This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Open AccessArticle
Effects of Teachers’ Media Utilization and Computational Thinking on Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Education
by
Mi-Young An
Mi-Young An 1 and
Kwang-Seong Shin
Kwang-Seong Shin 2,*
1
Department of Earlychildhood Education, Cheju Halla University, 38 Halladaehak-ro, Jeju-si 63092, Jeju-do, Republic of Korea
2
Departmrnt of Computer Engineering, 255, Jungang-ro, Suncheon-si 57922, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5773; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135773 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 4 May 2024
/
Revised: 24 June 2024
/
Accepted: 3 July 2024
/
Published: 6 July 2024
Abstract
(1) Background: The study aims to analyze the degree of media use among early childhood teachers and the correlations between their computational thinking, playfulness, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. It confirms a strong correlation between playfulness and problem-solving abilities and investigates whether higher levels of computational thinking are associated with higher levels of playfulness. This research is positioned within the context of sustainable development in early childhood education, emphasizing the importance of integrating digital literacy and computational thinking skills to promote sustainability. (2) Methods: The research was conducted on teachers working in daycare centers and kindergartens in Jeju Island, South Korea. A total of 203 questionnaires were collected, employing descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. (3) Results: The study found that teachers’ degree of media literacy affects their media use. Additionally, the higher the degree of computational thinking, the more significant the effect on early childhood teachers’ playfulness. Furthermore, early childhood teachers’ playfulness, creativity, and problem-solving skills were all significantly correlated overall. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest that if teachers take an interest in IT media and find ways to use it positively, it will have a positive effect on early childhood education. Moreover, increasing computational thinking skills will enable the effective use of various tools, positively impacting teachers’ roles. The study proposes that enhancing early childhood teachers’ playfulness, creativity, and problem-solving skills will contribute to sustainable development in early childhood education.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
An, M.-Y.; Shin, K.-S.
Effects of Teachers’ Media Utilization and Computational Thinking on Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Education. Sustainability 2024, 16, 5773.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135773
AMA Style
An M-Y, Shin K-S.
Effects of Teachers’ Media Utilization and Computational Thinking on Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Education. Sustainability. 2024; 16(13):5773.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135773
Chicago/Turabian Style
An, Mi-Young, and Kwang-Seong Shin.
2024. "Effects of Teachers’ Media Utilization and Computational Thinking on Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Education" Sustainability 16, no. 13: 5773.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135773
Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details
here.
Article Metrics
Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.