The Effect of the ‘Instructional Technologies’ Course on the Competencies of Teacher Candidates in Using Web 2.0 Tools: The Case of Early Childhood Education Program

Abstract This study examines teacher candidates’ competencies in using Web 2.0 tools and developing digital teaching materials for early childhood education within the scope of the Instructional Technologies Course. This research study investigates the course-based efforts to improve the quality of the education of teacher candidates and to better understand specific aspects of a course aimed at developing the use of instructional technologies among early childhood teachers in Türkiye. While the study focuses on the teacher candidates of early childhood education, investigating problems and best solutions of the pre-service teacher training to develop the digital competencies of teacher candidates are valued. The findings indicate that with guidance and motivation from the instructor, teacher candidates effectively utilize Web 2.0 tools to create digital teaching materials. The developed digital teaching materials demonstrate high instructional suitability, curriculum alignment, and technical proficiency, though improvement is needed in visual design proficiency. The Instructional Technologies course has positive effects on designing effective digital teaching materials and using new Web 2.0 tools. While the course positively impacts candidates’ skills with Web 2.0 tools, its two-hour duration may limit long-term retention of these skills. The study emphasized that the mandatory curriculum of the teacher education program limited the course to two hours. Therefore, the findings suggest that the practice hours and functioning of the Instructional Technologies course in the Teacher Training Programs should be revised to support pre-service teachers’ competencies in Türkiye. The suggestions for the course include that (1) the effective execution of the process of preparing pre-service teachers’ own original products, (2) experimenting with the competencies to be developed and preparing original studies, (3) determining the most appropriate evaluation criteria for the developed digital teaching materials, (4) the use of product and material evaluation, self-evaluation, peer evaluation methods in the measurement and evaluation process, (5) designing digital course materials through functional criticism.