Parents Views on Digital Technologies in Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood Development

Abstract

Children learn most effectively when they are interacting with the world around them in their homes, where even very young children are increasingly exposed to digital gadgets. Therefore, it is typical to see young children watching videos, playing games on tablets, or doing internet research. With such rapid advancements, it is important to have a deeper knowledge of the views of parents on the use of digital technology in regular play and learning activities in Early childhood development. The study aimed to explore how parents perceive the use of digital technologies in rural ECD centres of O R Tambo Inland District, Eastern Cape Province. The study adopted Bronfenbrenner’s theory of ecological system which emphasizes the important role of the environment in which children learn, develop, and grow through the influence of various elements in their environments. This was a qualitative study that used the case study as a design. The participants for the study included 7 parents of children in two rural ECD centres of O R Tambo Inland District.  The parents were purposefully selected as information-rich participants in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The study’s findings revealed that most parents supported the use of digital technologies in ECD. They believe that if the children’s cultural knowledge is integrated with technology, the opportunities to foster playful learning will be unlimited.