Understanding Kindergarten Teachers' Readiness and Acceptance of STEAM-Oriented Interactive E-Books for English Vocabulary Instruction

The purpose of this study was to assess preschool teachers' willingness and readiness to use a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)-based interactive e-book for teaching English vocabulary. This study employed a survey design, utilizing a questionnaire for data collection. There were 150 kindergarten teachers as participants of the study. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling, ensuring representation from both urban and suburban schools across West Sumatra, Indonesia. This approach allowed for balanced demographic representation in terms of age, teaching experience, and educational background. Data analysis involved ANOVA as well as regression tests. The study results indicated that while teachers generally accepted STEAM-based e-books, their readiness varied significantly by education level. Teachers who had qualified up to Bachelor's and Master's degrees were relatively better placed in terms of readiness and acceptance towards the e-books as compared to their Diploma counterparts. However, age did not significantly contribute to these factors. Achieving such an integration requires systematic professional development and training programs. Furthermore, the study also provides opportunities for the effective design of interactive STEAM-based e-books targeted at the introduction of English vocabulary to kindergarten children.