This study was purposed to develop a computer training program for early childhood teachers. The developed program would help the teachers to have critical attitude and necessary skills to access useful information using a computer and to appropriatel...
This study was purposed to develop a computer training program for early childhood teachers. The developed program would help the teachers to have critical attitude and necessary skills to access useful information using a computer and to appropriately respond to the changing educational environment by adopting computers in schools and workplace. Extensive literature regarding of computer training was reviewed to establish the foundation of the model program. In addition, a survey was conducted to understand early childhood teachers´ perceptions of the needs for a computer training.
The major findings of this study were as below:
First, based upon the literature review, computer training programs have foster the teachers´ comptence to judge the educational values of a computer and actualize the values in teaching their students in the classrooms.
Second, most of the teachers responded to the survey recognized the needs for computer training to prepare teaching and working in the schools at the 21st century. The teachers expected to learn skills to manipulate computers most through the continuous practice. They preferred having the computer training the programs designed to meet trainee´s based on the results of preliminary test to measure their ability to use a computer.
Finally, based on the findings from the literature review and the results of the survey, this study established the direction, purpose, content, and procedures that a computer training program for early childhood teachers should be follow. In addition, this study provided two kinds of computer training programs for early childhood teachers that could be practiced for a short period of time.