La configuración relacional

Relational trust in this study takes into account the extent that teachers trusted technology to have a valid role and be of value in education, specifically whether or not they had a positive view of the three-way relationship between technologies, teaching and learning (Chapter Four). For the early childhood teachers who were interviewed relational trust was interpreted as them indicating that they trusted that the technology they used in their ECE setting could be and or was integrated into their pedagogical practice in a way that supported children’s learning and development. In other words, it addressed teacher values and beliefs about the use of ICT (see Chapter Two, section 2.6.2. The teacher interview data revealed 52 teacher comments indicating whether or not teachers trusted ICT to be of benefit to teaching and children’s learning. Teachers spoke about:

• Trusting that ICT supported teaching and learning

• Building their confidence with ICT use, that is developing a trust they could use it productively

• Concerns about ICT use

Table 10 contains the contribution counts for these themes. Table 10 Relational Trust

Relational trust themes Count

Trusting ICT supports teaching and learning 29 Confidence to use ICT in their teaching practice 12

Cautions and concerns about its use 11

Total number of contributions 52

Trusting ICT Supports Teaching and Learning

The strongest feature of relational trust present in the teacher data was the notion of trusting that the technology they used in their teaching practice supported children’s learning. Twenty-nine of the 52 teacher comments indicating relational trust detailed the range of ways that teachers believed technology supported children’s learning opportunities. The following five examples are representative of breadth of these ways.

trust can be inferred through the suggestion that ICT reinforces and has a positive influence on children’s learning. Put another way, this comment positions ICT as having a trustworthy role in children’s education.

Teachers’ views of trusting that technology had a role to play in supporting learning included the notion of immediacy as a valuable aspect of technology use when extending on children’s interest. TQ summed up this point of view when she described a situation at mat time where she responded to a child’s interest quickly through the use of the Internet. She said:

Today on the mat, the children were showing the boats that they had made, and someone wasn’t sure about how the sails worked on the boat, so while another teacher was taking the mat time, I whipped in here, Googled sailboats and was able to produce a picture immediately, and I was able to support that learning and show the children how the sails worked. (TQ)

A view of teachers trusting that children become more capable and competent users of technology when they have access to it, which then enhances their learning and development, was evident in comments such as this from TAC, who explained:

I believe children are capable of doing anything once shown. They just want to learn. It’s a great opportunity, and it’s down at their level too, you know, bring the computer down with them and let them explore, they can’t hurt it. It’s just another way of learning. (TAC)

Trusting that technology allows for flexibility in providing children educational experiences is evident in TAD’s comment: “I think technology is helpful in that it gives children a variety of ways for their life learning to fit in with education”. She indicated that ICT could respond to young children’s everyday learning and enable them to connect this with early childhood education. She implied that she trusted that ICT had the potential to support children as they continued to learn and grow.

TD suggested that ICT played a critical role in education in her comment: “I believe ICT is the key to education, nowadays” (TD). She implied a sense of trust that ICT provided access education in the 21st century.

TC mentioned that ICT supported children’s curiosity and created a sense of democracy. He stated:

I use ICT to support the empowerment of children in their enquiry, their curiosity, their problem solving. ICT plays a part in my democratic relationship with children. I believe it contributes and protects against teacher-dominated curriculum. It creates the democracy of the place. (TC)

Confidence to Use ICT in Their Teaching Practice

Twelve of the 52 teacher comments indicated a sense of trust in the technology to foster teaching and learning and alluded to the importance of having confidence in their ability to use the ICT tools. The following two examples encapsulate these views.

TZ suggested that it was important to have the ability to use ICT confidently otherwise teachers may not use it in their teaching practice. She commented, “I think it basically comes down to confidence, skills and trust, because if you can’t use it, you’re not going to use it with the children” (TZ).

TV indicated that she had chosen to study two online papers as a part of her degree to help her develop confidence. She stated that this had been a positive experience, which helped her to develop a trusting relationship with ICT.

I purposely chose two online papers to extend my knowledge and become more confident because I didn’t have any confidence, really, in using computers, and that made a huge difference in two ways. It made a difference to my confidence with ICT and my ability to trust ICT had a place in ECE teaching. (TV)

Overall, these teachers supported the view that becoming more confident and competent with their use of ICT enabled them to develop a trusting relationship with the technology in regard to using it in their teaching practice.

Teacher Cautions and Concerns about ICT Use

Eleven teacher commentaries mentioned cautions or concerns relating to the use of ICT in early childhood education. While the eleven teacher contributions implied that there was a place for ICT in teaching and learning, they expressed caution about its possible overuse, risks relating to cyber safety and a concern that perhaps children should wait until formal school before they encountered it. The following examples illustrate these views.

Concerns about safety

Six of the 52 teacher comments included a concern to make sure that ICT was safe for children. The following two examples are representative of the comments in this category.

TT mentioned cyber safety, and indicated that it was important to be aware of centre policies and procedures when using the Internet with young children. She remarked, “Knowing about cyber safety and all of those things, and the policies around that, I think that’s really important in teaching” (TT).

TH expressed a wish that the Internet could be a safe place where children could explore and play without the worry of keeping them safe. She commented, “I wish children could use the Internet without us having to worry about keeping them safe. However, I need to be aware of NetSafe, knowledge and understanding of cyber safety, teaching children to use it safely” (TH).

Concerns about over use

Five teacher comments identified other concerns about the role of ICT in early childhood education. TL and TT illustrate these. TL indicated that she was concerned about children spending too much time on the computer at the expense of spending time in other areas of play. She indicated that she would much prefer children to play in the outdoor area than be inside sitting at a computer as follows:

I’m very much an outdoor person, so I would much rather be outside and teaching children the real physical stuff than sitting down with children at a computer. I’m a little worried computers might take over from outside play if we are not careful. (TL)

A concern about ICT use prior to school

TT expressed the view that ICT belonged in school rather than in an early childhood setting. She explained:

Well I don’t believe we are here to teach them everything, you know, ICT in particular is part of school learning. I know that, in the journals, people are moving into these interactive boards and all this. I just think there’s going to be nothing new and exciting for these kids if we start to do a school programme here, there will be nothing new and exciting for them at school. (TT)

TT suggested the school environment was best suited for ICT and that by providing access to ICT in early childhood education it would take away some of the anticipation of learning new things when children moved on to school.

Through the data, teacher commentary categorised as relational trust, indicated that the use of ICT was considered to be both a valued and concerning aspect of teachers’ practice. From a positive perspective they reported it supported children’s learning opportunities. In contrast to this view other teachers indicated an awareness of possible negative aspects of ICT such as the risk of cyber safety and possible overuse of the technology at the expense of other activity. This suggests that a positive three-way relationship between technology, teaching and learning, including an understanding of possible negative impact of technology contributes to the appropriation of ICT for pedagogical purposes.