Analysis of the impact of digital platforms on the educational process in preschool institutions of Ukraine

Abstract

Digitalization of modern education is one of the priority areas of development of the educational system of Ukraine in the context of the transformation of the information society. The implementation of digital platforms has become particularly important in the field of preschool education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, martial law and the need to ensure the continuity of the educational process. The use of digital technologies contributes to the organization of distance and blended learning, improving communication between teachers, children and parents, as well as creating an interactive educational environment. In this regard, the need to study the possibilities, advantages and problems of using digital platforms in preschool education institutions in Ukraine is becoming more urgent.

The purpose of the study is to determine the features of the use of digital platforms in preschool education institutions and to substantiate their impact on the organization, content and effectiveness of the educational process in modern conditions.

Methods. The study used a complex of general scientific and special methods, in particular: theoretical analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization of scientific literature and regulatory sources to determine modern approaches to the digitalization of preschool education; system-structural analysis - to characterize digital platforms and models of their use in the educational process; classification method - to systematize digital models of preschool education; comparative method - to analyze the functional capabilities of modern digital services. The methodological basis is interdisciplinary approaches that combine pedagogical, sociological and information and communication aspects.

Results. The relevance of the problem of digitalization of preschool education in the context of modern social challenges associated with the development of the information society, the COVID-19 pandemic and martial law in Ukraine is substantiated. The role of digital technologies in ensuring the continuity of the educational process, organizing distance and blended learning, as well as in forming an interactive educational environment for preschool children is determined. Modern digital platforms and services used in the practice of preschool education institutions are analyzed, in particular Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Viber, Telegram and the Ukrainian NUMO platform. The features of their use in the interaction between teachers, therapists, children and parents are revealed.

Conclusions. The study describes the main digital models used in preschool education: the blended learning model, the digital educational environment model, the distance education model and the gamification model of the educational process. It was established that the use of digital platforms contributes to increasing the cognitive activity of children, developing their motivation for learning, improving communication between participants in the educational process and expanding the possibilities for individualizing learning. At the same time, the main problems of the digitalization of preschool education are identified, including the insufficient level of digital competence of individual teachers, unequal access to technical support and the need to comply with sanitary and hygienic requirements for the use of digital devices by preschool children.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that for the first time modern digital models of preschool education in the context of organizing the educational process in Ukraine have been systematized and the specifics of their impact on the interaction of participants in the educational environment have been determined. The scientific justification for the use of digital platforms in preschool education institutions has been further developed, taking into account modern social challenges and the needs of the digital transformation of education.

The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using the results obtained in the activities of preschool education institutions to improve the digital educational environment, increase the digital competence of teachers, and optimize interaction with parents.