Early childhood teachers’ practices and perspectives on the integration of smart devices in children’s learning environments

Digital technology is increasingly used in early childhood education to support children’s engagement, interaction, and learning. However, limited research has examined how teachers interpret and integrate smart devices into classroom practice, particularly in underrepresented contexts such as Saudi Arabia. This study explores early childhood teachers’ perceptions and practices regarding the integration of smart devices in children’s learning.

A qualitative research design was employed with 63 early childhood teachers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed four interconnected domains of practice concerning teachers’ integration of smart devices in early childhood settings: children’s digital self-regulation, guidance for technology use, digital collaboration and social interaction, and digital creativity and innovation.

The findings suggest that smart-device integration is shaped by teachers’ intentional decisions, pedagogical guidance, and attention to children’s learning needs. The study contributes context-sensitive evidence to the literature on digital technology in early childhood education by providing an empirically grounded account of interconnected pedagogical practices within the Saudi Arabian context. It also highlights the role of teachers in creating meaningful digital learning experiences in which smart devices complement, rather than replace, meaningful interaction and other age-appropriate learning opportunities.

The authors from Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University express their gratitude to the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project (PNURSP2026R571), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the authors at the King Faisal University thank the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Faisal University for providing financial support under project number [KFU263183]. All authors also extend their sincere appreciation to the participants of this study for their time and valuable contributions.

This research received financial support from Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. Further, this work was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia [Grant No. Department of Education, University of Sharjah, 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Faculty of Educational Sciences, Yarmouk University, Irbid, 21163, Jordan The National Research Center for Giftedness and Creativity, King Faisal University, 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia Department of Teaching and Learning, College of Education and Human Development, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O.

Box 84428, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Department of Arabic Language, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia Translation, Authorship and Publication Center, King Faisal University, 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia Correspondence to Ali Ahmad Al-Barakat, Rommel AlAli or Amal Aboras. The authors declare no competing interests. This research was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.