Adoption of digital educational resources by early childhood education teachers: A fad or a conviction?

Abstract

This study explores the factors influencing the adoption of Digital Educational Resources (DER) among Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in Spain. Drawing on data from 2148 teachers across eleven autonomous communities, a structural equation model (CB-SEM) was developed and validated to examine the interplay between knowledge, value-based evaluations, expectations, and perceived usefulness and acceptability of DER. Findings reveal that, while teachers generally report positive attitudes towards DER, adoption is not uniform; four distinct evaluative profiles were identified, ranging from scepticism to full integration. Expectations about the future development and ubiquity of DER emerged as the strongest predictor of adoption, outweighing technical knowledge. The results suggest that, in post-pandemic educational contexts where structural barriers are largely overcome, intrinsic and dispositional factors are more decisive than access or infrastructure. The study highlights the influence of digital determinism and anticipatory beliefs, which can lead to uncritical integration. It calls for differentiated, critical professional development programmes that support reflective and pedagogically grounded use of digital resources. Limitations include sampling constraints, instrument validity, and the need to contextualise DER more precisely. These findings contribute to the broader debate on technology integration in ECE and offer a foundation for future research and policy development.