Digital Competence and Digital Pedagogy as Predictors of Preparedness to Use Digital Technology among Early Childhood Educators

Abstract

Early childhood educators’ preparedness to use digital technology remains an important concern as schools increasingly expect teachers to integrate digital tools into instruction in developmentally appropriate ways. This study examined digital competence and digital pedagogy as predictors of preparedness to use digital technology among early childhood educators. A predictive quantitative research design was employed, involving a total enumeration of 180 public elementary teachers handling Kindergarten to Grade 3 in the Central District of the DepEd Division of Tagum City for School Year 2025–2026. Data were gathered using adopted and modified survey questionnaires measuring digital competence, digital pedagogy, and preparedness to use digital technology. The instruments reported excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.95 for digital competence, 0.90 for digital pedagogy, and 0.95 for preparedness to use digital technology. Descriptive results showed very high levels of digital competence (M = 3.52, SD = 0.48), digital pedagogy (M = 3.56, SD = 0.49), and preparedness to use digital technology (M = 3.53, SD = 0.44). Correlation results indicated significant positive relationships between digital competence and preparedness (r = 0.776, p = 0.000) and between digital pedagogy and preparedness (r = 0.875, p = 0.000). Regression analysis showed that digital competence and digital pedagogy significantly predicted preparedness, explaining 79.2% of the variance. The findings suggest that strengthening teachers’ digital skills and pedagogical use of technology may support preparedness for digital technology integration in early childhood education.