An analysis of the relationship among early childhood teachers' play teaching efficacy, digital literacy and digital play support capabilities

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship among early childhood teachers' play teaching efficacy and digital literacy and digital play support capabilities. Methods To this end, a survey was conducted on 252 early childhood teachers working at early childhood education institutions in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from April 11 to April 25, 2024 on the efficacy of play teaching, digital literacy, and digital play support capabilities of early childhood teachers. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson's moment correlation analysis, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were performed using the SPSS 29.0 program. Results First, early childhood teachers' play teaching efficacy showed a significant positive correlation with digital literacy and digital play support capabilities. Second, early childhood teachers' digital literacy was found to be the most powerful positive predictor of play teaching efficacy. And knowledge literacy, a sub-factor of digital literacy, was the most influential predictor, followed by digital play response and communication, followed by computer literacy, a sub-factor of digital play support capabilities. Conclusions The results of this study are expected to promote understanding of early childhood teachers' play teaching efficacy in the operation of a play-oriented curriculum and provide basic data to help develop teacher education programs to improve play teaching efficacy.