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Abstract

To understand early childhood educators’ attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications, this study examined several factors that influence educators’ practical instructional behaviors and analyzed the mediating effects of internet enjoyment and professional support on their attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications. We conducted a survey in Taiwan and analyzed the original data collected from the questionnaire survey through structural equation modeling. The survey evaluated four factors: internet self-efficacy, internet-related instructional applications, internet enjoyment, and the professional support available via the internet. The results showed that early childhood educators’ attitudes toward integrating the internet into their instruction practices can be measured by these latent constructs. Early childhood educators’ enjoyment of the internet and engagement with internet-based professional support performed partially mediating effects on the relationship between their attitudes toward internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications. Furthermore, early childhood educators’ attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications were influenced by their perceptions of the friendliness of interfaces and their enjoyment of the internet. The platform of community interaction provided by the internet and the atmosphere of cooperative support educators found appraisal of the internet’s broader implications for instructional and professional performance in their field.

Keywords

internet enjoyment internet self-efficacy internet-related instructional applications mediating effects professional support

Introduction

The internet has not only modified interpersonal communication around the world; it has transformed our intension of practical behaviors in our lives, work, and learning activities. The user-friendly interfaces and vast amount of content available on the internet motivate teachers to use the internet in their classes (Adnan, 2018; Deneen et al., 2018). Teachers’ internet self-efficacy directly influences their use of the internet during instruction and improves the quality of the instruction they provide.

Early childhood educators’ internet preferences have been found to affect their behavioral intentions regarding internet-related activities in the classroom (Nelson et al., 2019). In past studies, teachers have endorsed both the practical value of the internet and the benefits of the community support and interpersonal exchange it facilitates (Khlaif, 2018; Schmitt et al., 2018). Kim (2019) has shown that early childhood educators’ considerations of the internet’s role in curriculum design are associated with their perceptions of internet literacy and skill. Furthermore, multiple studies have found that these educators’ enjoyment of the internet positively affected their practical viewpoints about internet-related instructional activities (Janisse et al., 2018).

Early childhood educators who enjoy the internet tend to have some degree of internet literacy and use the internet in their daily life. They tend to employ user-friendly interfaces in their classrooms to play online games, view digital multimedia, engage in virtual reality, and other related learning activities to improve the quality of the instruction they provide (Foster et al., 2018). In addition, early childhood educators’ thinking about the professional support available via the internet helps them to implement professional development practices (Oliemat et al., 2018). The peer support and pedagogical self-reflection enabled via the internet also positively improve their professional intentions of developing internet-related pedagogy.

When early childhood educators have high internet self-efficacy and are capable of using the tool effectively, their self-efficacy may not positively facilitate integration of the internet into their classroom. Most of them have preferences regarding the internet and its related applications, but few have the ability or perspective to determine how to best use the internet in the instruction of young children. To better understand early childhood educators’ views and abilities regarding the utility of the internet for instruction, we should explore factors which may influence these views and abilities, such as whether or not early childhood educators enjoy and easily make use of the internet and how useful and accessible they find the professional development resources available there.

Existing studies focus primarily on early childhood educators’ views of their own competency when using the internet and explore the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instruction (Belo et al., 2016; Egert et al., 2018). Few researchers have explored whether early childhood educators’ emotional or supportive attitudes also affect their intentions to use internet-related pedagogy (Khlaif, 2018; Oliemat et al., 2018). This study asks, how can early childhood educators joyfully use the internet to solve their pedagogical problems, and how can we design innovative, useful, internet-based instructional applications?

To answer these questions, this study considers four critical factors influencing early childhood educators’ practical instructional behaviors and tests hypotheses regarding the relationships between these factors. It analyzes the mediating effects of early childhood educators’ enjoyment of the internet and the professional support available via the internet. The literature contains several studies that have stated that these factors can influence early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the internet and its utility in classroom settings, but contains few that have included all of these factors in a single model to test their significance and mediating effects.

This study undertakes a statistical analysis of questionnaire survey data and examines how early childhood educators’ enjoyment of the internet and the professional support available via the internet mediate their view of the internet’s instructional utility. Finally, we offer some suggestions for the design and application of internet-related pedagogical materials specifically designed for use with young children.

The Relationship Between Early Childhood Educators’ Internet Self-Efficacy and Their Attitudes Toward Internet-Related Instructional Applications

Users’ attitudes toward the internet are mainly influenced by its use characteristics, practical value of using it in context, and their own skills and internet literacy (Binyamin et al., 2018). Several studies (Kao et al., 2018; MacLeod et al., 2018) have defined self-efficacy as the reasonable faith, expectations, and self-confidence acquired from engagement in a specific work or task. Internet self-efficacy indicates users’ confidence in their mastery and performance vis-à-vis emerging trends in science and technology. Internet self-efficacy can direct users to employ the internet to solve problems and achieve expected goals (Teo et al., 2019). It influences users’ acceptance of the internet and shapes both their appreciation of its value and their intentions to use it in the future.

Teachers’ attitudes toward the internet and their experiences of using it affect their acceptance of internet technology and, in turn, open up diversified learning spaces which transcend both spatial and temporal boundaries to provide multiple learning opportunities. The internet facilitates teachers’ teaching activities, enriches their instruction and instructional experiences, and breeds instructional innovation (Lisenbee & Ford, 2018; Panigrahi et al., 2018; Thorpe et al., 2015). By linking up omnipresent internet resources and embedding innovative, play-based logics, the internet assists students in redefining digital learning courses and exploring the implications of innovation within the increasingly cybernetic world we live in.

“Internet-related instructional applications” refer to the positive and useful intentions of teachers when using the internet to search for instructional resources and introduce these resources into their instructional processes (Uerz et al., 2018). Studies have shown that teachers’ attitudes toward the internet and internet-related applications have some bearing on the rationality of their internet-related instructional applications (Kearney et al., 2018; Scherer et al., 2018). For example, their attitudes toward their skills as users, pedagogical self-efficacy, the abilities of instructional applications, and practical models of internet software and hardware all affect the rationality of their internet-related instructional applications (Gkolia et al., 2018). To effectively improve and assist the learning performance of young children via internet-related instructional applications, teachers have to understand the internet’s value in assisting students’ automatic learning and high learning performance, and its ability to provide reflective feedback as part of their learning process (Young et al., 2018). Internet-proficient teachers with a high degree of internet self-efficacy rarely manifest negative attitudes toward or resistance against the internet (Schlebusch, 2018); instead, they usually demonstrate an active acceptance of science and technology, recognize the value of the internet, and manifest positive attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications.

In brief, early childhood educators’ critical thinking about the broader applications of internet-assisted teaching lies in their familiarity with the internet, their ability to operate internet interfaces, and their self-efficacy in solving problems using the internet. Their attitudes toward internet self-efficacy not only influence their viewpoints about the value and benefits of integrating the internet into instructional activities, but assist them in using this tool to enrich the content of their instruction. Teachers with positive attitudes toward internet self-efficacy adopt the internet to meet the learning demands of young children and improve their learning performance. On the basis of the foregoing, we propose the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 1: Internet self-efficacy has a positive effect on internet-related instructional applications.

The Mediating Effect of Early Childhood Educators’ Enjoyment of the Internet on the Relationship Between Their Internet Self-Efficacy and Attitudes Toward Internet-Related Instructional Applications

In this study, “internet enjoyment” refers to positive attitudes held by internet users—that is, when a user is positively motivated to use the internet, finds pleasure in using it, engages it to a high degree in their life or work, and recognizes its practical and entertainment value (Kao & Chien, 2017; Lee et al., 2018; Touati & Baek, 2018). Such attitudes deepen users’ experiences of the internet and spark future exploration of the internet and related applications (Banerjee, 2018). Teachers who demonstrate internet enjoyment also demonstrate the technical ability required to use it and appreciation of its value (Makki et al., 2018). When teachers like to use the internet, they often use it to design meaningful learning activities which foster independence and learning performance in their students.

Just as teachers’ internet self-efficacy shapes their preferences regarding and professional adoption of the internet and related applications, their intentions in using the internet and enjoyment of the internet are related to their appreciation of its value. Teachers’ intention to continue using the internet has been shown to affect their performance in internet-related instructional applications (Whitton, 2018). The internet’s friendly human–machine interfaces attract early childhood educators who are willing to engage themselves and their students in the virtual interactions of our increasingly cybernetic world (Belo et al., 2016; Subramaniam, 2016). Teachers who manifest these intentions recognize the practical benefits of the internet, are more confident in the internet, and enjoy using it more.

In this context, internet enjoyment assists early childhood educators in acquiring and passing on positive experiences of the internet and motivates them to use internet-related instructional applications. It also helps them organize and develop appropriate internet-based instruction which stimulates young children’s intellect and imagination.

In summary, early childhood educators’ attitudes toward adopting internet-based instructions or learning designs and arrangements are not merely influenced by their intention to use the internet. Their enjoyment of the internet shaped their perceptions about their own internet self-efficacy; in other words, they enjoy solving problems via the internet and are willing to immerse themselves in the virtual interactions of the cybernetic world. This further motivates them to adopt the internet and related applications when constructing high-quality, innovative instructional models. Early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications are mediated by their internet enjoyment. When they enjoy sharing learning experiences and solving instructional problems via the internet, they are more likely to use it for instructional purposes. On this basis, the researchers proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 2: Internet enjoyment has mediating effects on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications.

Mediating Effects of Professional Support on the Relationship Between Early Childhood Educators’ Internet Self-Efficacy and Their Use of Internet-Related Instructional Applications

The professional support available via the internet is one of its primary useful features for teachers. For example, because it facilitates collaborative work, the internet helps teachers employ the simple and practical browsing, retrieval, sharing, and discussing program (Chen & Hwang, 2017; Hou, 2015). Internet-related professional development assists teachers in building the necessary confidence and competencies to successfully carry out pedagogical implementation, administrative management, professional improvement, and other development activities.

Through the internet, teachers can access a diverse array of professional support spaces and opportunities for interaction and collaboration. Through internet-related professional development, teachers can increase their internet self-efficacy by integrating the internet into instructional activities and using internet-based learning resources (Egert et al., 2018; Trainin et al., 2018). It assists them in mastering necessary pedagogical knowledge and developing innovative applying skills (Al-Balushi & Al-Abdali, 2015; Çevik & Duman, 2018; Cherney et al., 2018). By integrating the internet into instructional activities, teachers can develop appropriate instructional strategies and improve their own attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications. In short, the internet can play a role in elevating the quality of instructional design models and teachers’ self-efficacy.

The kind of professional support made possible by the internet improves teachers’ instructional quality and helps them to acquire and apply multiple instructional models. It also offers them more opportunities to participate in community cooperation, professional dialogues, and professional interactions (Gudmundsdottir & Hatlevik, 2018; Lantz-Andersson et al., 2018). Early childhood educators can use the internet to form communities within which they can interact with their peers regarding their individual pedagogical needs and professional development (Beach & Willows, 2017; Clarà et al., 2017). Teachers who do so also associated with community partners synchronously or asynchronously when conducting professional consultation, providing support or guidance, incentivizing behaviors, and other prosocial behaviors.

In short, early childhood educators can use online chat rooms, discussion groups, and instantaneous interaction tools to exchange ideas (Ibieta et al., 2017). They often share their pedagogical thoughts with peers to expand their professional perspective and advance their practical perceptions of conducting internet-assisted instruction. Internet-based professional development helps teachers design a diverse array of courses and instructional activities to meet the learning demands for young children. On the basis of the foregoing, we propose the following hypothesis (and have plotted the theoretical model shown in Figure 1):

Hypothesis 3: Professional support has mediating effects on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications.

Figure 1.

Confirmatory factor analysis.

Method

Sample Characteristics

This study surveyed early childhood educators in Taiwan. Based on the latent constructs, observed variables, and other parameters assumed, we deduced a reasonable number of samples. According to our empirical experiences and considerations of estimated cost-efficacy, this study distributed a total of 600 questionnaires. The researchers inquired about target kindergartens’ willingness to take part in the survey by telephone, and then mailed copies of the survey to early childhood educators in the kindergartens. After eliminating unrecovered, unfilled, and incomplete surveys, we were left with 433 effective samples (72.1% of the sample size). Table 1 presents a summary of the sample demographics.

Table 1.

Summary of Sample Characteristics.

Respondent characteristic	N	%
Gender
Male	11	2.5
Female	422	97.5
Age
Below 26	15	3.5
26–35	198	45.7
36–45	156	36.0
46–55	43	9.9
Above 56	21	4.8
Education level
High school	150	34.6
University	276	63.7
Graduate school	7	1.6
Kindergarten type
Public	85	19.6
Private	348	80.4
Job
Principle or director	11	2.5
Teacher	65	15.0
Educare giver or assistant	357	82.4
Duration of internet use experience
Below 5	2	0.5
6–10	147	33.9
11–15	278	64.2
Above 16	6	1.4

Measurement Tools

On the basis of the literature analysis and theoretical hypotheses, the researchers designed a questionnaire with observed variables and latent constructs. After consulting three scholars or experts in the fields of preschool education and information technology, we assessed and revised the survey questions. Our survey, titled the “Questionnaire on attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications,” has 20 original questions.

The questionnaire adopted a five-point Likert-type scale where 5 = highly agree and 1 = highly disagree. Respondents were invited to describe their intention to use the internet and their attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications. Early childhood educators with higher scores on our survey exhibited higher internet self-efficacy and more positive attitudes toward the internet. They had more willingness to use the internet to improve and share their enjoyment of their lives. They also recognized the dialogical benefits of the internet, especially professional support and community cooperation. They preferred to develop internet-related instructional applications in an effort to improve the quality of the instruction they provide young children. The survey assessed the following four factors:

Internet self-efficacy. This factor measured early childhood educators’ internet competency and self-efficacy, including knowledge of internet-related software and hardware, general understanding, and problem-solving. Survey questions referred mainly to aforementioned studies by Kao et al. (2018), Ibieta et al. (2017), Teo et al. (2019), and so on.

Internet-related instructional applications. This factor measured early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the broader applications of internet-assisted instruction, including the applied benefits of such instruction, perceptions of such instruction, and the overall usefulness of integrating the internet into instructional activities. Survey questions referred mainly to the aforementioned studies by Çevik and Duman (2018), Belo et al. (2016), Janisse et al. (2018), and so on.

Internet enjoyment. This factor measured early childhood educators’ enjoyment of the internet and integration of the internet into their daily lives. Survey questions referred mainly to the aforementioned studies by Banerjee (2018), Makki et al. (2018), Lee et al. (2018), and so on.

Professional support. This factor measured early childhood educators’ attitudes toward using the internet to improve their professional practice, refine their professional expertise, seek support, and engage in cooperative communities. Survey questions referred mainly to the above studies by Adnan (2018), Lantz-Andersson et al. (2018), and so on.

Data Analysis

We took a statistical approach by using structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze survey data. Based on theoretically assumed latent constructs and the questionnaire’s observed variables, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis to test the quality of the measurement model, the data fit, and model estimations (Bollen, 1989; Byrne, 2010; Kline, 2010; Schumacker & Lomax, 2004). Before beginning, we conducted a statistical test on the measurement model by processing original survey data with Amos 17.0 software to estimate the correlation parameters and fit indexes according to the maximum likelihood method.

The researchers performed a confirmatory factor analysis and tested the reasonableness of the measurement model regarding individual questions about different latent constructs. We did this to determine whether the observed variables in the questionnaire could reflect a reasonable theoretical structure and thereby were able to estimate the factor loadings, statistical significance, and measurement errors of individual questions. We then tested the overall fit of the measurement model and reported χ², χ²/df, root mean square error approximation (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), comparative fit index (CFI), normed fit index (NFI), goodness of fit index (GFI), Tucker–Lewis index (TLI), incremental fit index (IFI), and other indices. To test the convergent and discriminant validity of latent constructs, this study also calculated Cronbach’s α coefficient, composite reliability, and average variation extraction to judge the inner quality of the measurement model.

In the process of testing mediating effects, we introduced the mediating testing method to test both total and indirect effects and the statistical significance of mediating variables (Iacobucci et al., 2007; MacKinnon, 2008; Preacher & Hayes, 2008). This study used the bootstrap method to estimate the standard errors and confidence intervals of total effects, direct effects, and indirect effects. This method can avoid any abnormal estimation errors caused by analysis on the indirect effect of individual mediating variables. A robust estimation method was adopted to test the mediating effects of the two-factor mediation model.

Results

The Measurement Model

The researchers conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to examine the reflection and model fit between the questionnaire’s observed variables and latent constructs in the measurement model. This study deleted observed questions that had a factor loading of less than .70 and caused a poor model fit. After deletion, 16 of the original 20 questions (see Table 2) remained.

Table 2.

Summary of Mean, SD, Skewness, Kurtosis, and Factor Loading of Various Observed Variables.

Latent constructs	Observed variables	M	SD	Skewness	Kurtosis	Factor loading	Measurement error
Internet self-efficacy	V1 I have knowledge about the use of the internet.	3.62	1.02	−0.39	−0.66	.70**	.51
Internet self-efficacy	V2 I can use tools to connect to the internet.	3.69	1.14	−0.56	−0.75	.89**	.20
Internet self-efficacy	V3 I can understand information and contents via the internet.	3.44	1.15	−0.22	−1.01	.88**	.23
Internet self-efficacy	V4 I can handle problems related to the use of the internet.	3.44	1.17	−0.23	−1.04	.86**	.26
Internet-related instructional applications	V5 I think the internet contributes to educational practices.	3.89	0.92	−0.57	−0.20	.79**	.38
Internet-related instructional applications	V6 I can carry out instructional activities with the internet in class.	3.82	1.02	−0.63	−0.25	.81**	.35
Internet-related instructional applications	V7 I can use the internet to enrich instructional activities.	4.00	0.90	−0.71	0.00	.91**	.18
Internet-related instructional applications	V8 I can use internet-assisted instruction for young children.	3.86	0.99	−0.67	−0.25	.76**	.42
Internet enjoyment	V9 I enjoy using the internet in my real life.	4.23	0.89	−1.33	1.86	.87**	.24
Internet enjoyment	V10 I enjoy sharing contents with others via the internet.	4.28	0.85	−1.36	2.04	.89**	.20
Internet enjoyment	V11 I enjoy making life happier through the internet.	4.09	0.94	−0.98	0.47	.71**	.49
Internet enjoyment	V12 I think internet-based problem-solving is interesting.	4.07	0.98	−1.05	0.50	.83**	.31
Professional support	V13 I think the internet helps teachers improve their instructional quality.	4.00	0.86	−0.85	0.85	.89**	.21
Professional support	V14 I think the internet offers teachers diversified instructional ideas and practices.	3.90	0.89	−0.80	0.71	.91**	.17
Professional support	V15 I think the internet helps teachers participate in community cooperation.	3.94	0.86	−0.81	0.89	.93**	.13
Professional support	V16 I think the internet helps teachers conduct professional dialogues and interactions.	3.92	0.90	−0.76	0.34	.75**	.44

p < .01.

The means of observed variables in our questionnaire ranged from 3.44 to 4.28, and standard deviations (SDs) ranged from 0.85 to 1.17. The standardized factor loadings on the questionnaire’s observed variables ranged from .70 to .93, and measurement errors ranged from .13 to .51. All observed variables had positive error variance values, and all standard errors conformed to estimates. All nonstandardized parameters were statistically significant. These statistics showed that the measurement model had a reasonable degree and did not violate the rules of model identification.

The researchers used the bootstrap method to conduct the model calculation for 5,000 subsamples. This calculation found the estimated p values of the statistical significance of standardized factor loadings to be uniformly less than .01. As indicated by the aforementioned results, the questionnaire’s observed variables effectively reflected the theoretical assumptions of latent constructs. The latent constructs also reasonably reflected the degrees of variation between observed variables.

Figure 1 provides the standardized parameter estimates and factor structure of the confirmatory factor analysis of our questionnaire. Regarding the testing on the overall model fit, χ² = 312.39 (p < .001), χ²/df = 3.19, RMSEA = .07, SRMR = .05, CFI = .96, NFI = .95, GFI = .92, TLI = .95, IFI = .96, and other fit indexes testify to the reasonable fit of the measurement model. The researchers also used RMSEA values to estimate the statistical power of testing the measurement model (MacCallum et al., 1996), and acquired a calculation result of 1.00. The result suggests that the measurement model has reasonable statistical power.

The internal consistency Cronbach’s α coefficients of the four factors of our questionnaire were .90, .88, .89, and .92, respectively, and the total scale α coefficient was .94. According to Table 3, the composite reliability of each latent construct of our questionnaire ranged from .89 to .93, and the average variation extractions ranged from .67 to .76. These measurements show a reasonable degree of reliability and convergent validity regarding the latent constructs, and suggest that the inner quality of the measurement model conforms to related standards. The factor loadings of different observed variables were all above .70, and diversified squared correlations were also above the testing standard of .50. In addition, the composite reliability and average variation extractions of different constructs conformed to theoretical requirements, which testifies to their convergent validity. The correlation coefficient of each latent construct ranged from .50 to .77. After the estimations of 5,000 subsamples through the bootstrap method, the p values of the statistical significance of correlation coefficients were uniformly less than .01. The squares of correlation coefficients ranged from .25 to .59, and were no higher than the average variation extractions of adjacent latent constructs. The results showed that there is the discriminant validity between latent constructs. As indicated by the aforementioned testing results, the measurement model for our questionnaire has a sound quality, and could be further used to test the mediating effects of the path relationship of the latent constructs.

Table 3.

Correlation Coefficient, Composite Reliability, and Average Variation Extraction Matrix of Latent Constructs.

Latent constructs	Internet self-efficacy	Internet-related instructional applications	Internet enjoyment	Professional support
Internet self-efficacy	.90 (.70)
Internet-related instructional applications	.64 (.41)	.89 (.67)
Internet enjoyment	.67 (.45)	.74 (.55)	.90 (.69)
Professional support	.50 (.25)	.77 (.59)	.61 (.37)	.93 (.76)

Note. Diagonal values denote the composite reliability of latent constructs, and the values in brackets denote mean variation extraction. Nondiagonal values denote correlation coefficients, and the values in brackets denote the squares of correlation coefficients.

Testing for the Mediating Effects

After 5,000 subsample tests, the total effect of internet self-efficacy on early childhood educators’ view of internet-related instructional applications was .69, and the lower and upper bound of the bias-corrected 95% confidence interval estimate were .57 and .83, respectively. The test results confirm Hypothesis 1. After introducing internet enjoyment and professional support, the indirect effect produced was .51, and the lower and upper bound of the bias-corrected 95% confidence interval estimates were 0.40 and 0.65, respectively. As a result, the direct effect of internet self-efficacy on internet-related instructional applications decreased to .18 (the lower and upper bound of the bias-corrected 95% confidence interval estimate were 0.05 and 0.32, respectively). The confidence interval estimates of the aforementioned effect values did not contain 0, suggesting that all parameters are statistically significant (as shown in Table 4).

Table 4.

Summary of Testing on the Confidence Interval Estimate of Mediating Effects.

Interactions among latent constructs	Path coefficient (SE, Z)	Bias-corrected 95% confidence interval estimate (lower bound, upper bound)
Total effect
Internet self-efficacy → internet-related instructional applications	0.69 (0.07, 9.86***)	[0.57, 0.83]
Direct effect
Internet self-efficacy → internet-related instructional applications	0.18 (0.07, 2.57*)	[0.05, 0.32]
Indirect effect
Internet self-efficacy → internet-related instructional applications	0.51 (0.06, 8.50***)	[0.40, 0.65]
Individual indirect effect
Internet self-efficacy → internet enjoyment → internet-related instructional applications	0.24 (0.06, 4.00***)	[0.14, 0.36]
Internet self-efficacy → professional support → internet-related instructional applications	0.27 (0.05, 5.40***)	[0.18, 0.39]

Note. The bootstrap method was used for 5,000 subsamples tests.

p < .05. *** p < .001.

Concerning the indirect effect of internet enjoyment on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications, the lower and upper bound of the bias-corrected 95% confidence interval estimate were 0.14 and 0.36, respectively. Concerning the indirect effect of professional support on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications, the lower and upper bound of the bias-corrected 95% confidence interval estimate were 0.18 and 0.39, respectively. Due to the individual indirect effects of internet enjoyment and professional support on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications under the bootstrap method, the testing results of confidence intervals did not contain 0, and thus are statistically significant. The results testify to the presence of mediating effects, confirming Hypotheses 2 and 3.

After introducing internet enjoyment and professional support, the direct effect on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications declined but remained statistically significant. The results indicate that the indirect effect of the two-factor mediation model was partially mediating in this relationship. Comparing individual indirect effects, the indirect effect of internet enjoyment accounted for 47.06% of the overall indirect effect, whereas the indirect effect of professional support accounted for 52.94%. This suggests that professional support demonstrated a more significant mediating effect than internet enjoyment. We compared the nonstandardized coefficients of the individual indirect effects of different mediating variables, and the results indicated that the differences between them were not statistically significant. In other words, internet enjoyment and professional support had equivalent mediating effects on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications.

Conclusion and Suggestions

Academic Implications

We analyzed original data collected from our questionnaire through SEM. The statistical results indicate that early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the integration of the internet into the instruction of young children can be measured by our four factors: internet self-efficacy, internet-related instructional applications, internet enjoyment, and professional support. Early childhood educators’ intentions to use the internet influenced their attitudes toward internet-related instructional applications and were partially mediated by their enjoyment of the internet and the professional support acquired from community partners. This result is similar to those of some empirical studies (Kao & Chien, 2017; Khlaif, 2018; Lisenbee & Ford, 2018).

The results indicated that this theoretical model helps us understand the mediating effects of internet enjoyment and professional support on the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications. These mediating variables could drive early childhood educators to embrace the internet’s educational potential in the future. Regarding the mediating effects of internet enjoyment, early childhood educators’ attitudes toward using internet-related instructional applications were associated with internet enjoyment and accessibility. This result is similar to those of some empirical studies (Makki et al., 2018). Their perceptions were shaped by the positive experiences they had on and through the internet.

Regarding the mediating effects of professional support, the community interaction platform and the atmosphere of professional support provided by the internet influenced early childhood educators’ thoughts about the quality of professional communication, peer-to-peer dialogues, and cooperative learning exhibited by the internet community. This result is similar to those of some empirical studies (Gudmundsdottir & Hatlevik, 2018; Lantz-Andersson et al., 2018). As far as the aforementioned results are concerned, early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the internet as a tool of instruction and their practical performance in internet-related instructional applications were partially influenced by the degree of internet enjoyment they demonstrated and their thoughts and perceptions about professional support-related interactions and dialogues taking place online.

Our results demonstrated that internet enjoyment and professional support have partially mediating effects in the relationship between internet self-efficacy and internet-related instructional applications. To highlight the potentially innovative applications and value of the Internet for the instruction of young children, it is necessary to pay attention to early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the internet and related applications. The higher these educators’ internet self-efficacy, the greater their confidence in integrating the internet into curriculum design and instructional practices.

Moreover, the more that early childhood educators enjoy the internet, the more they demonstrate positive attitudes toward internet-based instruction. Their engagement with professional communities online can improve their pedagogical competency and encourage them to integrate the internet into their classrooms. To improve early childhood educators’ performance about internet-related instructional applications, we have considered the intersections of their perceptions about internet-related factors to improve the educare quality and young children’s development.

Practical Suggestions

When it comes to promoting professional instructional advancement, early childhood educators usually hold positive attitudes toward the internet. Early childhood educators who enjoy the internet and recognize its value in the instruction of young children can invest time and energy into finding appropriate and innovative internet-related instructional applications in an unencumbered and pleasurable atmosphere. By virtue of the diverse opportunities and resources provided by the internet, these teachers can introduce internet resources into instructional activities in meaningful and suitable ways. Then, they can construct and implement high-quality courses and instructional activities for young children.

At the stage of preservice training, the internet can provide novel and innovative learning resources and instructional integrative models for early childhood educators. These resources and models can assist them in understanding the developing trends of internet-related instructional applications and motivate them to integrate the internet into meaningful instructional activities.

To meet professional standards and the learning demands of young children, early childhood educators are encouraged to explore integrating the internet into existing instructional models to take full advantage of the Internet’s massive potential, create additional (and diverse) learning opportunities, and improve the learning performance of young children. For instance, early childhood educators may wield the internet’s potential to meet their and their students’ own instructional interests and pedagogical objectives. These teachers can combine their personal feelings about the internet with instructional integration models and construct accessible, cooperative, and interesting online activities and communities.

Our results also demonstrate the important role played by early childhood educators’ perceptions of professional interactions online. Their experiences with professional dialogue and supportive cooperation online had a profound influence on their intention to integrate the internet into their classrooms. In fact, the fair, equal, reciprocal, and mutually respectful interactions facilitated by the internet can assist early childhood educators’ exchange of experiences and practices.

In these digital spaces, early childhood educators can effectively share instructional strategies and collaboratively solve pedagogical problems. They can establish peer-to-peer community interactions and, within these communities, develop and support a wide array of instructional activities and related pedagogical applications via the internet. The internet enables them to design, embody, and construct meaningful instructional models to improve young children’s learning performance, and ultimately develop valuable professional expertise.

To improve early childhood educators’ attitudes toward internet-assisted professional development and the construction of user-friendly learning communities, we can encourage them to focus on the cooperative and collaborative characteristics of internet communities. We can also use user-friendly interfaces to improve emotional support and coordinated professional development structures and make them more accessible.

When early childhood educators are willing to establish professional peer-to-peer partnerships online, they can engage in professional interactions and discussions which help them improve and implement internet-related instructional applications. They can use the internet to create diversified instruction scenarios, implement inquiry-based learning models, and perform internet-assisted teaching practices.

Although early childhood educators’ internet self-efficacy is a major factor in how they think about how to best integrate the internet into their classrooms, internet enjoyment and the availability of professional support are still key factors. It is crucial that educators be able to use the internet without feeling anxiety or frustration. For this reason, it is necessary to assist early childhood educators in creating an enjoyable, collaborative, supportive atmosphere which will lay a foundation for professional exchange among community partners. We can do this by encouraging them to share and discuss their instructional experiences with their peers—for example, by discussing how to integrate the internet into curriculum design and assessment for young children, sharing their plans for instructional activities, or engaging in professional reflection, community discussions, and sharing of instructional practices.

We can encourage early childhood educators currently using the internet to perform reciprocal and openly professional dialogues so that they and their peers can learn the best internet-related instructional practices from one another. This would highlight the community values facilitated by the internet (e.g., professional support and reciprocal cooperation) and further integrate the internet into early childhood education.

Reference Values for Future Research

There may be other important factors in the relationship described in this study that were not explored in this study. In the future, further efforts can be made on this basis to apply and revise the different latent constructs and observed variables in our questionnaire. Future researchers can explore the roles of different constructs or explore different hypothetical relationships and test the mediating effects of other latent factors for such relationships.

The results of this study demonstrated the mediating effects of internet enjoyment and online professional support. In the future, related qualitative studies might further explore early childhood educators’ attitudes toward the utility of the internet, their enjoyment of internet-based instruction, and their preferences regarding professional interactions online. Research would benefit from conducting interviews and observations in the field to collect qualitative data and foster deeper conceptual analysis. Practical and alternative plans can also be proposed to broaden the purviews and solidify the foundations of related research projects.

By conducting this study, we hoped to highlight how early childhood educators consider various factors when deciding whether and how to integrate the internet into their classrooms. That is, this study aimed to provide a broad view of how educators operate and view the internet, rather than focus on its obvious pedagogical benefits: We focused not only on teachers’ internet self-efficacy but on their internet enjoyment and daily use of the internet as well. We also took into account the broad-scale community cooperation benefits which early childhood educators might reap from internet-based professional interactions.

Given our increasingly cybernetic world, it is important that we lay a foundation for the practical implementation and innovative development of internet-based instructional applications for young children. Early childhood educators can wield internet-related innovations to provide diverse learning opportunities and joy-filled learning resources for young children, and can strengthen their own professional development and the learning performance of the children they teach in the process.

Footnotes

Author Note

I-Hsiung Chang is now affiliated to Tamkang University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Ru-Si Chen

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Early Childhood Educators’ Attitudes to Internet Self-Efficacy and Internet-Related Instructional Applications: The Mediating Effects of Internet Enjoyment and Professional Support