Svensk förskolepersonals beskrivningar av teknik. LUMAT 3(2), 237-258.

The overall purpose of this study is to investigate how preschool staff in Swedish preschools (förskola) describe technology. The authors ask the following questions: (1) How do preschool staff describe technology? (2) How do different background factors impact the descriptions of technology?

Overall the study shows that preschool staff describe technology in several different ways, from very simple descriptions to more complex descriptions. Many respondents have trouble separating technology from science and often mix them up. In other words, it is difficult for many respondents to describe what belongs where. Moreover, the results show significant differences within the variable 'profession' (preschool teacher or day care attendant), i.e. there is a difference in how preschool teachers and other preschool staff (day care attendants) describe technology. On the basis of this result, the authors conclude that preschool teachers seem to have a deeper and more complex understanding of technology than other preschool staff.

The data material of the study comprises a questionnaire that was sent to randomly selected preschool teachers (förskollärare) and day care attendants (barnskötare) in a Swedish municipality. A total of 102 staff members completed the questionnaire (63 preschool teachers and 39 day care attendants), corresponding to a response rate of 73%. The questionnaire comprised closed and open questions that allowed the respondents to write personal comments. The data material was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The qualitative analysis consisted of inductive categorisation of one open question: What is technology to you? This question was asked to find out what the respondents include in the concept of technology, and what technology is to them? The question was analysed using a conventional content analysis resulting in eight categories. The categories were then analysed quantitatively by calculating the frequency of different responses and by testing the relationship between the categories and different background variables (age, number of years in the profession, training in technology didactics and profession).

Sundqvist, P., Nilsson, T. & Gustafsson, P. (2015). Svensk förskolepersonals beskrivningar av teknik. LUMAT 3(2), 237-258.