=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-1844/10000459
|storemode=property
|title=The Implementation of Multimedia Technology in Ukrainian Inclusive
Pre-school Education
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1844/10000459.pdf
|volume=Vol-1844
|authors=Yuliya Nosenko,Zhanna Matyukh
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/icteri/NosenkoM17
}}
==The Implementation of Multimedia Technology in Ukrainian Inclusive
Pre-school Education==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1844/10000459.pdf
The Implementation of Multimedia Technology
in Ukrainian Inclusive Pre-school Education
Yuliya Nosenko, Zhanna Matyukh
Institute of Information Technologies and Learning Tools of NAES of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine,
9 M. Berlynskoho Street, Kyiv, Ukraine
nosenko@iitlt.gov.ua
Abstract. Involving children with disabilities in high-quality learning environ-
ment since early age has a positive impact on their further education and social-
ization. To promote development of each child, the educational initiatives with-
in inclusive approach should be aimed at meeting individual needs and abilities
disclosure. Broad prospects are revealed through implementing multimedia
technologies (MT), due to the range of advantages they propose.
The article represents the results of a survey that involved 453 pre-school
teachers from seven regions of Ukraine and was aimed at identifying the state
of using MT in inclusive pre-school groups. The model of using MT in inclu-
sive pre-school group is represented. An important element of the model is the
bank of multimedia resources. With the participation of experts the criteria for
selecting resources were developed using which we are filling the bank. The au-
thors’ model is designed to improve the quality of educational process in inclu-
sive pre-school groups in Ukraine.
Keywords: multimedia technology, inclusive pre-school education, children
with disabilities, pre-school teacher, survey.
1 Introduction
At the present stage of society development the intensive application of Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT) in different spheres of activity becomes
significant. The use of new technologies enables the creation of conditions for im-
proving the quality and accessibility of education, effective communication and col-
laboration, which opens wide prospects for learning children with disabilities.
About 10% of the population of Europe has some form of recognized disability [2]
and it is estimated that there are 84 million pupils – approximately 22% or 1 in 5 of
the total school aged population – who require special educational provision either in
a mainstream classroom, as part of a special class or within a separate institution [3].
Among a variety of inclusive education1 strategies ICTs seem to be the most appro-
1 Inclusive education is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of
needs of all children through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities,
and reducing and eliminating exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and
priate tool that facilitates individualization of learning by providing disabled children
with access to didactical materials in a more acceptable manner, enables combining
different forms of information, develops a holistic vision of the world, and realizes the
individual potential of the younger generation.
Involving children with disabilities in high-quality learning environment since ear-
ly age has a positive impact on their further education and socialization. Thus, accord-
ing to the survey of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (USA),
children with disabilities who have access to high-quality educational services at an
early age, show more high learning results in elementary school [4].
To promote development of each child, the educational initiatives within inclusive
approach with using ICT should be aimed at meeting children individual needs, abili-
ties disclosure, and complete integration in learning and social environment. Broad
prospects are revealed through implementing multimedia technologies (MT) 2, due to
the range of advantages they propose: 1) poly-sensory perception (the possibility to
influence different sensory zones); 2) promotion of basic mental processes develop-
ment (thinking, memory, attention, imagination, speech, etc.); 3) displaying objects,
phenomena and processes that are not available in everyday life (space objects, natu-
ral phenomena, microcosm, et al.); 4) visualization of abstract information; 5) emo-
tional coloration of demonstration material, etc.
Although in Ukraine the problem of implementation of new technologies in inclu-
sive education, including pre-school, is at an early stage of development, there is
some experience and studies worked out: a) Opportunities and prospects of using MT
in pre-schools, media-socializing impact of computer technology on the younger gen-
eration (V. Kovalenko, Zh. Matyukh [5], S. Semchuk, Zh. Yatsenko et al.);
b) Hygienic and ergonomic requirements to educational e-resources, ICT safely usage
(O. Burov [1], V. Motorin, N. Pol’ka [7], A. Platonova [7], T. Ponimanska et al.);
c) Problems of ICT use in working with children with special needs (L. Koval,
K. Kosova, Zh. Matyukh [5], B. Moroz, Yu. Nosenko [6] et al.).
Despite the studies conducted, involving the benefits of advanced ICT, including
MT, in inclusive pre-school education in Ukraine is accompanied by a number of
obstacles: poor equipment provision; insufficient ICT-competence of pre-school staff;
a large number of children in groups (often more than 30), making it difficult to indi-
vidualize educational impact; insufficient level of awareness of inclusive educational
techniques, including using MT. These issues require further study and solution that
will facilitate the development and improvement of inclusive pre-school education in
Ukraine.
The purpose of our study is to reflect the current state of MT use in Ukrainian in-
clusive pre-school education and to design a model of using MT in inclusive pre-
school group educational process, which is to be recommended to pre-school teachers.
modifications in content, approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision that
covers all children of the appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the responsibility
of the regular system to educate all children [8].
2 In our research MT is seen as a technology that enables integration, processing and repro-
ducing of different types of signals via digital tools (PC, tablet, multimedia boards, etc.).
2 The Presentation of Main Results
2.1 The Current State of MT Use by Ukrainian Pre-School Teachers in
Educational Work with Inclusive Groups
The main method used to determine the current state of MT use in Ukrainian inclu-
sive pre-school groups (IPSG) was a survey, which lasted during 2015-2016, and
involved 453 pre-school teachers (PST) from seven regions of Ukraine. Among them
35% work in big cities, 23% – in small (regional) cities, 42% – in rural area.
The survey allowed to clarify a number of issues, including: 1) PST awareness of
the concepts of inclusive education, MT, etc.; 2) the degree of implementation of
inclusive education in pre-schools, where respondents are employed, their willingness
to the implementation; 3) respondents’ attitudes to implementing MT in educational
activities and their experience in MT use.
95% of respondents have heard the term ‘inclusive education’ before. While most
of them (89.4%) said they know its meaning, actually the correct definition among a
series of proposed ones was chosen by significantly fewer persons (58.6%). The in-
clusive groups exist in only 10% of respondents’ pre-school educational institutions
(PEI). At the same time, 24% have experience of educating children with disabilities.
As for ‘inclusive climate’ in PEIs, i.e. according to the respondents, the readiness
of their colleagues and management to the inclusive education implementation, we
received the following results: a total of almost 36% (11.9% – ‘absolutely yes’, 24.2%
– ‘uncertain yes’) have chosen positive answers; nearly 35% (26.2% – ‘uncertain not’
and 8.3% – ‘absolutely not’) have chosen negative answers; almost 30% were not
sure (‘difficult to decide’). Thus, the results were distributed almost evenly on a third
that showed uncertainty of Ukrainian pre-school educational teams in readiness for
inclusive education implementation. The respondents also rated their own desire to
implement inclusive education as follows: 51.6% answered positively, 48.4% – nega-
tively. That is, the answers were distributed almost in half.
The natural question arises: what causes such a low level of awareness and readi-
ness of PST? The survey showed that among the main problems noted by the re-
spondents that hinder the introduction of inclusive education are: the lack of relevant
qualification, experience – 75.4%; the lack of sufficient funds and equipment (meth-
odological, technical support, etc.) – 56.1%; the lack of PEI managers’ support – 8%;
fear, uncertainty about children with disabilities – 9.5%. Only 7.6% of PST noted that
they have no problems and are ready to work with disabled children and to provide
the inclusion. Thus, the greatest difficulties Ukrainian PST associate with the absence
or insufficient level of their skills, experience and inadequate methodological and
technical support.
We consider being positive the fact that the majority of respondents expressed a
desire to improve their competency level for inclusive education implementation.
Thus, 86.7% of them gave a positive answer to the question ‘Do you wish to improve
your knowledge and skills for the implementation of inclusive education?’
The next issues we tried to find out was the PST awareness of the concept of ‘Mul-
timedia Technology’, their attitudes to MT implementation in educational activities
and experience of MT use. Though almost all respondents (98%) answered that they
know the meaning of the term ‘Multimedia Technology’, actually the correct defini-
tion among a series of proposed was chosen by fewer persons – 85%.
Only 22% among surveyed PST use MT in working with children. These (22%) re-
spondents mostly use animated films (60%), multimedia presentations (47%), videos
(45%), and computer games (16%). Also 30.6% of PST (of these 22%) create some
MT on their own (i.e. multimedia presentations). The digital tools used for reproduc-
ing MT have been specified as follows: computer – 87% multi-media board – 22%.
It is important to clarify the position of PST towards the expediency of MT imple-
mentation in working with pre-school children in inclusive group. Thus, 94% of re-
spondents consider using MT to be appropriate in the inclusive group, reasoning that
these tools allow to diversify the educational process (72.7%), motivate children
(70.7%), deliver information in different ways (59.8%), enhance children develop-
ment (57%), draw each child in the cognitive process (44.6%).
Among the difficulties that complicate or make impossible the implementation of
MT in educational process the respondents noted: lack of appropriate technical sup-
port (70.9%), lack of educators’ sufficient training (26.9%), unreasonableness of MT
use (1.3%), lack of educators’ desire and motivation to implement MT (0.9%).
The problem of PST preparedness, low levels of their ICT-competence, which is an
important factor of poor MT implementation in pre-school education, is evident in the
answers to the following question. The respondents were asked to assess their own
level of skills in the use of computer technology (including MT) on a 5-point scale (if
consider that 1 point means ‘is not able to use’, 5 points mean ‘advanced user’). It is
found that 9% of PST rated themselves in 5 points, 33% – in 4 points, 39% – in 3
points, 13% – in 2 points, 6% in 1 point. Obviously, this result is rather subjective.
However, we believe that some correlation between answers to the previous questions
and this one exists.
We consider being positive the fact that the majority of respondents expressed a
desire to enhance their own competence in terms of inclusive education implementa-
tion (87%) and MT use in the IPSG (98%). In Ukraine, the training of PST is carried
out in several ways: 1) For future professionals – in higher educational institutions of
Ukraine that have a license for conducting training in appropriate direction. The total
number of such institutions in Ukraine is 18 (as of 2016); 2) For practicing teachers –
through training courses at the regional institutions of postgraduate education. Each
educator of Ukraine must pass these courses every 5 years; 3) Both for future and
practicing teachers – at specialized training courses on inclusive education and/or ICT
use organized by public and private foundations, research institutes and others.
As a result of our study a special course ‘Multimedia technologies in inclusive pre-
school group educational process’ was developed that can be used in training of fu-
ture and practicing PST to improve their ICT-competence and skills in using MT in
the inclusive group educational process. Since 2016 we have conducted a series of
trainings using the authors' special course (within the regional training courses, free).
Currently, more than 100 pre-school teachers have been successfully trained and work
in this direction continues.
2.2 Model of Using MT in Inclusive Pre-School Group Educational Process
As today in Ukraine the level of methodological support of informatization of pre-
school inclusion is quite low, we consider appropriate to project the model of using
MT in IPSG educational process. The authors’ developed model consists of 5 units,
which are caused by the logic of the educational process and its components: target,
content, technological, diagnostic, and resulted (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Model of using MT in inclusive pre-school group educational process
The Target Unit defines the purpose, namely improving the quality of the educational
process in inclusive group that is achieved through the implementation of a number of
objectives: 1) improving the children’s perception of educational information; 2) in-
volvement of each child in the educational process; 3) diversification of ways to
demonstrate learning achievements; 4) mental processes development.
The educational process in IPSG should be based on the approaches and principles
reflected in the Content Unit. The content of the pre-school educational process is
determined by the State Standard of Ukraine. This standard is implemented under
development of educational programs recommended by Ministry of Education and
Science of Ukraine (more than 30 in total). Each pre-school institution chooses one of
these programs that is discussed and approved by its Education Council. Thus, the
content of MT used in the educational process must meet the State Standard and ap-
propriate program. This is one of the main criteria for MT selection.
The Technological Unit identifies the peculiarities of preparation and implementa-
tion of educational process using MT, in particular, the selection of high-quality MT
and methodological support of their usage. In this regard, the need appeared for creat-
ing Bank of Multimedia Resources (BMR), which would accumulate high-quality
elaborations that can be recommended for use in IPSG.
To create BMR we first needed to determine the criteria of MT selection. To de-
termine these criteria were involved 15 experts, each of whom has practical experi-
ence in PEI at least 5 years (including work with inclusive groups), and also has the
experience of MT usage. As a result, the following criteria were defined: 1) Con-
sistency with the State Standard of Ukraine; 2) Economic accessibility (important for
Ukrainian PEIs due to low funding); 3) Simple usage (available for basic users);
4) High-quality voice support (clear diction, moderate tempo, et al.); 5) Ergonomic
design (nice and moderate colors and music, etc.); 6) Availability of Ukrainian ver-
sion; 7) Usability on different platforms (principally Windows and Android for
Ukrainian PEIs); 8) Easy installation or web-access.
Using these criteria we form BMR, filling it with three types of resources: a) Mul-
timedia presentation. This tool allows combining text, graphics, animations, audio,
and video in dynamics that promotes activation of child’s voluntary attention. It is
appropriate to be applied for studying new concepts or their fixing; b) Electronic
gaming resource. This is a separate type of game software, designed to address teach-
ing purposes: the game as the leading pre-school activity, and consolidation of
knowledge and skills. While playing, children develop positive emotional response,
and desire to achieve goals that promote correction of mental processes. Electronic
gaming resources are useful for fixing knowledge and skills; c) Animated films have a
positive impact on the assimilation of behaviors, algorithms to achieve goals, devel-
opment of the emotional sphere and mental processes. Viewing should start with
teacher’s intro speech and complete with problematic questions, giving children the
opportunity to express their reflection. It is useful for forming complex concepts
(moral and ethical values, norms of social interaction, etc.).
Currently, the BMR contains more than 70 resources aimed at various development
directions (Table. 1). After completion the bank will be placed in the public domain,
providing PST with access to high-quality MT.
The Technological unit also reflects the peculiarities of educational activities,
which are implemented by appropriate forms, methods and tools. The main organiza-
tional forms in Ukrainian PEI are: lessons (compulsory), club classes (optional), indi-
vidual classes (if necessary). According to the order of Ministry of Education and
Science of Ukraine3, the permissible load for children aged 5-6 years is 15 lessons, 5
club classes per a week (8 hours in total). Along with this, the time limit for using MT
is 10 minutes per one session. The recommended learning forms (within our model)
are: collective and individual. The recommended methods are: visual (observation,
demonstration), verbal (explanation, reading, conversation); practical (exercises,
games). According to the latest Ukrainian medical researches [7] it is acceptable to
use monitors in work with children aged 5-6 years. Therefore, the main tool that we
recommend to use is a multimedia board with touch screen. As an alternative, the TV
screen (with USB-access) or PC can be used.
Table 1. MT distribution in BMR according to the development direction4
Development direction
Logical- Artistic and Social and
MT Total Speech Cognitive
mathematical aesthetic moral
types number development development
development development development
Multimedia
32 8 12 7 5 -
presentations
Electronic
38 7 10 12 9 -
gaming resources
Animated films 13 13 13 - 13 13
The Diagnostic Unit aims at determining the qualitative changes in the level of edu-
cational achievements of children as a result of the model. The main indicators, which
we consider: a) Improvement of children’s perception of educational information (due
to poly-sensory impact); b) Each child involvement in the educational process (due to
creation of psychological conducive atmosphere, enabling demonstration of learning
outcomes in convenient way); c) Positive dynamics of mental processes (mainly,
attention, memory, thinking, speech). To determine the level of each child’s achieve-
ment for these indicators it is expedient to apply appropriate pedagogical and psycho-
logical diagnostic methods.
Organizational and psychological-didactical conditions constitute an important
element of the model. Their realization largely determines the success of model im-
plementation. The Resulted Unit is the latest element of the model and consists in
improving the educational process quality in IPSG.
3 Conclusions
MT can become an important part of the educational process in PEI, greatly expand-
ing the range of traditional teaching tools and resources, and promoting the creation
of inclusive environment. Such prospects are of particular importance for children
3 http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0520-15
4 The development directions are defined according to the State Standard of Ukraine
with disabilities. It is worth noting that a child with disability passes all the same
stages of ontogeny as other ones. The differences lie in the rapidity of physical and
mental development, the final result and ways of its achievement. The development of
child’s personality, individual physical abilities and cognitive activity depends on the
underlying of disability and requires more time, usage of special tools, methods and
approaches. With the introduction of MT, every child receives a chance to overcome
barriers to education, gets access to various didactic materials and demonstrates learn-
ing outcomes in a convenient format.
Our survey, which involved 453 PSTs from seven regions of Ukraine, has shown
that despite the low level of their ICT-competence and awareness of inclusive educa-
tion, poor technical equipment, lack of methodological support, etc., their willingness
to improve knowledge and skills is rather high. Therefore, it is appropriate to intensify
training of future and practicing PST by introducing specialized courses. Since 2016
we have conducted a series of trainings using the authors' special course, so more than
100 PSTs have been successfully trained to use MT in IPSG educational process.
The authors’ model of using MT in IPSG educational process, which is to be rec-
ommended to PST, is developed. The model is designed to enhance the methodology
of inclusive pre-school education implementation in Ukraine and aims to improve the
quality of the educational process in IPSG. An important element of the model is the
BMR. With the participation of experts the criteria for selecting resources were de-
veloped using which we are filling the BMR. After completion the BMR will be
placed in the public domain, providing PST with access to high-quality MT.
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