Digital Learning Is Expanding, but Teachers Face New Challenges
Digital technology has become an increasingly important part of education worldwide. Governments and schools are investing in digital classrooms, interactive displays, and online learning platforms to create more engaging learning experiences. In Indonesia, this transformation has also reached early childhood education institutions through government-supported technology programs.
For young children, technology can support learning by making lessons more interactive and visually engaging. However, experts have consistently emphasized that technology alone cannot improve education. Teachers must know how to integrate digital tools into teaching strategies that match children's developmental needs.
This issue became particularly relevant at Happy Kids Early Childhood Education Center (PAUD Happy Kids) after the school received an Interactive Flat Panel (IFV) from the Indonesian government in December 2025. The device represented a significant upgrade from traditional learning media such as printed pictures, flashcards, educational toys, and teacher-made materials. Yet, introducing new technology also created new professional challenges for teachers.
Looking Inside the Classroom
To better understand these challenges, Dwi Fany Fransiska Dewi Butar Butar conducted a qualitative descriptive study during the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year.
The research involved two teachers and one school principal selected through purposive sampling. Information was collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, allowing the researcher to examine how teachers were actually using the Interactive Flat Panel and what support they needed.
Rather than measuring learning outcomes statistically, the study focused on teachers' experiences, perceptions, and professional development needs during the initial implementation of educational technology.
Interactive Flat Panels Are Used—but Only at a Basic Level
The findings reveal that the Interactive Flat Panel has already become part of classroom activities, but its educational potential remains largely untapped.
Teachers primarily use the device for:
- displaying instructional videos;
- playing children's songs;
- showing interactive images;
- presenting digital storybooks; and
- running simple educational games.
More advanced interactive functions—including digital whiteboards, annotation tools, collaborative learning features, and interactive educational applications—are rarely used.
According to the study, teachers are still adapting to the new technology and have not yet explored its full instructional capabilities.
Major Barriers Go Beyond Hardware
Although the government successfully provided the Interactive Flat Panel, the research found several barriers preventing teachers from maximizing its use.
Among the most significant challenges are:
- no formal technical training on operating the Interactive Flat Panel;
- limited experience in developing digital learning materials;
- a lack of instructional guidelines specifically designed for early childhood education;
- insufficient time to explore the device's interactive features.
The school principal has encouraged teachers to integrate the technology into classroom instruction, but institutional support has not yet included structured professional development or systematic mentoring.
These findings suggest that purchasing educational technology is only one component of successful digital transformation.
Six Priorities for Teacher Development
The study identifies six major areas where teachers need additional support to successfully integrate educational technology into early childhood education:
- Technical training on all Interactive Flat Panel features.
- Professional development in designing digital learning media for young children.
- Continuous mentoring in developing technology-integrated daily lesson plans.
- Greater access to digital learning resources aligned with Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum.
- Sustainable professional development programs to strengthen teachers' digital competencies.
- Stronger institutional support through academic supervision and the sharing of teaching best practices.
These priorities indicate that effective educational technology implementation requires long-term investment in teacher capacity rather than one-time technology distribution.
Why the Findings Matter
The research carries important implications for education policy, school leadership, and teacher professional development.
For policymakers, the findings suggest that national digitalization initiatives should combine hardware distribution with structured training, mentoring, monitoring, and evaluation. Without these complementary programs, schools may possess modern technology but lack the expertise needed to use it effectively.
For school leaders, the study highlights the importance of creating continuous learning opportunities for teachers. Professional learning communities, technology coaching, and academic supervision can help educators gradually build confidence and competence in digital teaching.
The findings are equally significant for teacher education institutions. As digital technologies become increasingly common in classrooms, future teachers will need stronger preparation in digital pedagogy alongside traditional instructional skills.
A Human-Centered Approach to Educational Technology
Drawing on the study's findings, Dwi Fany Fransiska Dewi Butar Butar of Universitas Satya Terra Bhinneka concludes that educational technology should not be viewed simply as classroom equipment. Instead, successful technology integration depends on systematic teacher professional development, continuous mentoring, and institutional support that enables educators to transform digital tools into meaningful learning experiences for young children.
The study reinforces a growing international consensus: technology can enrich education, but teachers remain the driving force behind effective learning. Digital devices become truly valuable only when educators possess the knowledge, confidence, and pedagogical expertise to use them well.
Author Profile
Dwi Fany Fransiska Dewi Butar Butar is a researcher at Universitas Satya Terra Bhinneka, Indonesia. Her academic interests include educational technology, teacher professional development, digital pedagogy, needs assessment, and early childhood education. Her research focuses on helping educators integrate technology into teaching through evidence-based professional development and sustainable educational innovation.
Source
Article Title: Teachers' Needs Analysis for Educational Technology Utilization During the Initial Implementation of Interactive Flat Panel at Happy Kids Early Childhood Education Center
Author: Dwi Fany Fransiska Dewi Butar Butar
Affiliation: Universitas Satya Terra Bhinneka, Indonesia
Journal: International Journal of Sustainable Applied Sciences (IJSAS), Vol. 4, No. 7 (2026)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijsas.v4i7.30
Official Journal: http://ijsasjournal.my.id/index.php/ijsas
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