Tablet Nuff but Life Still Rough: Technology for Early Childhood Sustainable Development in Jamaica

• Published in: Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 5 - 18
• Main Authors: Kelly-Williams, Suzette, Berson, Ilene R., Berson, Michael J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Daugavpils De Gruyter Open 01.06.2017; De Gruyter Poland; Sciendo
• Subjects: Capacity Building; Children; Cultural factors; Culturally Relevant Education; early childhood; Early Childhood Education; Economic development; Economic growth; Education; Educational Improvement; Educational Quality; Experienced Teachers; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries; Handheld Devices; ICT4D; Information Technology; Innovations; Interviews; Jamaica; Poverty; Preschool Teachers; Program Implementation; sustainability; Sustainable Development; Teacher Attitudes; teacher professional development; Teachers; Technology Uses in Education; Technology utilization; Jamaica
• DOI: 10.1515/dcse-2017-0001
• ISSN: 2255-7547; 1691-6301

Early childhood education has a role to play in constructing a sustainable society. In particular, increasing global attention has focused on how early childhood may help alleviate poverty among children and their families and promote economic growth. Part of this discourse involves the use of technology as a means to improve the quality of early childhood education and optimize the potential for information and communication technology (ICT) to serve as an agent of development. Jamaica’s appropriation of technology as part of the early childhood development agenda has emulated Western notions of success. However, the introduction of technology innovations has cultural implications. This study describes and explains perceptions, beliefs and practices about technology among four early childhood teachers in a Jamaican infant school. The findings consider issues for capacity building, including teacher professional development in Jamaica.