Informal learning and professional development: analysis of learning ecologies of early childhood education teachers

Abstract

Technology plays an important role in the creation of learning ecologies since it has contributed to the generation of new learning environments. Taking as reference the professional development opportunities offered by the networked society, this study aims to analyse the informal activities, with or without a technological nature, carried out by the teachers of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) in order to keep up to date. In this research, of a quantitative nature, a questionnaire of own elaboration has been used for the collection of information. The sample consisted of 52 ECE teachers. Despite the multiple training possibilities offered by Information and Communication Technologies, the results show that teachers use activities without technological nature to a greater extent than activities with technological nature in their informal learning related to the improvement of their teaching activity.