THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIGITAL LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES IN FORMING ECOLOGICAL REPRESENTATIONS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN OF OLDER AGE

This article investigates the effectiveness of modern digital learning technologies (multimedia interactive games, virtual excursions, and animated models) in forming initial ecological representations in older preschool children (5–7 years old). Traditional teaching methods often fail to fully and visually convey the dynamics of natural phenomena (e.g., the water cycle or seed germination) to a child. Within the framework of the study, a pedagogical experiment was conducted involving 60 children from preschool education organizations. ICT (information and communication technology) tools were systematically utilized in the sessions of the experimental group. The results demonstrated that the ecological knowledge level and responsible attitude toward nature of the children in the group where digital technologies were applied recorded a 24% higher efficiency compared to the traditional group. Furthermore, it was determined that visual and audio-visual stimuli increased the retention rate of ecological concepts in children by 35%. At the end of the article, practical methodical recommendations for integrating digital ecological content into the preschool education process were developed.