education of young children: the views of Greek early childhood teachers. European Journal of Teacher Education, 27(1), 29–45.
Wedman, J., & Diggs, L. (2001). Identifying barriers to technology-enhanced learning environments in teacher education. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 421–430.
Wetzel, K., Wilhelm, L., & Williams, M. K. (2004). The introductory technology course: a tool for technology integration. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 3, 453–465.
Wheeler, S. (2001). Information and communication technologies and the changing role of the teacher. Journal of Educational Media, 26, 7–17.
Yildirim, S. (2000). Effects of an educational computing course on preservice and inservice teachers: a discussion and analysis of attitudes and use. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32(4), 479–496.
Zaranis, N., & Oikonomidis, V. (2009). ICT in preschool education. Athens: Grigoris Publications. Text in Greek.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zaranis, N., Oikonomidis, V. Profiling the attitudes of Greek kindergarten teachers towards computers. Educ Inf Technol 20, 201–215 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-013-9296-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-013-9296-2