Perceived Impact of Digital Education in Early Childhood Education Practice in Delta State, Nigeria

The study investigated the perceived impact of Digital Education in Early Childhood Education Practice in Delta State Nigeria. Digital technologies are now used to enhance social inclusion and facilitate child-centered learning both formal and informal learning environment. However, the integration of digital education in early childhood education settings poses significant challenges for educators. The objective of the study was to investigate the perceived impact of Digital education in Early Childhood Education practice in Delta State Nigeria. Three research questions were raised in the study. The study adopted the survey research method. The population for this study comprised all public pre-primary school heads and teachers in Delta State. There are currently 1350 pre-primary schools in Delta State. The sample for this study was 100 head teachers and 400 teachers in Delta State pre- primary schools. A self-developed questionnaire titled “Perceived Impact of Digital Education in Early Childhood Education Practice Questionnaire (PIDEECEPQ)†, was validated and its reliability determined using test re-test reliability technique with a coefficient index of 0.85. The researcher administered a total of 500 questionnaires to randomly selected head teachers and teachers from the selected pre-primary schools in the study area. Simple percentage, Mean, standard deviation, were used to analyze the data collected. Based on the findings, it was concluded that digital education in Early Childhood Education (ECE) practice has transformed the learning landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for young children to explore, create and learn. The recent digital education trends in Early Childhood Education (ECE) practice focus on technology integration, play-based pedagogy, learning management system, educational apps, virtual field trip, coding and robotics. This can harness the power of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and outcomes for young children. Based on the conclusion, the paper recommended that government and policy-makers should provide regular professional development for early childhood educators, ensure equity and access for all children, foster partnership with families and communities, integrate digital technologies into play-based learning, develop policies and guideline, provide infrastructure and resources.