Digital Provision, Educators’ Attitudes and Use in Early Learning Settings: Ready to Implement the EYLF V2.0?

Abstract

An update of the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 emphasises the thoughtful, balanced and purposeful integration of digital technology in facilitating positive outcomes for children’s learning, development and wellbeing. In addition, educators are asked to support families with eSafety, yet it is unclear how educators are poised to respond to these changes. Within a post-positivist frame, 123 Australian early learning educators described their workplace digital provision, digital knowledge, skills, confidence and attitudes through a national online survey. Findings show that educators were confident about their own personal digital use, however their attitudes varied towards the use of digital technologies with children. Although most felt confident in their knowledge and skills of how to use digital technologies with children, many educators did not plan for children’s digital learning and there was negligible difference in how often educators used digital technology across different aged rooms (birth to age 5 years).