Relationship between teachers' beliefs towards educational technologies and their use of information and communication technologies in early childhood education

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between preschool teachers' beliefs toward educational technologies and their use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in early childhood education. To examine this relationship, a correlational screening model, a quantitative research method, was used. The study sample consisted of 260 preschool teachers working in independent preschools and kindergartens affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Battalgazi and Yeşilyurt, the central districts of Malatya province, who were selected through a convenience sample selection using non-probability sampling methods. The data collection tools used in the study were the "Preschool Teachers' Belief Scale toward Educational Technologies," with an internal reliability coefficient of .80, and the "Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Early Childhood Scale," with an internal reliability coefficient of .91, respectively. A "Personal Information Form," prepared by the researcher, was used to obtain demographic information about the teachers and relate it to the study. Statistical analysis programs were used to analyze the research data. The majority of teachers in the study stated that they are active in students' acquisition of basic digital skills and that ICT plays a supporting role. Teachers' characteristics, such as age, gender, professional experience, level of education, length of technology use, ICT training status, and classroom use of ICT products, influence students' assessments of ICT use. Younger teachers, male teachers, and those with ICT training tend to rate information and communication technologies more highly. It was revealed that teachers' opinions are shaped more by individual attitudes, beliefs, and professional competencies, while external factors remain limited. The study concludes with recommendations to increase teachers' self-efficacy in technology integration, ensure more efficient use of technology in classroom practices, contribute to increased ICT use in early childhood education, and support teachers' strengthening of their beliefs in this area.