Tech-Enhanced Teacher Training: Evaluating Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences and Perceptions

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of preservice early childhood educators with technology integration during their teacher preparation programmes in Nigeria. Through semi-structured interviews with five final-year students, this study examined the influence of technology use on the development of technological pedagogical content knowledge and attitudes toward educational technology among pre-service teachers. Thematic analysis identified the authors’ principal themes: the duality of technology integration, disparities and institutional infrastructure support, professional development needs, and pedagogical adaptation and professional identity. The findings reveal significant discrepancies between theoretical training and practical application of technology in early childhood settings. Pre-service teachers expressed ambivalence toward technology, acknowledging its potential while contending with its challenges in implementation. Inequalities and insufficient support systems emerged as the primary obstacles. Participants highlighted the necessity of comprehensive, ongoing professional development and mentoring to facilitate effective technology integration. This study underscores the complex nature of technology integration in early childhood teacher preparation, emphasising the need for more structured approaches that address allocation, institutional support, and identity development. Recommendations include enhancing infrastructure, revising curricula to better align theory and practice, and establishing partnerships between teacher preparation programmes and early childhood centres to provide authentic technology integration experiences.