The aim of this study is to increase knowledge of preschool teachers’ understandings of digital tools as well as experiences of using, or not using, them. In 2019, a new Swedish preschool curriculum was introduced, encouraging the use of digital tools in children’s learning process. The development of children’s digital competence is now embedded in the preschool mission. For preschool teachers, this means knowing when, how and why digital tools should be used, but also when they are not to be used. This study is conducted in a Swedish context where the preschool curriculum states that “play is the foundation of development, learning and well-being” (Swedish National Agency for Education 2018, p. 8). In an international context, this approach is sometimes referred to as EDUCARE (Bourbour 2020; Merkala 2019). Pedagogical activities are organised around play rather than classes and formal teaching. More than 80% of Swedish children aged 1–5 attend preschool, which means a majority of very young children are involved in preschool learning activites. Research within the field of play-based learning by using digital tools is very sparse (Edwards & Birds 2017), and without relevant knowledge, there is a risk of reducing the importance of the use of digital tools (Hernwall 2016). We believe that examining preschool teachers’ understandings and experiences of digital tools is an important step in highlighting how preschools can use digital tools in play-based learning activities.

Theoretical framework

Domestication theory describes the process of constructing technology. This process includes both resistance towards and meaning given to technology by humans. The word domestication refers to the domestication of wild animals, and when technology has been domesticated, it has become part of our daily lives. The use of this theory makes it possible to describe where in the process of domestication preschool teachers are, which in turn is relevant in understanding how they view and fulfil their mission.

Domestication theory can also be seen as an analytical tool with four phases following each other. These four phases are labelled differently by different researchers, but are basically the same as we understand them. We have chosen them as described by Hynes and Rommes (2006): (1) appropriation, (2) objectification, (3) incorporation and (4) conversion. Hynes and Rommes (2006) separates integration, where technology is seen as a natural part of daily life, from conversion, where technology is given a deeper meaning and contributes to identity building of the individual as well as the individuals’ relation to the world around them. Using their definition of the concept of conversion in this study highlights that the use of digital tools on a daily basis in preschools does not automatically lead to creating deeper meaning for children and/or preschool teachers.

The process of domestication includes three intertwined aspects. The practical aspect is about how technology is used, for what it is used and if it is used as intended. The symbolic aspect is about the meaning the digital tool has for the user and how that meaning affects the use, and the cognitive aspect is about learning to use the digital tool. In summary, these aspects show human commitment to technology (Sørensen, Aune & Hatling, 2000). Other concepts analysed are reversed domestication, where the process takes steps backwards; moral economy, where values affect the process; and triple articulation, which refers to the fact that technology can mean completely different things depending on the context. The following research questions are answered:

• In what ways, and to what extent, do preschool teachers integrate digital tools in their work?
• What practical, symbolic or cognitive aspects affect teachers’ work with digital tools?

As method, semi-structured interviews were conducted to give informants possibilities to express themselves freely in relation to the theme of the interview (Christoffersen & Johannessen 2015). The analysis initially focused on the four main phases of domestication described above, followed by analyses focusing on the other concepts. Twelve preschool teachers from nine different preschools in four municipalities in Sweden were interviewed. The participants were selected to ensure variation within the group of interviewees. Beside the national curriculum, municipalities run preschools fairly independently, and the use of digital tools can differ between municipalities. It was therefore important to have several municipalities represented in our study. The interview guide was based on the practical, symbolic and cognitive aspects mentioned in the theoretical framework above (Sørensen et al. 2000) to cover what material the teachers used, their attitudes and their training. This was done to ensure that all parts of the domestication process were covered by the questions. The questions concerned the teachers’ approach to digital tools, the tools’ symbolic value and the teachers’ knowledge of handling them. The initial question was on their own understandings of digital tools and digital competence. The interviewees were also asked to describe in detail how they worked with digital tools and which technology was used. There were also questions about where they kept the devices, what benefits they saw with using digital tools, and what problems they encountered.

The teachers face different challenges and have various experiences and understandings concerning the domestication of digital tools in preschool. Most of the interviewed preschool teachers are either in the objectification or the conversion phase of the domestication process, but the analysis also shows that teachers can be in different phases at the same time, depending on the technology. The digital tools used for administration are domesticated to a greater extent than the tools used with the children. In-house training is also offered to a greater extent for administrative tools, which can explain the higher degree of domestication. The perceived need for a clearer purpose has been strengthened since teachers received their own tablets. The preschool teachers are personally responsible for these tablets. They have to use them for administrative purposes and do not want to lose any data. This means that children have less access, and the domestication process is slowing down for educational purposes. While several of the preschool teachers emphasised the importance of a pedagogical aim and their own role, they were also uncertain about how and why the tools should be used with the children. The study further shows that important factors in the successful domestication of digital tools in preschool include hands-on as well as pedagogical digital competence in combination with personal drive and professional learning and development. The results from the present study can contribute important knowledge on how teachers view their digital mission in preschool, in what ways they find the use of digital tools meaningful, and what challenges they face when implementing new technology in their play-based educational activities.

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