Developing a model for investigating and initiating sustainable digital practices in kindergartens

This paper suggests a model for investigating and initiating sustainable digital practices in kindergarten, based on findings in a research project exploring the use of sensory-based digital technologies in eight naturalistic kindergarten settings. This paper is informed by the TPCK-model (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), but transforms it into focusing on practice. Research shows that the main barriers for staff to adopt new technology are structural constraints and perceived usefulness (Buchanan et al. 2013), but also perceived ease of use (Davis 1989). The concept of sustainable digital practices is approached using a socio-materialist theoretical lens (Orlikowski, 2017). The research methodology is positioned in the qualitative paradigm and is inspired by educational design research (McKenney & Reeves 2012). All participants were informed about the project, protection of data and signed a consent form. Analysis of the data material from the kindergartens forms the basis for developing a model for sustainable digital practices (SDP), which can be used both for investigating the sustainability of existing digital practices and as a tool for initiating new SDP's. The SDP-model articulates our concept of digital sustainability as the merge of three intersecting educational objectives; 1) children's need for bodily active experiences, 2) children’s need for high quality content, and 3) the materiality and complexity of technology implementation. The three intercepting objectives in the model will be explained and examples of using the model for analysing digital practices will be presented. We believe the SDP-model can offer analytical perspectives on educational elements involved in sustainable digital practices.