The Relationship Between the Use of Digital Tools and Creativity in Preschool

Abstract

The 21st century has marked the beginning of an era dominated by digital technology, which has fundamentally changed the way children interact with the world and develop their creativity. The widespread use of digital tools has given rise to a new topic of discussion full of both opportunities and challenges, especially regarding its impact on children's creativity. When the literature on this subject is examined, it is seen that there are studies showing that the use of digital tools at early ages can affect creativity both positively and negatively. In light of all these findings, as the use of digital technology continues to increase in every aspect of our lives, it becomes increasingly critical to understand its multifaceted impact on children's creative development. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the relationship between the use of digital tools and creativity in preschool education. For this purpose, in this study, the relationship between the use of digital tools and children's creativity was investigated based on the data obtained from 193 parents of children aged between 60-96 months. Research data was collected through a demographic information form, a digital tool use checklist prepared by the researchers, and the "early childhood creativity scale" adapted into Turkish by Çiçekler, Pirpir, and Aral, (2020). The results of the correlation analysis showed that, according to parents' opinions, there was a statistically significant difference between the levels of creativity of preschool boys to girls, 5-year-old children to 6-year-old children, and parents' frequency of use of digital tools. There was a significant difference between variables, such as the number of siblings and the number of digital tools. It has been observed that there is no. These findings highlight the need for further, more in-depth studies to investigate the underlying reasons for the observed differences and to better understand how factors such as gender, age, and use of digital tools influence parents' perceptions of creativity. The results of this study are considered important for researchers to conduct more comprehensive studies on the subject and to develop and review parents' thoughts and understanding on this subject.