Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
Rapid advances in digital technologies are transforming pedagogical paradigms and reshaping how child-adult relationships are negotiated in early childhood education and care. This study explores how pre-service early childhood educators conceptualize the entanglement of digital tools and relational pedagogies. Drawing on relational epistemologies and socio-material perspectives, a qualitative design involving 12 pre-service educators enrolled in a teacher education program in T & uuml;rkiye was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a creative focus group conducted in May 2025. A reflexive thematic analysis illuminated four interrelated dimensions: (1) fragmented yet evolving familiarity with digital tools; (2) digital technologies emerging as relational agents that mediate connections between children and adults; (3) concerns and constraints around equity, ethics, and pedagogy; and (4) reimagining relational pedagogy to accommodate digitally mediated interactions. Findings advance theoretical debates by positioning digital technologies not as neutral tools but as active contributors to relational pedagogies. Practically, the study underscores the need for teacher education programs to prepare educators for digitally entangled learning environments. By emphasizing the relational implications of digitalization, this research opens new pathways for reconsidering how pedagogy, technology, and human relationships jointly shape early childhood practices in the digital age.