The Use of Technology in Parent Education

Integrating technology into parent education is an emerging focus in early childhood education. This study investigated the attitudes of 93 in-service early childhood teachers in Hong Kong regarding the use of technology for parent education. It examined their current usage, perceived digital literacy, and the challenges they face in adopting digital technologies into parent education in the future. This study surveyed the educators using a self-reported questionnaire featuring Likert-scale and multiple-choice items to evaluate technology usage, perceived digital literacy, and perceived challenges. Additionally, open-ended questions provided qualitative insights into their perspectives. Results indicate that approximately 85% of the in-service teachers utilise technology for parent education, primarily through video conferencing systems and their schools’ online teaching platforms. However, the average perceived digital literacy and ease of use for these technologies in parent education were relatively low, with scores of 5.26 and 5.27 out of 10, respectively. The most significant barriers identified included a lack of time for technology training and insufficient access to relevant electronic resources and equipment, with nearly 45% of participants reporting these challenges. Educators expressed a strong need for improved support in terms of training and resources from their institutions. This study highlights the importance of enhanced training and resource provision to facilitate effective technology integration in parent education. The findings provide valuable insights for the development of policies and teaching strategies aimed at optimising the role of technology for parent education in early childhood education.