The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of early childhood teachers' digital literacy on their digital play support capabilities, with a focus on examining the mediating effect of teaching creativity.
The subjects for inquiry of the re...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of early childhood teachers' digital literacy on their digital play support capabilities, with a focus on examining the mediating effect of teaching creativity.
The subjects for inquiry of the research are as follows:
1. How do digital literacy, teaching creativity, and digital play support capabilities vary according to the background variables of preschool teachers?
2. What is the relationship between early childhood teachers' digital literacy, teaching creativity, and digital play support capabilities?
3. Does teaching creativity mediate the influence of early childhood teachers' digital literacy on their digital play support capabilities?
In this study, 208 early childhood teachers' working at daycare centers and kindergartens in Seoul and Gyeonggi were surveyed. The research instruments used in this study are as follows.
First, to measure early childhood teachers' digital literacy, we utilized a diagnostic tool based on the instrument developed by Heo, Kyeong-A, and Jeong, Jeong-A (2011), which was subsequently revised and improved by Lee, Jin-A (2022). Second, to measure teaching creativity, we employed the measurement tool developed by Baek, Young-Sook, and Kim, Hee-Tae (2008). Third, for assessing digital play support capabilities, we utilized the measurement tool developed by Lee, Eun-Young (2021).
The data collected in this study were analyzed using the SPSS 29.0 program. Frequency analysis was conducted to examine background variables, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated for reliability verification. In order to explore differences in digital literacy, teaching creativity, and digital play support capabilities based on the background variables of infant teachers, chi-square tests and independent one-way ANOVA were conducted. Additionally, correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationships among the three variables. To validate the mediating effects, we conducted Baron and Kenny's (1986) three-step mediation analysis and confirmed the significance of the mediating effects through the Sobel test. This study's results can be summarized as follows.
First, early childhood teachers' digital literacy showed significant differences based on age, teaching experience, highest level of education, and the age group of the assigned class. Second, early childhood teachers' teaching creativity exhibited significant differences based on their highest level of education and the age group of the classes they taught. Third, digital play support capabilities among early childhood teachers' showed significant differences based on age and their participation in digital-related education. Furthermore, when specifically examining the relationships among the sub-factors of each variable, static correlations were observed among all sub-factors of each variable.
Fifth, when investigating the mediating effect of teaching creativity in the relationship between early childhood teachers' digital literacy and digital play support capabilities, teaching creativity was found to partially mediate the relationship between digital literacy and digital play support capabilities. Through the results of this study, it was observed that there are significant static correlations among early childhood teachers' digital literacy, teaching creativity, and digital play support capabilities. Additionally, the study revealed that teaching creativity plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between early childhood teachers' digital literacy and digital play support capabilities. This implies the importance of teacher training and program development aimed at enhancing both digital literacy and teaching creativity to effectively leverage preschool teachers' competence in supporting digital play.