DIGITALIZATION OF EDUCATION: READINESS OF PRESCHOOL TEACHERS TO WORK WITH DIGITAL TOOLS

Abstract

The article is devoted to highlighting the issue of digitalization of the education system in Ukraine, in particular, the preschool sector. The main aspects of the readiness of preschool teachers to work with digital tools by identifying the level of development of digital skills within the framework of professional activities, determining the main factors that influence the effectiveness of digitalization in the educational environment of a preschool education institution, have been examined in the article.
Attention is focused on the key components of teachers’ digital competence: digital literacy, the ability to use digital resources for the development and implementation of educational tasks, digital ethics, security, critical thinking, and the ability to adapt to changes.
In the research process, a questionnaire and expert evaluation method were used, which allowed collecting data on the practical experience, motivation, and needs of preschool teachers of the Kherson region in the field of digital technologies. It is found that the level of digital readiness of teachers is uneven and largely depends on access to quality advanced training, material and technical support, as well as institutional support.
The author points out the need for a systemic approach to the digitalization of preschool education, which involves not only the modernization of the technical base, but also comprehensive support for teachers in the process of mastering digital technologies in the postgraduate education system. Practical ways to improve the digital competence of preschool teachers have been proposed, in particular, through the implementation of modern advanced training programs, participation in professional communities, the use of digital platforms for self-education, and the creation of a mentoring system in a preschool education institution.
It is concluded that successful digitalization of preschool education is possible only under conditions of a holistic approach to the formation of teachers’ digital competence as a key factor of educational innovation.