Early technology education in China: a case study of Shanghai

While Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education is increasingly valued in China, there is little research to understand how science, technology, engineering, and math are best integrated into early childhood education. This study aims to examine Chinese educators’ views and perspectives on early technology education–‘the missing T & E in early childhood’–in Shanghai, the largest and the most developed city in China. Altogether, 120 educators were surveyed, including kindergarten principals (N1 = 12), administrators (N2 = 11), and teachers (N3 = 97), and three were also interviewed individually. The results indicated that: (1) most of the Shanghai kindergarten teachers were not literate in information technology; (2) children’s development levels, teachers’ technological literacy, and limited resources were widely regarded as obstacles to early technology education; and (3) the technology curriculum and digital technology should be carefully designed to cater to young children’s needs.