Speaker
Description
Muhammad, M. A.
Jigawa State College of Education and Legal Studies, Ringim
magajimuhammadado@gmail.com
Track: Digital Pedagogy and Teaching Innovation
INTEGRATING EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EDUCATION: PREPARING FUTURE ECE PRACTITIONERS FOR DIGITAL CLASSROOMS IN NIGERIA
Magaji Ado Muhammad
magajimuhammadado@gmail.com
Phone No: +2348063389773
Department of Early Childhood Education
Jigawa State College of Education and Legal Studies (JSCOELS), Ringim, Jigawa State, Nigeria
Being a Paper Presented at the International Conference on Digital Innovation and Higher Education (ICDIHE 2026), University of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda | November 23–27, 2026
ABSTRACT
The rapid advancement of educational technology (EdTech) presents both profound opportunities and significant challenges for early childhood teacher education in Nigeria. As digital tools become increasingly embedded in early childhood classrooms globally, higher education institutions responsible for preparing early childhood education (ECE) practitioners face an urgent task: equipping teacher trainees with the digital competencies, pedagogical knowledge, and critical dispositions necessary to design and facilitate developmentally appropriate, technology-enhanced learning experiences for young children. This empirical study investigates the extent to which educational technology is integrated into ECE teacher education at Jigawa State College of Education and Legal Studies (JSCOELS), Ringim, and comparable institutions in Jigawa State, Nigeria. The study employs a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, collecting data through structured questionnaires administered to 240 ECE teacher trainees and 45 ECE lecturers, supplemented by in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 participants and observations of 12 ECE methods classes. The study is grounded in the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and Constructivist learning theory. Findings indicate that while ECE trainees show positive attitudes toward EdTech, actual digital tool integration remains limited, unsystematic, and inadequately linked to developmentally appropriate practice principles. Key barriers include insufficient digital infrastructure, limited lecturer competency in ECE-specific EdTech application, and a critical absence of ECE-focused digital teaching resources in Nigerian languages. The study offers targeted recommendations for curriculum reform, professional development, and institutional policy in ECE teacher education.
Keywords: Early childhood education; educational technology; teacher education; TPACK; digital competency; developmentally appropriate practice; Nigeria; Jigawa State